HOUSTON – Some neighbors in the Heights say they’re frustrated that years after a deadly crash, drivers are still ignoring a pedestrian signal meant to keep people safe.
At the corner of Shepherd Drive and 10th Street, a pedestrian-activated safety light flashes red to stop traffic.
It was installed in 2019 after a man in a wheelchair and a woman who stopped to help him were struck and killed in a hit-and-run. The traffic control box next to the signal is painted as a memorial honoring the victims.
Husband and wife Shakar Bradost and Rebekah Kington said they cross the street every day to get to businesses like Kroger.
They describe the experience as “playing Frogger,” saying cars come off the I-10 overpass “at 50 or 60 miles an hour” and often fail to stop even when the light is red.
“They’re coming so fast and either they’re not paying attention or they don’t care about the signs and blinking lights,” said Kington.
Their cell-phone videos, and KPRC 2 cameras on Thursday, captured multiple drivers running the light.
“There has been instances where we get angry drivers honking at us and sometimes they’ve been flipping us off,” said Bradost.
According to Houston Police data obtained through an open records request, there have been 10 crashes at this intersection since January 2024, with more than half happening between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.
A Houston Police spokesperson said their traffic enforcement and patrol division work daily and routinely monitor roads, intersections, and crosswalks for any traffic violations for safety of all roadway users.
“I think we really need to keep pressing on and working towards making the road safer for everybody,” said Kington.
KPRC 2 reached out to council member Abbie Kamin’s office and a spokesperson directed us to the Shepherd Durham project, which is being completed by the Memorial Heights Redevelopment Authority.
The project, now slated to begin Phase Two, would reduce the number of lanes from four to three, add protected bike and pedestrian pathways, and bring improved street lighting to the corridor.
“It is very frustrating as both a, you know, a pedestrian, a cyclist and as a driver, just how unsafe this particular intersection is,” said Kington.
Memorial Heights Redevelopment Authority released the following statement:
“We are pleased to share that the Houston City Council has approved the Construction Management and Inspection Contract for Phase 2 of The Shepherd Durham Project, our joint project with the City of Houston. This is another important milestone following the earlier approval of the construction contract.
“The Notice to Proceed is scheduled for October 15th, and initial activities will include contractor mobilization and the installation of temporary traffic signals. Residents can expect to see true construction work, such as pavement reconstruction, begin before the end of the year.”