In response to the tragic death of a 15-year-old student struck by a train, Texas has enacted Senate Bill 1555, which establishes a multimillion-dollar grant program aimed at improving safety at railroad crossings.
Governor Greg Abbott signed the bill into law over the weekend, which was co-authored by Senator Carol Alvarado, a Democrat from Houston and a graduate of Milby High School, along with Republican Senator Robert Nichols from Jacksonville.
The tragic incident that prompted this legislation involved Sergio Rodriguez, a Houston Independent School District (HISD) student who was struck on the morning of December 9, while walking to Milby High School near 2000 Broadway St. in the East End area of Houston.
Senate Bill 1555 will create a grant program specifically for funding grade separation projects at intersections where railroads and roadways intersect. This initiative will elevate either the railway or the roadway, ensuring they are at different heights and enhancing safety for pedestrians and commuters.
The program will be managed by the Texas Transportation Commission, which will approve grant applications submitted by local municipalities aiming to enhance railroad crossing safety.
As part of the program, local municipalities applying for funding will be required to contribute at least 10% of the project’s costs.
A total of $250 million has been allocated for this grant program through the Texas House’s supplemental appropriations bill, which recently passed the Senate. While this amount is significant, it is $100 million less than the initial $350 million proposed in the Senate’s general appropriations bill, highlighting the ongoing discussions about resource allocation for such critical safety projects.
Senator Alvarado remarked on the legislation’s aim to prevent future tragedies similar to that of Rodriguez, expressing her commitment to community safety as a driving force behind the bill.
“In response to the tragic death of Sergio Rodriguez, we are doing this to ensure that our rail crossings are safe, and we have the right infrastructure,” Alvarado stated in an interview following the bill’s passage in March.
Alvarado also emphasized her intent to work alongside local officials to ensure that the Houston area benefits from the new grant program, highlighting the long-standing challenges the community has faced regarding unchecked train traffic.
“My community has shouldered the cost of unchecked train traffic for decades,” she said. “This $250 million commitment is the first time the state has taken it seriously.”
In addition to the grant program, the Senate’s general appropriations bill, Senate Bill 1, dedicates $20 million for three specific pedestrian-rail crossing projects within Houston.
This includes a notable allocation of $10 million for the Sergio Ivan Rodriguez Memorial Pedestrian Bridge Project, designed to provide a safe crossing for students and pedestrians over the Union Pacific Railroad line where Rodriguez tragically lost his life.
The remaining funds will be evenly split to enhance safety at two other railroad grade crossing bridges located at the intersections of Little York Road and Hirsch Road as well as Hirsch and Tidwell Road.
As Senate Bill 1 has successfully passed both the House and the Senate, it now awaits the governor’s signature.
Union Pacific, the railroad company responsible for the train that struck Rodriguez, has expressed its commitment to collaborating with local and state officials to boost safety at railroad crossings. Earlier this year, the company hosted a railway safety training session with Houston ISD police officers, reinforcing its dedication to public safety.
“Public safety is important to Union Pacific, and we will continue collaborating with Mayor (John) Whitmire and the city on proposed grade separation and rail safety projects,” a spokesperson for the company stated.
Importantly, Union Pacific will not be obligated to contribute any funds to either the new grant program or the appropriations for the memorial bridge.
Mayor John Whitmire’s office in Houston has welcomed the passage of the bill, expressing eagerness to work with stakeholders to develop the Sergio Ivan Rodriguez Memorial Bridge and improve safety at pedestrian crossings over railroads, particularly in the vicinity of Milby High School.
This legislation marks a significant step towards enhancing safety at railroad crossings across Texas, ensuring that such a tragic incident does not happen again.
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