Drivers file lawsuit due to road debris on Gulf Freeway

HOUSTON – Heidi Hall says the road debris she encountered as she drove north on I-45 from Galveston to League City was unlike anything she had ever seen before.

It caused a cracked headlight and a chipped windshield.

“There was so much debris on the road it started shooting at me, almost like pelting the car like bullets,” Hall said.

Hall said it happened along a 2-mile stretch of highway between Tiki Island and Texas City.

Hall, along with 53 other drivers are now part of a lawsuit filed against Durwood Greene, the company contracted by the Texas Department of Transportation to perform the road work.

“Sometimes you just have to shake the trees,” Brad Boney said.

File: Photos of vehicles damaged by road debris on Gulf Freeway

What happened to Hall happened to Boney the day before.

Boney said he filed a claim, sent pictures and decided to take legal action because he wasn’t getting a response from the company.

The lawsuit alleges Durwood Greene failed to protect drivers by providing warning signs to let drivers know about the risk and potential for dangerous driving conditions.

“They would leave debris all over the road. They have a duty to keep the road safe for people who are passing in the areas where they were doing construction,” attorney Bill Underwood said.

Hall and Boney said it’s not about the costs of the damage, it’s about principle.

“I want to see these folks be held accountable,” Boney said.

The Texas Department of Transportation released a statement to KPRC.

It reads: “A few months ago, we began to receive concerns from motorists traveling on I-45 Gulf Freeway just north of the Galveston Causeway about road debris impacting their vehicles. We referred each of them to the contractor on the project. We did work with the contractor to minimize impacts on the traveling public as our goal is always to improve safety in work zones.”

We reached out to Durwood Greene for a comment and are awaiting a response.

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