CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Ingleside residents are speaking out about what they say is a safety concern along Highway 1069, also known as Main Street, during morning rush hour traffic.
It might seem like two totally separate roadways: one without traffic and another bursting at the seems. However, the stretch of Main Street that leads out to the turnoff for Kiewit Road is one in the same.
It just depends on the time of day.
Resident Deniya Parker said it's what happens during morning rush hour traffic has her most concerned.
She shared videos with 3NEWS of drivers she says are trying to avoid the long lines by going past the turn to Kiewit Road. They stop along the major roadway and attempt to make a U-turn.
"It's blocking up traffic," Parker said. "I'm concerned because it's not really safe, I go down this road, a lot through the week, even my mom does as well."
The speed limit along 1069 is 50 mph.
According to online crash data there's been a crash about every three months this past year in this location.
For the entire stretch of Highway 1069, there's been close to 70 accidents.
"I just want to see a change before there is a bad accident that happens," Parker said.
Ingleside Police Chief Martin Molina told 3NEWS he does have officers work that area starting at 5 a.m. until about 7:30 a.m., when things slow down.
He said the challenge is that he has a limited number of officers, and they do get pulled away for other service calls.
The chief said Kiewit, for example, employees over 3,500 people and at times up to 8,500.
He says the U-turn situation is allowed in certain spots of the two-way road. However a U-turn in the double yellow lined portion is illegal.
Molina believes the only solution is for the state to help find a way to reconfigure the traffic plan.
Meantime, Parker hopes by speaking out, it will make other drivers more aware of the situation and lead to some type of action.