Sarasota, Florida -- Residents in one Sarasota community took on the state to make their intersection safer, but when they didn't hear back from FDOT, they reached out to 10 News.
"We still don't have our light," says Joan Harvey from Spanish Lakes Mobile Home Park who describes turning left on Roberts Road and US 41 as "terrible."
"It's not safe at all. It's a very troublesome intersection that needs attention," adds Connie Caldwell from Lake Village, the mobile home park next to Spanish Lakes.
Residents of Spanish Lakes and Lake Village reached out to FDOT in March last year. Nearly 600 signed a petition to change the turn signal to a green arrow turn light only. The green arrow would switch to a solid green light and residents say that's when accidents happen.
"People are supposed to go 45. They go 50, 55 even 60," says Harvey.
On the flip side, traffic flowing north has a green arrow that turns red, and residents say they want the same.
"I don't want to see more people get killed," says Harvey.
According the FHP, there were at least six accidents last year, including one fatality. Harvey says the last she heard from FDOT was a year ago.
"They said we're working on it," she says.
Out of frustration, residents reached out to 10 News.
We learned FDOT approved the light in March and gave the county the equipment to install it. Residents at Spanish Lakes and Lake Village came close to getting their turn signal when tragedy struck. On the night of Sunday, April 26, the maintenance worker installing their light was struck by a hit-and-run driver.
Since then, the light has been covered with black plastic and that green turn signal is one lane over causing more confusion for drivers.
10 News took the residents' concerns to Sarasota County officials. They assured us the turn signal job will be completed by the end of the week which is good news for drivers.
Last we checked, the maintenance worker involved in the hit-and-run was in serious condition at Blake Medical Center, but that was a week ago and since then the family has not released an update on his condition.
