More than $34 million in federal grants will support roadway safety initiatives throughout Houston, Galveston, and the East End District, aiming to decrease fatal accidents.
Federal funds are being allocated to Southeast Texas to support research and planning aimed at improving the safety of local roads, with a substantial grant awarded to the Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC).
The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded H-GAC $4 million to create “Safety Action Plans” designed to reduce fatal crashes and improve the safety of the region’s transportation network for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians.
“Often, our crashes are not just frequent but also significantly serious,” remarked Allie Isbell, H-GAC’s assistant director of transportation. “In the last five years, nearly one in six fatalities involved bicyclists or pedestrians.” This Safety Action Plan will analyze our network comprehensively to reduce those figures.
H-GAC will collaborate with Waller County, METRO, the Gulf Coast Rail District, and several cities, including Conroe, Friendswood, La Marque, League City, Missouri City, Pearland, Sugar Land, and Galveston.
The East End District is set to receive $603,000 for a study aimed at improving safety in neighborhoods such as Second Ward, Magnolia Park, and Eastwood. The initiative will explore how people use local streets and transit, as well as safety factors related to railroads, METROrail, and for both pedestrians and cyclists.
Federal officials have declared that the city of Houston has secured a $30 million grant to carry out crucial safety enhancements along a critical corridor.
The grants represent a substantial dedication to safety research and planning across the region, with local leaders emphasizing that this initiative will establish a framework for reducing accidents and safeguarding lives.
