NACOGDOCHES, Texas — Residents who frequently travel a stretch of road where Lufkin High School senior, Lance Modisette, died in a crash over the weekend are speaking out on the dangers they see on a daily basis.
Although the cause of the crash remains unknown, neighbors say Highway 259 is an extremely dangerous road because of the narrow shoulder that make it difficult for cars to pull over safely, and the dips in the road make it hard to see oncoming traffic.
Nacogdoches County business owner Travis Russell says he’s seen too many crashes happen on this road over the years.
"The recent tragedy of the young man just north of there, we've had (a) deputy sheriff that was killed on the highway there, and just numerous others," Russell said. "And there's wrecks all the time. This is a dangerous highway. And if you're not familiar with it, you could get in trouble really quick."
Alma Tippins has lived in the area since 1988 and has experienced these wrecks first-hand since they happen in her front yard.
"They crash right there in front of my house," Tippins said. "Truck drivers, people making U-turns in the fog down there close to the bottom of the valley."
With no turn lane, heavy traffic and little shoulder room, this road is a major safety issue.
"The 18-wheelers are going 70-80 miles an hour, they can't stop two lanes," Russell said. "Both going both ways. It's just too much traffic and everybody [is] going too fast."
Russell says the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has plans to make improvements on this roadway.
"There will be two lanes widen to 12' each going north, the two lanes going south and be widened to 12', there'll be a 16' left turn lane in the middle, along with a 10' wide shoulder width, which is about double what we have now," Russell said.
Construction is slated for 2029. Until then, neighbors in the area will continue to warn drivers to be extra careful when taking that route.