TITLE: Traffic Signal Installation Planned After Deadly Rhome Crash
META: A tragic intersection crash in Rhome, Texas, prompts the installation of a traffic signal, a safety measure too late for one grieving mother.
EXCERPT: A mother's heartbreak following her son's fatal crash highlights safety concerns at a busy Rhome intersection. A traffic signal is set to be installed after years of community pleas.
ALT: A traffic light installation site in Rhome, Texas.
ARTICLE:
The Texas Department of Transportation is set to begin a traffic signal installation at a critical intersection in Rhome, Texas, following a tragedy that claimed the life of an 8-year-old boy. Maria Rodriguez Hernandez recalls the vibrant spirit of her son, Mateo, who lost his life on January 22.
Hernandez's mother was driving Mateo home from school when they approached the intersection of Texas 114 and Alliance Boulevard. With traffic flowing rapidly in both directions, a driver signaled her mother to go. Trusting this gesture, she proceeded into the intersection, only for a semi-truck to collide with Mateo's door.
Despite being properly secured in his car seat, Mateo sustained catastrophic injuries and could not be saved. “Only if they would have, like, listened the first time,” Hernandez reflects, believing her son's death could have been averted.
For years, Hernandez and other residents have urged TxDOT to install a traffic signal at this intersection. Rhome City Administrator Amanda Degan stated to NBC 5 that the council has long recognized the need for a traffic control device: “It has been almost two years since we sent that notification to the agency and we do not have an update.”
TxDOT confirmed that a traffic signal is on the way. Shawna Russell Jones, TxDOT's northwest Texas communications director, noted that the signal has been contracted, with construction expected to start by late March or early April. The project will also include enhanced illumination and warning signs.
In addressing previous incidents at the intersection, TxDOT reported no records of prior fatal crashes. However, two serious injury crashes occurred in 2023, with additional incidents reported in the following years.
Pledging to advocate for improved road safety, Hernandez has garnered community support and launched a petition that has attracted over 10,000 signatures, aiming for swift action on the much-needed traffic signal.
As Hernandez navigates her grief, funeral services for Mateo are scheduled for January 31. She recalls their last moments together, emphasizing a small ladybug plush toy gifted to him, symbolizing his youthful joy that will forever remain in her heart.