LAROSE, La. (WGNO) — A Larose woman says she’s been waiting decades for a traffic signal to stop cars from crashing onto her property.
The 43rd crash happened just a couple of weeks ago at the intersection of Louisiana 1 and Old Louisiana 1.
Arnic Chiasson Sevin, 92, reports the driver crashed into her fence, just a few feet away from her house. She says the driver drove off, so the repairs will fall on her, and this isn’t the first time.
Sevin says she’s had enough, so she’s hoping to catch the attention of the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD).
“It seems like no one worries that we could get killed, not until I get killed that it’s important,” said Sevin.
Sevin says she and her late husband have been documenting the crashes at the intersection since they moved into their home in 1952. One incident involved an 18-year-old carrying pipes. Sevin says the pipes ended up in her spare bedroom around 1 a.m. one morning and severely damaged the house next door.
“[My husband] and I were looking forward to having a caution light [after it] was knocked down in the 1970s,” explained Sevin. “He was looking forward to that light to be installed, just like me, but he’s never going to see even if it is installed.”
Lafourche Parish Councilwoman D’Lynn Chiasson says DOTD came close to installing that caution light.
“There is a pole set up, the pole’s there, and the electricity is running to it. They just never put a caution sign,” explained Chiasson. “It’d be great if a sign was actually working in this area.”
Chiasson says during the council’s April 23 meeting, she will present a resolution, petitioning DOTD to make the area safer.
“We need signage, we need the black and yellow caution signs, we need a caution light, and we need those things to happen before the people come to the curve because by the time they hit the curve, they do have the rumble strips, [but] it’s too late,” said Chiasson.
In a statement to WGNO, the DOTD responded, “We have confirmed that the traffic pole with the warning light is operable, all of the rumble strips are in place, and several reflective warning signs are up throughout the right turn. The team will continue to ensure that everything is in place as it should be and replace anything that’s missing or damaged.”
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