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Houston looks to reduce pedestrian deaths
The City of Houston is looking to make pedestrian accidents and casualties go away significantly by 2030. It's something the previous mayor emphasized but current Mayor John Whitmire has taken a different approach. FOX 26's Jonathan Mejia spoke with cyclists and pedestrians worried about their safety.
HOUSTON - The city of Houston has taken a new initiative aimed at reducing pedestrian accidents and related fatalities significantly by 2030—continuing efforts initiated by the previous administration. That initiative is the Vision Zero Plan, a nationwide effort to reduce traffic deaths and injuries.
FOX 26 went to the Heights, a neighborhood where many residents say they feel unsafe because of inattentive drivers while walking, running, or biking.
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"Many believe that the streets are just for cars, but streets are for everyone. We use them to travel from point A to point B, no matter the mode of transit," said Rebekah Kington, a cyclist in the area.
Pedestrian-involved accidents and fatalities have been on the rise in Houston, leaving the city's residents feeling vulnerable.
"The fear of being hit by a car or not being able to cross the street safely is real for many," Kington added.
A nationwide initiative, Vision Zero, is aiming to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2030. The 2022 Vision Zero Annual Report, which is the most current data available, indicated a decrease in traffic deaths and serious injuries compared to the previous year.
"Vision Zero is an ongoing project. We don’t have a 2030 goal. It’s 2024," said Houston Mayor John Whitmire.
While supportive of Vision Zero, some cyclists and pedestrians have expressed skepticism about Whitmire's dedication, questioning the alignment of his administration's actions with their statements. He has been dismissive of the efforts of former Chief Transportation Planner and Deputy Public Works Director David Fields and Veronica Davis as "anti-car activists," and has paused many street projects that are supposed to advance Vision Zero initiatives.
"Their actions don't entirely reflect their words, which is frustrating," noted cyclist Shakar Bradost. He also highlighted the receipt of federal funding for infrastructure, implying that neglecting pedestrian and cyclist safety could lead to a misallocation of these resources.
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Residents are particularly concerned about the mayor's decision to pause certain mobility and road projects, fearing it could stall progress in reducing traffic-related injuries and deaths citywide.
FOX 26 had reached out to Whitmire's office several times to get a one-on-one interview about Vision Zero and bringing forth Houstonians worries when it comes to pedestrians and cyclists, but weren't able to get that interview.