DOUGLAS COUNTY, Neb. (KMTV) — The Nebraska Department of Transportation will be adding in turn lanes at Skyline and West Center and is considering a stop light.
Since 2018, DCSO reports 27 crashes at the intersection. In fact, debris from one of them is still here.
Neighbors like Yayle Roncka have worried about this intersection for years.
"It's like a game of chess to see who's going to go across the street first," said Roncka.
And it's not just Roncka. Scott Rocheville also lives in the area, and he worries about his kids.
"We have two small children. It wouldn't be far-fetched, even though we're a couple of houses away from the intersection. It's not too far-fetched to think a vehicle could come through our backyard as a result of a crash or someone losing control," said Rocheville.
NDOT acknowledged this intersection as a headache. It's on the list for improvements as the state reworks problem spots over the next three years.
Neighbors said with the tremendous growth in the area, and more approved this month, this community needs safer streets.
"I don't know how much longer it can go this way without something major happening. That's the spooky thing, we don't know," he said.
After the intersection improvements are complete, NDOT said it will consider making West Center Rd a four-lane highway in the area. For now, Roncka looks toward a future where he can fully relax in his backyard.
"This should have been done after the first couple of fatalities. Not now, but any time is better than nothing," he said.
NDOT said construction on this intersection is estimated to begin by 2027.
