After a 15-year-old Milby Excessive College pupil was killed by a prepare on Monday, Houston Mayor John Whitmire known as for the development of a pedestrian sky bridge close to the campus.
“It’s acquired to cease,” Whitmire mentioned throughout Wednesday’s metropolis council assembly. “It’s simply preventable.”
He mentioned Houston Public Works estimated the mission would value $6.5 million.
There are downside prepare crossings throughout town. Metropolis council member Joaquin Martinez, whose district consists of Milby, mentioned his workplace recognized 35 “essential crossings” round Houston. He known as for informational campaigns and infrastructure enhancements, like grade separation, to make approaching trains extra seen.
“We actually push to tell and educate the neighborhood in regards to the risks of those trains. It might be transferring one mile per hour, two miles per hour — it’s nonetheless harmful,” Martinez mentioned. “As any person that grew up within the East Finish, I acknowledge what the trains do for our communities, whether or not it’s employment or business, however in some unspecified time in the future, Union Pacific as properly must bear a few of that duty.”
The mayor and council members identified different examples of faculties with close by railroad crossings, together with Waltrip Excessive College and McReynolds Center College.
“My constituents, particularly with McReynolds Center College, introduced this to my consideration early in my time period and mentioned that is going to occur,” council member Mario Castillo mentioned. “A toddler goes to lose their life with the trains, and it’s very unlucky that it has come to cross.”
In a press convention on Tuesday, a Houston ISD spokesperson mentioned the Milby administration takes train-related delays under consideration for its attendance coverage. The spokesperson didn’t deal with whether or not the district will work to tell college students on the risks of crossing congested railroad tracks.
“I simply hope that the faculties will take the duty as properly,” council member Carolyn Evans-Shabazz mentioned. “If it means a basic meeting, no matter it wants, it will possibly’t simply go away.”
Pointing to the issue crossings in addition to the most cancers cluster within the Fifth Ward railyard, council member Julian Ramirez known as for Union Pacific “to be a greater neighbor.”
“I hope they’re listening, and I hope they take this severely, and I hope they’ll contribute to the development of those overpasses which are desperately wanted,” Ramirez mentioned.
In a press release, Union Pacific mentioned the corporate “joins the Houston neighborhood in grieving Monday’s tragic accident and can proceed engaged on lasting options, together with educating college students and households about rail security.”
