A new pedestrian bridge honoring a Milby High School student will be built with $10 million in state funding, part of more than $200 million secured by the City of Houston during what leaders are calling the most successful legislative session in city history.
Houston Mayor John Whitmire and his Intergovernmental Affairs team announced that the City of Houston will receive more than $200 million in direct appropriations from the Texas Legislature. The funding addresses critical priorities, including water infrastructure, public safety, parks, and flood mitigation.
But one of the most meaningful appropriations, city officials say, is the $10 million allocated for the Sergio Ivan Rodriguez Memorial Pedestrian Bridge, a project dedicated to the Milby student who tragically lost his life while walking to school. The bridge aims to provide a safer route for students and pedestrians near busy crossings in the East End.
“In all my time in public service, this has been the most successful legislative session for the City of Houston,” said Mayor Whitmire. “We’re not just talking about dollars—we’re talking about lives impacted, neighborhoods improved, and safer futures for our children. The pedestrian bridge honoring Sergio Ivan Rodriguez is a powerful example of that.”
The bridge is just one of several infrastructure improvements backed by state funding this session. Other major appropriations include:
- $100 million for the Lynchburg Pump Station
- $50 million for continued Lake Houston dredging
- $5 million for the Spring Shadows Drainage Paving Project
- $10 million for police vehicles
- $5 million each for railroad grade crossing bridges at Little York and Hirsch, and Tidwell and Hirsch
- $17 million for parks
- $60 million for the Lake Livingston Dam
- Nearly $5 million for a new forensic analyst apprenticeship program
City officials also celebrated key legislation aimed at improving mental health services, strengthening disaster recovery efforts, and curbing illegal signage.
“I’m extremely proud of the work my team has accomplished, thanks to the leadership of Mayor Whitmire, our City Council, and especially our region’s delegation,” said Joshua Sanders, Chief of Intergovernmental Relations. “The City is successful because of the bipartisan and strong support from our Houston lawmakers.”