NEAR KERSEY, Colo. -- The project at Highway 34 and Weld County Road 49 has been in the pipeline for almost a year, and two people have died in the crossing during that time.

Crews with the Colorado Department of Transporation have been working on widening the intersection all week and will soon begin installing traffic signals.

In April, sisters Faith and Caitlin Kadlub were hit by a semi and killed at the intersection.

"It's been real hard because the girls were so lovely," said Stephen Ong, pastor of Reformation Baptist Church in Greeley, where the Kadlubs attended.

He describes the sisters as godly young women, college students who taught children in his weekly home school program.

"Right before they came in they posted something on Facebook -- 'Oh, for faith that will not shrink!' And just a couple of hours later, they were in heaven," he said.

Five months before that accident, CDOT had completed a study of the intersection and decided a traffic signal was needed.

Another driver died there in 2003.

"It's tragic in many areas of the state because we wish we could prevent every traffic safety problem, but we can’t," said CDOT spokeswoman Stacey Stegman.

She said traffic has increased dramatically at the intersection in recent years.

Drivers are using County Road 49 as a shortcut to get to I-76 and Denver, bypassing the lights and delays on Highway 85. CDOT is using almost $300,000 in stimulus funds to install the signal.

"In this area, thanks to the Recovery Act, we're able to. Had the Recovery Act not passed, there still wouldn't be a traffic signal in this area," said Stegman.

Stegman said after the signal was approved, it took time to design the project, hire a contractor and order the poles. She said they are moving as fast as they can.

Stegman said that, normally, the region affected gets funds to install one traffic signal every couple of years. Because of the stimulus money, she said, CDOT is installing four signals in the region this year.