Harris County has received a $2 million federal grant to assess safety at 14 railroad crossings in Houston's East End, following concerns heightened by the tragic death of a Milby High School student.
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A government grant of $2 million has been given to Harris County to improve safety at 14 railroad crossings in Houston's East End, an area that has safety issues with trains. The money came after the death of 15-year-old Sergio Rodriguez, who was hit by a train near his Milby High School in December and died.
The grant, which is part of the Federal Railroad Administration's (FRA) Railroad Crossing Elimination Program, will pay for the RAILS Plan for the East End Triangle to make it safer and easier to get to. The goal of this project is to look at at-grade crossings, gather information on their safety, and get people in the community involved in making suggestions for how to make things better. Harris County and the City of Houston will each put in 20% of the money.
Local leaders, like Houston Mayor John Whitmire, stressed how important it was to put the safety of East End people first. Whitmire said, "The East End communities have borne the overwhelming cost of many railroad crossings for too long." He was referring to the area's important role in the logistics of the supply chain.
Adrian Garcia, the commissioner for Harris County Precinct 2, pushed for the grant by saying that regular train delays make people make unsafe choices when they're walking. He said, "Harris County is what makes our country strong, but that story can't hurt some communities."
Because of the tragedy near Milby High School, many people have promised to do better. For example, Union Pacific stopped running trains near the school during pick-up and drop-off times. It was also backed by the railroad company, which called Harris County's grant application a "critical first step" toward long-term answers.
Joaquin Martinez, a member of the Houston City Council, said that the city had promised to meet its share of the grant. He said the money was "essential" for addressing safety issues in areas that depend on infrastructure next to railroads.
The grant is a step toward making sure that crossings in Houston's East End are safe, especially for students and other vulnerable groups. The project's schedule is still unknown.
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