HOUSTON – How long should residents have to wait for a safety measure approved for their neighborhood to be implemented by the city?
Weeks? Months? Years? What about a decade?
That has been the reality for residents in Forest Pines, where a set of eight speed bumps approved by the City of Houston in October 2016 under the Turner administration still have not been installed.
“We’ve been at the top of the list for seven years now and still no speed bumps,” said Darian Hewitt, president of the neighborhood’s civic club for the past 14 years.
“This should be a speed bump right here,” said resident John Richardson, pointing to a stretch of De Milo Drive.
While some residents voiced frustration, others expressed concern for public safety.
“I think someone is really going to get seriously hurt,” said Vera Binnicker. “It’s ridiculous — totally crazy.”
To better understand the issue, 2 Helps You asked Hewitt why the roughly 500-home community needs speed bumps in the first place.
“We have a traffic light right around the corner, and during busy times of the day, people cut through the neighborhood to avoid the light and get back onto West 43rd,” Hewitt explained.
Residents say drivers frequently use the neighborhood as a shortcut between Antoine Drive and West 43rd Street.
That’s problem No. 1.
Problem No. 2, according to residents, is that nothing has been done since 2016 — and for years there were no clear answers from the city.
“You would think the city would do better,” Binnicker said.
After speaking with residents and reviewing city records, 2 Helps You reached out to City of Houston Public Works Director Randy Macchi. A few hours after leaving a voicemail, Macchi returned Investigator Mario Diaz’s call and promised action.
“They’re going to get this stuff before the end of this year,” Macchi said without hesitation.
Macchi also credited Council Member Amy Peck for helping move the project forward over the past year after it had reportedly been labeled inactive for years.
When asked what it meant to have 2 Helps You covering an issue residents felt had been forgotten by the city for nearly a decade, Hewitt responded:
“Somebody cares. Thank you.”
That’s the work we strive to do every day at 2 Helps You. If you have a problem, contact our Help Desk or email Investigator Mario Diaz directly at mdiaz@kprc.com.