Our Lives Matter!!! Fix The Safety Issues On HWY 191!!!

We have lost so many loved ones during their travels and commute. Between the mile markers of 130-154 (The stretch of HWY 191 between HWY 70 and HWY 75). Over the years the part of this stretch that is in Greenlee County has been upgraded. It now better serves the safety of the commuters and has significant. I didn't know Angelica or her family prior to her passing. I have since gotten to know the family. The pain they go through daily is unimaginable to me and anyone who has been through what they are going through. Unfortunately there are more than a few families in our community who have been through what the Aranda Family is now going through. The next day I started "To Tired To Drive...Call For A Ride. I gave out my phone number to 100's of people telling them I would be more than happy to pick them up and get them home safely. I would then pick them up later that day and get them back to work and their vehicle. I know I wouldn't personally call for a ride with a person I don't know so I knew I had to come up with something else. That's when Coffee on the Straight was created. On October 3rd, I started setting up just off the Black Hills Back County Byway.It's located about a half mile at the start of the straight stretch. I offered Coffee to commuters and travels to help ensure that they are able to make it to where they're going safely. As soon as the community found out about what I was doing they donated supplies and money to help cover expenses. I then started a group on Facebook called Humanity Served With A Smile.ly decreased the number of accidents between mile markers 144-154. However, nothing has been done to upgrade or protect commuters between mile markers 130-144. We have a 9 and a half mile stretch of road that aside from a few very small hills, no curves, is completely flat and straight. On this 9 and a half mile straight stretch we have lost far to many loved ones. On September 24th we lost a beautiful, young, pregnant mother. Angelica Aranda was 21 years old with two small children at home and expecting her 3rd child. During her first rotation of graveyards, 3rd graveyard shift, she left work tired but needing to get home. Her sons birthday is in 2 days and they have planned a surprise trip to Disneyland. On her way home she was overcome by exhaustion and believed to have fallen asleep between mile marker 133 and 134. She and an oncoming car hit head on which resulted in her death. She was killed on impact. Her vehicle then burst into flames with her still in it. The driver of the other car was severely injured and thankfully survived. He is expected to make a full recovery but at 64 years old you don't heal to 100%. Aside from physical aspects I can't even begin to imagine what he goes through emotionally or mentally.  By day 21 I had 4000 members. I was then able to offer hot chocolate, sodas, and energy drinks along with snacks in addition to coffee, to help aid drivers. About 3 weeks in I got a call from the Bureau of Land Management informing me that they along with ADOT (Arizona Department of Transportation) would like to have a meeting with me discussing a more permanent location for Coffee on the Straight. That isn't what they wanted to discuss at all. They wanted me to go away basically. Pat me on the head, tell me what a good thing I am doing and then bid me well on my way. Citing all kinds of safety issues with me being there. If this was an un-established pull off I would at least be able to understand where they are coming from but it's not. It is listed as a tourist attraction for the area. There are ranchers who live off of the byway, People stop here to rest or relieve themselves. You have sightseers, rock hunters, Hunters during hunting season, a college astrology class, and parents meeting to exchange and pick up their kids. There are numerous reasons why people turn off of HWY 191 onto this byway. If there are safety issues with me being there, out of the way, well off of the road entirely, then there are safety issues for people to turn off and do all of the things I previously mentioned. I was given until November 10th to find another location. After searching for 2 weeks and coming down to the last day, there isn't any where for me to go. I am at the safest place and most needed place on this entire section of HWY 191. Now it's time to demand action!!!

We want a double lane each way or the very least passing lanes like what we have through the Mountains on the Greenlee county side. We need established rest stops to safely ensure our survival. Rumble strips strategically placed across the road to help drivers who find themselves in trouble and unable to keep their eyes open. We need turning lanes to access the byway safely according to ADOT specifications. We need it done now!!! Not 5 years from now! Please join in the fight to make our roads safer and bring our loved ones home alive and unharmed!!!

To My Community...With a world in turmoil I just don't understand how something good could ever be looked at as something that needs to be shutdown. If the safety is an issue for Coffee then the safety is an issue for every other reason. Hunting, ranching, sightseeing, rock hunting, resting, peeing, astrology classes, tourist and so on!!! Since safety is the issue then the safety needs to be addressed. Why is the GreenLee side of the byway safe and the Graham side not?? Why would any entity who's so concerned with your safety shutdown an individual who is also committed to ensuring you make it home safely? Citing safety issues that are known and have been known all along? Why hasn't their priority for your safety been addressed and fixed? Why when we offered to get the money from a private sector to pay for the turning lanes did they say no? They said they hoped I would get tired and go away! When that didn't happen they decided to make me go away! Well I got news for you...all they did was give me a bit of free time to spend working on truly making your commute and travels safer. I will use this petition to show the BLM and ADOT that your lives matter! That all of our lives matter!!! I will then go to their bosses and their bosses, bosses, until I get to the one who can and will make your safety their number one priority!!! I will not sit back and wait to see who we will morn next!!! We all matter!!!! Our lives matter!!!!

Check Out My Group On Facebook @Humanity Served With A Smile