Stoplight planned for George Richey/McCann Road intersection in Longview

LONGVIEW, Texas (KLTV) - The intersection of George Richey Road and McCann Road in Longview, where police say 11 crashes have occurred this year alone, will have its two-way stop replaced with a stoplight.

It is not all that uncommon for an ambulance to be called to the intersection of George Richey and McCann roads. Randy Spears lives in the area and uses the intersection often.

“It’s pretty dangerous,” Spears said.

On October 20 a loaded logging truck hit an SUV. Police say the SUV failed to yield right of way. Just a day later a vehicle pulled out in front of a motorcycle. The wreck sent the motorcycle driver to a hospital.

“It’s not safe. There needs to be some kind of light here, I believe,” Spears said.

Kay Myers lives in Gilmer and agrees.

“At night there’s not a lot of traffic but during the day it’s pretty congested during lunchtime. So yeah definitely either a caution light or a four way stop or eventually, a light,” Myers said.

And that is what is going to happen, according to City of Longview spokesperson Shawn Hara.

“So it’s been funded. And now the design work is taking place and the project is out for bid, but we’re still a little way away from actually being able to put up the signal,” Hara said.

The City of Longview, Gregg County, LEDCO, TXDOT and NET RMA are sharing the cost, about $400,000, but it can’t be built overnight.

“It is an infrastructure project. That means there’s utility work that needs to happen,” Hara said.

Hara says intersections have differing needs.

“These types of projects do take some time in order to design it, get it custom made and then put it in place,” Hara said.

Hara says mast arm poles hold up the traffic signals and are built specifically for a project.

“George Richey has been there a little while now and we’ve seen that traffic continue to grow, and so we encourage people as you’re coming through that area of George Richey and McCann, to drive safely,” Hara said.

NET RMA says a signal will reduce traffic accidents at the intersection that sees more than 11 thousand vehicles a day.

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