INDEPENDENCE, Minn. - Authorities say one person was killed in a three-vehicle crash on Highway 12 on Friday.
The highway was shut down for over four hours in Independence after the deadly crash.
Just before 4 p.m., troopers closed the highway in both directions between Valley Road and Railroad Avenue, west of Maple Plain.
Authorities say a car crossed the centerline and hit a semi truck head on.
The driver of the car died at the scene. She was identified by authorities on Saturday as 52-year-old Tamara Freiborg of Bloomington. The semi driver was taken to the hospital for minor injuries.
Another vehicle was also involved making it a three vehicle crash.
West Hennepin Public Safety officials say in an initial interview, witnesses to the crash said "there was no driving conduct by Freiborg's vehicle prior to the crash such as weaving or swerving." The news release also said a purse was found inside Freiborg's car with Freiborg's cellphone inside a zippered pocket.
Law enforcement officials have repeatedly said this stretch of Highway 12 near the intersections of County Roads 90 and 92 is dangerous and leaves no room for error.
"Whatever we do for the intersection to be something that's going to work for the community and those who travel west-- or west or east-- on Highway 12-- has to be good for 25-50 years in the future for the growth that's going to happen out to the west," said Independence Mayor Marvin Johnson.
Johnson says they know that Highway 12 is one of the most dangerous roads in the area.
KARE 11 has reported in the past some safety measures like re-striping and installing rumble strips have already taken place.
Johnson says they'll continue to explore ways to make small improvements leading up to 2021.
Some KARE 11 viewers have pointed out that parts of Highway 12 that used to have center line rumble strips have been paved over.
West Hennepin Public Safety Sgt Rick Denneson confirms that the Minnesota Department of Transportation officials repaved the center line just three weeks ago-- after a difficult debate about what to do with the crumbling highway.
"They came to us and said that they had to go through and patch the center line with an overlay and they had to fill that in because the highway was breaking apart," Denneson explained on Saturday.
Despite knowing the repaving would compromise the distinctness of the rumble strips, Denneson said repaving was the best option to temporarily protect the highway from winter. He said MnDOT plans on reinstalling the rumble strips in the spring.
"They've been covered up for a short time, we hope that we don't have anything serious until we can get the rumble strips put back in," Denneson said. "They're a safety tool we want on the highway."