HOUSTON – The Houston City Council is set to vote Wednesday on whether dozens of traffic-calming measures already installed across the city will become permanent.
The focus is on speed cushions, which are raised sections of roadway designed to slow drivers down without impacting emergency vehicles.
They’ve already been installed in neighborhoods across Houston as part of the city’s Neighborhood Traffic Management Program.
If you’ve driven through residential streets recently, chances are you’ve gone over one.
City officials say the devices are meant to reduce speeding and cut through traffic, both of which are growing concerns in neighborhoods across the city.
According to Houston Public Works, the projects were implemented after traffic studies and community input. Each neighborhood plan was reviewed with residents and adjusted before installation.
Now, those speed cushions are still considered temporary, unless the council signs off.
The proposal spans multiple districts citywide, including areas like Acres Homes and Meyerland, along with dozens of other communities.
In total, the work represents more than $3.5 million in construction costs, funded primarily through council district service funds, with some contributions coming from community organizations and neighborhood groups.
For residents like Paula Avila, the changes are already noticeable.
“I think they’re necessary,” Avila said. “This is a neighborhood that is very close to the city, and we see a lot of racing, we see people run red lights.