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TxDOT Installs ‘No U-Turn’ Signs in Pharr Intersection

6 years 7 months 1 week ago Thursday, September 14 2017 Sep 14, 2017 September 14, 2017 6:32 PM September 14, 2017 in News

UPDATE (9/18): The Texas Department of Transportation installed a "No U-turn" sign on Jackson Road and Business 83. 

Crews are also working on marking the roads with more signage. 

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PHARR – A construction project created to make a busy intersection safe may be causing more problems.

People working nearby said a U-turn at the Jackson Road and Business 83 intersection is an accident waiting to happen.

"From under the expressway through here, you see a lot of people doing illegal – well, I think it's illegal turns. There's no U-turn signs there, but personally I think it's dangerous because you have cars coming from the other side,” said Mitch Lerma.

Lerma works at the Boggus Ford dealership on the corner of Jackson Road and Business 83 between the cities of McAllen and Pharr.

He said he's had to change his route when customers test drive their vehicles and his own way home.

"Have you been behind a person that's done a U-turn?” asked the reporter.

“Every day, at least coming back from lunch or coming from home to come to work,” replied Lerma. “There's at least one or two in front of me that do a U-turn. I just go ahead and take the street that way and make the big turnaround.”

A CHANNEL 5 NEWS crew caught several drivers in large trucks and small cars make the U-turn.

Lerma said many drivers are making the U-turn because the city of Pharr and the Texas Department of Transportation crews built a median. 

The city of Pharr said the intent is to decrease traffic congestion. They said many drivers heading north on Jackson Road would also make a left turn after the underpass and into the expressway.

“I think people are not used to it. So, they're still trying to find a way to go that same way. But I guess its way to start doing the no U-turn sign and go from there," said Lerma. 

Lerma wanted a no U-turn sign at the intersection.

We reached out to the city of Pharr and to TxDOT.

TxDOT public information officer Octavio Saenz said a safety plan for the busy intersection is underway. The signs have been ordered.

“That's going to be a lot safer. It's going to be the safest thing to do for the people that go through these streets every day, because you never know, especially down here this intersection. It’s McAllen, you're right in the middle of everything so you can cause a big accident doing that U-turn,” said Lerma.

Saenz said the no U-turn signs will be installed in 10 to 14 business days.

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