LETTER: Time for silence on stoplight has passed

It is with a heavy heart that I write this letter, compelled by the recent tragedy at NW Loop Road NE and US 550 in Rio Rancho. Two lives were lost in a senseless accident — lives that, perhaps, could have been spared had there been a traffic signal at this dangerous intersection. These were not just statistics but beloved members of our community, and their loss is a wound that will not soon heal.

This intersection has been a known hazard for some time. I have personally reached out to the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) multiple times, through both emails and phone calls, pleading for the installation of a traffic signal. My concerns, however, have been met with silence. No response, no action, just silence. And now, we are left with the devastating reality of what inaction can cost.

The families affected by this tragedy are living a nightmare. They are facing a loss that is unimaginable, and the knowledge that this could have been prevented only adds to their pain. How many more warnings must go unheard? How many more emails must be ignored before something is done?

The traffic at this intersection is a daily danger. Every time we pass through, we take a risk. We hold our breath, hoping that today will not be the day that something goes wrong. But for these two individuals, that hope was not enough. Their lives were cut short, and their families are now left to pick up the pieces.

It is beyond frustrating to know that this could have been prevented. I have called and emailed NMDOT, detailing the risks and urging them to take action. The silence in response has been deafening, and now it has become deadly. The community cannot endure another loss like this. We cannot continue to be ignored.

This is not just a plea for a traffic signal — it is a desperate cry for accountability. For too long, the voices of this community have gone unheard. For too long, we have lived in fear of what might happen at this intersection. That fear has now become a reality, and it is unbearable.

I implore NMDOT to act now, to install a traffic signal before we are forced to mourn more lives lost. This tragedy should be the last, not the first of many. The time for action is not tomorrow or next month — it is now. Before another phone call goes unanswered, before another email is ignored, before another family is shattered by a preventable loss.

Please, do not let this tragedy be in vain. Let it be the catalyst for change, the wakeup call that finally spurs action. Our community deserves better, and the time for silence has passed.

Brian Moffett

Rio Rancho