A deadly stretch of road in Blount County has claimed another life. This time, a mother of two. Hayden residents have lost patience waiting for safety improvements to state Highway 160.
After spending two weeks in a coma, Kimberly "Kimmi" Colley died October 2nd from her injuries following a two car wreck on Hwy 160 in Hayden.
She is the latest victim, but certainly not the first.
"There's been at least 13 fatalities that I know of alone," said Jo Young, a Hayden School Bus driver and business owner. "There's 18 wheelers up and down this road all the time. The traffic's just enormous and there's got to be some relief."
This morning Kimmi Colley's children joined other families touched by tragedy for a motorcade memorial to draw attention to the problem.
"I'm out here to support my mother. She needs this. She would love to see this done to the road, she knew how bad it was," said Savannah Colley.
Two years ago three Hayden cheerleaders were killed further down Hwy. 160 in Nectar. Guardrails have since been put up at that location, but loved ones of of those victims say if people are still dying, more must be done.
"It will never be the same," said Lindsey Casey.
"My youngest sister was the glue that held our family together and we've had to make some adjustments and learn to live without her...and it's hard. And we sympathize with anyone that's ever lost a family member," said Finch Casey.
A white cross near the site of Kimmi Colley's fatal wreck stands as a reminder for drivers to be careful. Amy Camp, a family friend and founder of the group "Highway 160 Promise" says they are more interested in getting the attention of the governor and the department of transportation, again.
The governor paid a visit to a Hayden school after a daycare worker died in a wreck nearby in 2006.
"During Governor Riley's reelection campaign he was out here and spoke at this school telling residents that he had a plan to make Highway 160 wider and safer. He said that he was fast tracking that plan and cutting out phases of that plan to make it, to implement the plan faster. It is 2009 and they have not even begun," said Amy Camp.
With messages like "How many mothers must die?" dotting signs along Hwy 160 in Hayden, it's clear that residents have not forgotten that promise, but they are fed up with waiting.
Because today is a government holiday, efforts to reach Governor Riley for a response were unsuccessful. According to a letter from the Alabama Dept. of Transportation, phase one of that road construction is scheduled for late 2011.
