No parade arrests but many people did not make it to grand event
HOUSTON (FOX 26) - Police kept an estimated crowd of almost one million people on their best behavior during the biggest parade the City of Houston has ever seen. The Houston Police Department says there were no arrests nor major incidents reported. Unfortunately, hundreds of people did not make it into downtown Houston for the parade because free METRORail trains were already packed.
People who parked at NRG Stadium were each refunded the $12 they paid for parking because they were not able to board the nearby METRORail train.
Many people told FOX 26 News that they waited for hours for nothing.
"The trains cannot move the people as we are told they can," said Larry Mason. "They just can't look at what happened here."
The American Red Cross was nearby to give water and snacks to anyone who was overcome by the heat.
"We didn't make it, but we still love our Astros," said Lois Bruton.
METRO said in a statement that it faced the same challenges as private vehicles as a result of street closures and the high volume of vehicles and people walking in downtown Houston. The transit authority also said the event on Friday demonstrates the need for more high-quality transit in the Houston area.