Advocates for transportation safety and local officials in Houston are amplifying their calls for safer pedestrian crossings following an incident on Tuesday afternoon where an 85-year-old driver failed to yield and struck a 15-year-old student near Lamar High School.
The teenager was attempting to cross at the intersection of Westheimer Road and Eastside Street when the accident occurred, according to the Houston Police Department.
The troubling incident has reignited discussions about traffic safety at this intersection and throughout the city.
During a city council meeting on Wednesday, Council Member Mary Nan Huffman shared her concerns, having visited the intersection firsthand.
“I saw three more children almost get hit at this same crosswalk,” she stated, highlighting the crosswalk’s misalignment with nearby sidewalks as a contributor to the dangerous situation.
“Because of how Eastside aligns, the crosswalk doesn’t actually align with the sidewalks, so the crosswalk kind of zigzags across the street, which I think is causing some confusion. It’s extremely dangerous.”
Houston Mayor John Whitmire responded to the council’s concerns by announcing plans for the installation of a pedestrian-activated traffic signal at the problematic intersection.
In a statement, the mayor’s office confirmed that the flawed design of the current crosswalk had been acknowledged and indicated that a High-Intensity Activated Crosswalk (HAWK) system would be introduced.
This new system will provide students with the ability to activate a red light for safe crossing, enhancing pedestrian safety in the area.
However, Robin Holzer, executive director of LINK Houston, an organization focused on equitable transportation advocacy, expressed skepticism regarding the HAWK signal’s effectiveness and cost.
“We love hearing Council Member Huffman and Mayor Whitmire talk about street safety and traffic because it’s super important,” Holzer noted.
Despite this, she cautioned that prioritizing the expensive HAWK signal, which could range between $400,000 and $500,000, may not be the most effective approach for the intersection.
“That’s the most expensive, partly effective way to do this. There are several more affordable options that could be adopted along Westheimer and throughout the city to improve pedestrian safety,” she stated.
Holzer suggested various cost-effective strategies, including narrowing traffic lanes from 12 feet to 10 feet to discourage speeding.
“Right-sizing travel lanes is a tactic. Hardening the double yellow line so drivers don’t drift across it is a tactic,” she explained.
Moreover, Holzer mentioned implementing a splitter island or pedestrian refuge to allow safe crossing for pedestrians in stages, thereby increasing safety at such busy intersections.
In response to the city’s recent safety concerns, a spokesperson from Houston ISD highlighted ongoing collaboration with local officials to improve safety for students commuting to and from school.
“The safety and security of our students is our top priority, and families can expect to see officers in the area during arrival and dismissal times as we work with our partners to support safe crossings,” the spokesperson said.
Mayor Whitmire has faced criticism about his administration’s decisions regarding road design, particularly following the removal of a raised crosswalk along Westheimer Road near Crocker Street—less than two years after residents requested its installation.
Other safety features have also been withdrawn along Houston Avenue, and in the Montrose area, the mayor revised plans to reconstruct Montrose Boulevard that would have included narrower vehicle lanes as well as shared-use paths for cyclists and pedestrians.
Holzer emphasized the need for a systemic approach to public safety.
She stated that simply attributing such accidents to distracted drivers does not suffice, and highlighted the importance of modifying the environment to ensure safe transportation.
“When it comes to public safety, we can’t just say, ‘Well, that driver messed up. Shame on them.'” Holzer asserted.
She concluded, “We have to make the context work better for everybody because every Houstonian deserves to get home safely tonight. We can do better.”
image source from：houstonpublicmedia
