In Houston's Eastwood the #1 issue isn't the economy, jobs, or cultural issues. It's fucking trains blocking crossings.
Posted by
Qale
Sep 13 '23, 15:32
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District I residents are tired of waiting for delayed trains to move from railroad crossings on city streets, a survey showed, and they're hoping their next city council member can advocate for constituents with railroad operators and the federal government to address the issue.
Eastwood Civic Association leaders said stalled trains blocking city streets is a top issue for residents ahead of the November election, while both District I city council candidates running said they were committed to working on it.
Houston's East End saw improved efforts on this longtime issue in the past few years, after residents and the city started tracking how long trains were stalled. Voters hope the city will continue to work with the federal government and operators to alleviate the amount of time railroads are at crossings. Clay Dippel, vice president of the Eastwood Civic Association, said they want to see the city to continue to work with stakeholders to develop plans for intersections blocked by stalled trains.
“From the city level, what we’re watching as a neighborhood group is, of candidates running for office, we don’t want to see them come and say, ‘well, I want to represent you, but you know there’s not a lot City Council can do. We can’t fine the trains. We can’t govern their actions,'" Dippel said. "What we want to hear from them is: how does the city come up with a comprehensive rail strategy?”
District I candidate Rick Gonzales, a retired Houston Police Department officer, said he believed the companies should be fined for blocking streets for longer than five minutes. However, any fine would have to come from the federal level.
Gonzales said he was committed to working with stakeholders to improve the issue and was open to developing a long-term plan. He said he believes a train should not be at a crossing for more than five minutes.
"We wouldn't have to direct traffic around trains if they don't stop for more than five minutes, if they don't block the roadway," Gonzales said.
Trains at railroad crossings blocked streets on average one to three times per day, for an average time of 5 to 17 minutes in July, according to sensor activity data presented by East End District's Rail Safety Taskforce. Sensor data also shows trains can be at crossings for hours— the longest occupancy at a railroad crossing ranged from 1.5 hours on York Street on July 3 to seven hours on Hirsch Road on July 14.
District I council member Robert Gallegos, who is term limited and running for mayor, highlighted that increased data collection helped the city present concrete data to rail companies on how long trains were stalled at crossings. Diana Caicedo, chief of staff for Transportation, Technology & Infrastructure Chair At-Large 2 council member David Robinson, said the city is collecting data to pinpoint locations for long-term planning and to apply for project funding.
District I candidate Joaquin Martinez, currently District I's director of community affairs, said he was committed to working with stakeholders including the civic association to address trains stalled at railroad crossings and to seek funding for additional projects, as well as cameras and sensors. He said he was open to further planning based on collected data.
"We can definitely start looking at how we can have similar projects, whether it's pedestrian bridges, whether it's under-, overpasses, and, again, I think any other grant opportunity that is possible," Martinez said. "The most important thing we can bring to the table to provide any type of funding is going to be any data that we can continue to gather."
Federal dollars in June were allocated toward funding underpasses at Commerce and Navigation and York near McKinney that will help drivers avoid blocked trains as part of the West Belt Improvement Project. Metro in April promised East End residents a bus-only underpass with a bike and pedestrian path under Union Pacific Railroad tracks.
"When we look at the mayoral race, we’re looking at: are you willing to put train-related issues more on the front burner?" Dippel said. "Are you willing, if not, to work with stakeholders like Union Pacific and BNSF folks on traffic issues regarding capacity and fluid movement? What can we do from a quality of life standpoint? For example, things like not ignoring requests for quiet zone funding. Smaller issues, that may not move the trains but at least you’re not being woken up in the middle of the night with the trains coming through the neighborhood.”
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