TRANSPORTATIONUPDATES TxDOT declares 2021 second-deadliest year for Texas roadways; tra c deaths up 15%over 2020
COMPILED BY MIKAH BOYD & HUNTER MARROW
UPCOMING PROJECTS
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Roadways are becoming increas- ingly deadly, according to a news release from the Texas Department of Transportation that detailed ndings that are part of a larger issue nation- wide. TxDOT reported more than 4,480 deaths on Texas roads in 2021, only a little behind 1981, the deadliest year to date with over 4,701 deaths. Roadway deaths are also on the rise nationwide. O cials reported an estimated 20,160 people died from vehicular crashes in the rst half of 2021, 18.4% higher than in 2020. Texas saw an increase of almost 15% from 2020-21. TxDOT elaborated on the shared responsibility among Texas drivers, roadway engineers and law enforce- ment to reduce the number of deaths on Texas roads. “Driver behavior is one of the causes but also one of the most important solutions,” Transportation Commissioner Laura Ryan said in a news release. “This is not blame. These are facts. We all have a role. TxDOT can do more, and we accept that responsibility. The driving public can do more. For instance, in 2021, a total of 1,522 people were killed because of speed, and a total of 1,219 were killed because they were not wearing a seat belt. These were decisions made by people that could have potentially saved 2,741 lives.” Art Markman, a psychology professor at The University of Texas, informed TxDOT leaders and trans- portation stakeholders at the annual
TRAFFIC TRAGEDIES While most tra c crashes did not result in injuries, thousands of Texans died
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or faced serious injuries on the roads in 2021. Reported vehicle crashes in Texas in 2021
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University Boulevard widening On April 19, Sugar Land City Council approved a $250,000 design contract and a $1.6 million agreement with Fort Bend County for widening University Boulevard from New Territory Boule- vard to south of Lexington Boulevard. The project was included in four general obligation bond propositions totaling $90.76 million approved by Sugar Land voters on Nov. 5, 2019. The projects included in the propositions cover drainage, facilities, mobility and safety and were selected based on extensive planning through various master plans, City Council input and the results of citizen satisfaction surveys that indicated drainage, public safety and mobility are the top three priorities for residents. University Boulevard acts as a north- south regional corridor that provides access for mobility, access to recre- ational amenities and supports tourism and economic development e orts, the city said in an April 20 announcement. ”This University Boulevard corridor has seen tremendous growth in tra c during the past 15 years,” said City En- gineer Jessie Li in the release. “Our res- idents have been clear on the continued need to invest in mobility projects.” Timeline: TBD Cost: $1.6 million Funding source: Sugar Land bond
Noninjuries
1.07M
137.4K Possible injuries 100.4K Unknown injuries
“WEMUST DOBETTER FOR OURSELVES, OUR LOVED ONES ANDOUR LARGER COMMUNITYOF TEXANS.” LAURA RYAN, TRANSPORTATION COMMISSIONER
82.5K Suspected minor injuries 19.4K Suspected serious injuries
4.5K Fatalities
SOURCE: TEXAS PEACE OFFICER’S CRASH REPORTS COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
Texas Transportation Forum in February about coronavirus-related pressures that have had a negative impact on Texas roadways. “We have to remind people that they are part of a community,” Markman said. “We have to start considering everyone as part of our community. If we don’t do that, there are going to be all sorts of negative consequences, and those are going to include negative conse- quences on the road.” The release provided information on initiatives TxDOT is researching and studying before implementing to aid in roadway safety. Some of the initiatives include tra c safety cam- paigns and law enforcement funding grants as well as proven life-saving
roadway designs. TxDOT is also reviewing crash data to identify areas where drivers are more likely to crash and will use its ndings to focus improvement initiatives on those areas and share the data with the driving population. O cials within the agency believe the implementation of the above ini- tiatives and focusing on engineering and enforcement will greatly reduce the number of deaths on Texas roads. “But make no mistake: This is an urgent call to action for all of us behind the wheel,” Ryan said. “We can do bet- ter. We should do better. We must do better—for ourselves, our loved ones and our larger community of Texans. Not a single death on our roadways is acceptable. Let’s end this streak.”
ALL INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE WAS UPDATED AS OF APRIL 22. NEWS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE OR OTHER LOCAL TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS? EMAIL US AT SLMNEWS COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM.
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SUGAR LAND MISSOURI CITY EDITION • MAY 2022
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