KATY MAGAZINE NEWS
November 1, 2024
By Natalie Cook Clark
Katy residents are letting their voice be heard in the push for better crosswalks in the area. Texas continues to have one of the highest rates of pedestrian and bicyclist deaths.
Photo credits: Josh Dark
According to TXDOT, 808 pedestrians were killed when struck by a vehicle in 2023. This saw a 22% increase since 2019 and Texas is consistently ranked among the top of the Nation for this. Last year a Cinco Ranch High School student was fatally struck by a vehicle while crossing a crossing walk going to school. The community is pushing for better crosswalks and practices to fight these senseless deaths.
A Grant to Improve Crosswalk Safety
Fort Bend County is considering applying for a Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) grant. This grant would construct a trail underpass at Mason Road where Cinco Ranch High School student Logan Dark was fatally struck by a vehicle last year.
“Cinco Ranch is full of kids biking to school,” says Josh Dark, Logan’s father. “People move here for those walking spaces, While there are minimal interactions with roadways, there is still enough to give people concern.”
On September 28, 2023, Logan Dark was fatally struck by a vehicle while riding his bike to Cinco Ranch High School. The 14-year-old teen was known as a wildlife enthusiast and had been featured in previous Katy Magazine stories where he showcased his passion for Katy wildlife, including an alligator that stole the fish from his fish line.
“Logan was welcoming, kind. Headstrong, extremely independent, a bit of a prankster and one clever dude,” says Dark.
The Katy community honors Logan at the crosswalk where he lost his life.
Sign the Petition to Show Support, Write Local Officials
To help push this initiative to better help our community, Katy area hike and trail enthusiast, Gregg Nady created a petition that has raised 1,385 signatures as of date.
“We want to demonstrate the need of this project to TXDOT,” explains Nady. “There is money there, but we need a sponsor to make this happen.”
Nady is working with local officials on the grant application but plans for the petition to help backup and support the need.
Dark says that in addition to crosswalk improvements, the community as a whole must also do better.
“It’s amazing that cyclist and pedestrians are automatically viewed as being at fault,” says Dark.
He feels that residents must stop the victim shaming and focus on better and safer driving practices.
“Fort Bend County is the fastest growing county in the U.S. and we now have big city problems,” says Dark.
Currently, the construction at 99 is limiting safe pedestrian access in the area that is forcing those not ride a vehicle to be closer to the roads and in a space of danger.
“Fort Bend County spent thousands of dollars on the recent installation of the Hawk signal on Mason Road along with other crosswalk improvements around the county,” says Fort Bend County Precinct 1 Constable Chad Norvell. “I fully support any efforts to make our area safer for walkers and cyclists.”
While Nady’s petition is closing soon, local residents can let their voice be heard by writing local officials and stressing the importance of improvements.
Yes, Hawk signals have been installed, but many are still wrapped in plastic and not operational. The crosswalk at Fry Road by Beck Junior High that sees much pedestrian traffic is an example of this.
“We must do better,” says Dark. “Why wouldn’t we create the safest space for our most vulnerable?”
“This project is rare win-win for public mobility spending,” says Dark. “It won’t cost motorists twenty seconds of commute time when a pedestrian needs to cross the street, and pedestrian’s lives won’t depend on a driver’s attentiveness to the roadway or adherence to posted speed limits.”
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