Drivers Continue to Voice Concerns Over Intersection in Elsa
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ELSA – Mismatched data between the Texas Department of Transportation and the Elsa Police Department have drivers concerned about an intersection.
The area of FM 88 and Mile 16 in Elsa is the intersection where some accidents have occurred. And according to Tomas Jasso, some of the accidents have been serious.
People shared their concerns about the accidents happening in that particular intersection. The lengthy process to put in a traffic light began.
CHANNEL 5 NEWS requested crash data on the intersection from the Tx-DOT to find out how many accidents have happened over a two-year period.
The report stated there were zero crashes to report.
We compared Tx-DOT’s information to the data from Elsa police and the numbers didn’t match.
Elsa police’s data from 2015 to 2016 reported there were 21 major and minor accidents, including one fatal in March 2016.
“DOT and the city of Elsa, if they’re not the same, then how are they going to find out what’s going on? We do need a light there,” Jasso said.
Jasso works right off FM 88 and Mile 16. He drives a propane tanker truck. He said he avoids the intersection at all costs, even when he’s not on delivery.
“Propane and it can be dangerous. We have to look out for other drivers,” he said. “I try to not cut across it but turn right, which is south to avoid crossing over.”
We spoke to Elsa Police Chief Primativo Rodriguez and asked the process for collecting the crash reports.
“We get all the accidents together and we send them to Tx-DOT crash department,” he said.
Rodriguez said they are unsure of why exactly the reports differ greatly.
“I don’t know if they’ve gotten them, if not then we’ll resubmit them. Sometimes they get lost and maybe not, but we’ll resubmit all of them. Of course, if we have to,” he said.
Octavio Saenz, spokesperson for Tx-DOT said anything that has a $1,000 of damage, it is up to the police officers to fill out a report called C-3. They have 10 days to send to Austin for stats.
Saenz said he is looking into the crash data we received.
We will continue to follow up and report any new developments.
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