FORT PAYNE, Ala. (WHNT) — People are weighing in on a troubled state road that has been the source of accidents in Dekalb County for over fifty years.

The road, which has a sharp turn, is down Highway 35 in the Downtown Fort Payne area and has been dangerous for years, causing some trucks to overturn.

The Alabama Department of Transportation has outlined plans for an emergency truck stop ramp on Alabama Highway 35. The proposed escape ramp is supposed to stop a runaway truck that has lost its brakes to alleviate accidents at the sharp turn onto Fifth Street North, an area commonly referred to as ‘Joe’s Truck Stop’.

In order to do so, the state suggests a local gym and two homes have to go. Marisa Foster, the woman renting the gym’s space, says she only wants what’s fair.

“If it were the best solution, and it were going to save lives, it would absolutely be fair because by no means is this gym worth losing lives,” said Foster.

Now she says she’s hoping and praying.

“All I can do is hope and pray that I say the right thing that will save this place, and that’s it. That’s all I’ve been doing. We’ve been constantly standing in our truth saying, nothing negative about anyone else, and asking for help and solutions,” said Foster.

A traffic safety advocate, Lynette Gray, said removing the gym and two houses to create the escape ramp is not the solution. She said in order to stop accidents from happening at ‘Joe’s Truck Stop’, the road could simply be widened.

“This corner needs to be completely revamped and restructured to the point where the lanes are moved… and take the right-hand corner and straighten it out. And they could build the escape ramp from Rucker Street down to the corner, which is about 600 feet, and that would be enough to stop the trucks,” said Gray.

She also says there is another issue to take into account.

“There’s signage issues at the top of the hill. They’re not gonna help these truckers be able to slow down enough to get where they need to be,” Gray said. “And, if they straighten this corner out, even if somebody loses their breaks, and they can’t go 15, they can go 30, 35, and make the corner and not tip over the trucks.”

Gray said that she submitted all of these suggestions to the Alabama Department of Transportation when they were accepting public comments in April.