Keppel AmFELS traffic

The Issue:

“Is it a cliché to sayÂ…"it’s only a matter of time"? Especially when one is speaking of a deadly accident in front of KEPPEL AMFELS at the Port of Brownsville?

To say that the situation is "an accident waiting to happen" is probably the real cliché. I haven’t read or heard of one recently, but that’s not to say they haven’t happened,” Blaine Reece of Laguna Vista told the Newshound.

On Wednesday Feb. 6th, I witnessed a near-accident at approximately 5:45pm and the fellow who was at fault (a vehicle exiting KEPPEL AMFELS) just cruised away as if he didn’t see a thing or had a care in the world ...

What will it take? The death of a passerby who isn’t familiar with the KEPPEL AMFELS Demolition Derby aka The Rush To Death?

Not to worryÂ….because ain’t nobody doin’ nuthin’ about it.

Who to Call:

Texas Department of Transportation, Pharr district office (956) 702-6100.

Keppel AmFELS, (956) 831-8220

What they said:

“We’ve been at it with AmFELS for years,” said Jesse Leal, director of transportation operations for the Pharr District of the Texas Department of Transportation. Leal said he has had ongoing meetings with Keppel AmFELS, during which the company has agreed to stagger shift changes and take other measures. He said TxDOT has posted warning signs with flashing yellow lights, but to limited avail. “It’s human nature” for people to want to get out of work quickly, Leal said, adding that AmFELS is “no different than Wal-Mart or any other traffic generator. They’ve created the problem,” so they should have to pay for any stop lights or other hardware to solve it

Gilbert Elizondo, AmFELS vice president for human resources, said the company has instituted four shift changes where there were two before and has installed medians to ensure more orderly traffic flow. He said he meets with Leal “all the time” to make sure traffic problems are taken care of.

Leal said funds may be available after July through the federal Hazard Elimination Safety Program. He said TxDOT employees are doing traffic counts to submit an application for the funds.