Houston resident says cameras captured 7 crashes in 1 week at same EaDo intersection

HOUSTON - An EaDo resident, Kevyn Hollowell, and his wife Zané say a dangerous intersection near downtown Houston has become the scene of repeated crashes, and they fear someone could be seriously hurt or killed if changes are not made.

Dangerous EaDo intersection: Crashes caught on camera

What they're saying:

The crashes are happening near McGowen Street and Chartres Street, close to an entrance ramp for I-69 North.

The couple says they have ring camera video showing at least seven crashes at the intersection within the past week, including three crashes in a 24-hour period between Sunday and Monday morning.

According to Kevyn, many of the crashes appear to involve drivers traveling north-east on Chartres Street as they try to join the I-69 North ramp. He believes some drivers are not seeing the red lights at the intersection.

In an email to FOX 26, the resident said there used to be traffic lights above the road, but they were damaged in a crash about a year ago. He says he has tried to report the issue through the city’s 311 system but has had trouble submitting a report online.

City response

The other side:

FOX 26 reached out to City of Houston Public Works who told us : 
As for the complaints about this intersection, we have only received two. One on the 26th and the other on the 29th. Prior to that, we were called out in May to refocus a misaligned signal for a different direction.

District D Council Member Dr. Carolyn Evans-Shabazz’s office for a response.

In a statement, her office said they are aware of the recent crash and safety concerns at McGowen and Chartres. 

The safety of District D residents, pedestrians, drivers, cyclists, and all those who travel throughout our district remains one of the highest priorities of our office.

We are aware of the recent crash and the safety concerns that have been raised regarding the intersection of McGowen Street and Chartres Street. While this specific intersection has not previously been the subject of a formal complaint submitted to our office, we take these concerns seriously and understand the urgency that incidents like this bring to the forefront. Our office was made aware of the reported crash pattern through the information shared by FOX 26.

The office has already been in ongoing conversations with Houston Public Works and the Houston Police Department regarding traffic safety concerns at several intersections throughout District D. These discussions include identifying areas where additional review, enforcement, engineering improvements, signage, traffic-calming measures, or other safety enhancements may be appropriate.

It is important to note that this area is within an active construction corridor and is connected to an active TxDOT project. TxDOT has issued traffic-control and closure information for Chartres Street in this area as part of the I-45 NHHIP Segment 3B-2 project. Because of that, project-related traffic control, detours, temporary lane configurations, signage, signal visibility, and construction-zone safety measures fall under TxDOT’s purview and the appropriate project team responsible for the work.

Now that these concerns have been brought to our attention, our office will share the information with the appropriate agencies, including TxDOT, Houston Public Works, and the Houston Police Department, so the reported conditions at McGowen and Chartres can be reviewed. That review should help determine whether any additional signage, enforcement, signal-visibility improvements, traffic-control adjustments, or other safety measures are warranted.

In light of the concerns now being raised about McGowen and Chartres, our office will be adding this intersection to those ongoing discussions. We will work with the appropriate city departments to evaluate the intersection, review the conditions that may be contributing to safety concerns, and determine the best possible plan of action to make the area safer for residents, commuters, pedestrians, and everyone who travels through this part of the district.

As we enter the holiday, and celebrate FIFA World Cup related events, we also urge all drivers to be especially vigilant, responsible, and aware of their surroundings. We know that holidays can bring an increased risk of impaired driving, and we strongly encourage everyone to make safe decisions, avoid driving under the influence, and look out for one another on our roadways.

The District D office remains committed to being proactive, responsive, and collaborative when it comes to public safety and infrastructure concerns. No resident should feel unsafe traveling through their community, and we will continue working with city departments, law enforcement, and community stakeholders to pursue solutions that help protect the public and improve quality of life across District D.