WBRZ - Baton Rouge

ADDIS - Drivers in Addis are happy now that a traffic light is up and running at an intersection they call dangerous.

Three people have died in crashes at Sugar Mill Plantation road and La. 1 in the past year, including Ann Hope Brown, the sister of LSU head football coach Les Miles.

Drivers asked for the traffic light instead of a J-turn, which state engineers recommended. Residents say a light at the intersection will save lives. To get their point across people held protests, meetings and signed petitions to get a light after the recent deaths.

The Department of Transportation and Development originally said the intersection didn't have enough traffic to warrant a stoplight, but later decided to try it as a temporary fix.

Addis residents we spoke to say they see a car crash in that same spot at least once a month. They hope a light will caution people to drive more carefully.

A total of ten lights equipped with traffic cameras were installed. Wednesday morning DOTD workers put the finishing touches on the cameras to make sure they detect cars approaching the intersection.

The signal will stay up for at least two years while DOTD studies the La.1 corridor to find other ways to improve traffic in that area.