DENTON, Texas — In fast-growing Denton County, perhaps no road is more important for the future than U.S. 380. It's a vital corridor that connects Denton County to Collin County, and it is an epicenter for new development.
But as TxDOT considers plans to vastly expand and improve the road in the future, many are calling for more immediate changes to improve safety.
The dangerous reality is no secret, with congestion and drivers passing on the shoulder lane and careening down a center turn lane at high speed.
"We call it the suicide lane," said Latanya White, who lives close to the road with her husband and children.
The Whites have to drive on U.S. 380 everyday, and while they have long worried about safety, they never thought it would be where they lost their son.
In November, 24-year-old Devron Kennedy was driving to work at a Chili's restaurant on a Sunday morning when he was hit by a drunk driver. The accident happened within sight of his parents' house.
"I was not prepared for something like that," said Latanya White. "He was leaving the house at 7:53 a.m. and he died at 7:59."
The Whites know that that safety issues are complicated, but they believe a central median or barrier could have saved his life.
"We shouldn't be burying our kids because of simple safety measures that could have been already in place," White said.
Tuesday night in Denton, TxDOT held a public meeting about the future of U.S. 380. They presented possible paths for a multi-lane, controlled access highway like State Highway 121 or U.S. 75.
An expanded highway could be capable of carrying the more than 100,000 daily drivers that are expected to need it by 2045. But only a study has been funded at this point, and any major improvements are years away.
"We're probably talking 10 to 15 years before there's any kind of real construction on the project that we're talking about tonight," said Ryan LaFontaine, a public information officer with TxDOT.
Many people are concerned with the current reality, and recently Denton County resident Jessica Dunn started an online petition asking for more immediate help. Already, it has nearly 8000 signatures.
Dunn believes that there is a need for increased police presence to enforce traffic laws, and she also believes drivers need to take greater responsibility and be less reckless.
"You're putting your life in your hands when you come out on this road," Dunn said.
LaFontaine said that TxDOT works closely with law enforcement and is always working to improve safety.
"Their concern is our concern," LaFontaine said.