Leaders Address Road and Train Safety After Harris County Accidents

The Growing Concern Over Train Delays in Houston

Residents of Houston have long been frustrated with the increasing delays at railroad crossings, and an expert believes these concerns are not just imagined. Veronica Gorczynski, representing the East End District and Gulf Coast Rail District, described the situation as "an imperfect storm." She explained that trains are becoming longer, and people are more impatient, which has led to a growing number of dangerous incidents at intersections.

For years, Houstonians have shared their frustrations with ABC13, expressing concern over the risks faced by community members at railroad crossings. Rico Paul, a Northeast Houston resident, shared his observations: “Every day I see it, see the actual crawling under and going over when the train stops here for ten minutes, sometimes every 30 minutes.” These actions have resulted in injuries and even deaths, with stalled trains often delaying first responders.

The issue is not new; residents have been vocal about the problem since the 1980s and 1990s. Recently, representatives from various agencies met for a two-day workshop on road and rail safety, held at TxDOT's offices near Memorial Park. The event included discussions and speakers such as Houston Mayor John Whitmire. Gorczynski emphasized the complexity of the issue, stating, “It gets really complicated, but this is a chance for us to grow. How do we create a new set of rules and infrastructure to support that growth?”

Gorczynski acknowledged that there is no simple fix to the problem, and long-term solutions are still being determined. However, she mentioned that changes such as additional pedestrian bridges and improved signage could be implemented at rail crossings in the area in the coming years.

New funding has been allocated to address some of the challenges caused by long and slow-moving trains at intersections. Senator Carol Alvarado was among several lawmakers who secured $250 million during the most recent legislative session. This money will be available through a grant process, distributed by TxDOT, and accessible to communities across the state.

The funds are available starting September 1, but Alvarado admitted that the amount is not enough to fix every problem. “Grade separations that are underpasses, overpasses, those cost a lot of money, those can be millions and millions of dollars,” she said. That’s why she urged cities and counties to make use of the funding, hoping that the success of the program will lead to more investment in the future.

Alvarado also encouraged Harris County to take advantage of the grant, while emphasizing that railroad companies must also play a role in addressing the issue. “Just because we're getting this money, does it mean they're off the hook. I have pressed upon them, they need to do their job, and they need to keep the trains moving,” she said.

The East End District highlights that Harris County is among the top five counties in the nation in terms of accidents involving trains and automobiles. There have also been regular occurrences of fatal accidents involving trains and pedestrians in the area.

A man in a wheelchair was killed in the Fifth Ward last September when he attempted to get around a stopped train on St. Elmo. Residents expressed fear and frustration, with one saying, “When does it stop? When we have some dead children trying to get to school?” Unfortunately, this fear became reality a few months later when 15-year-old Sergio Rodriguez was hit and killed by a train while walking to school in December.

In response to the tragedy, there has been talk of building a pedestrian bridge outside of Milby High School to prevent similar incidents in the future. As the community continues to grapple with the dangers of train delays, efforts to improve safety and infrastructure remain a top priority.