TRANSPORTATIONUPDATES TxDOT declares 2021 second-deadliest year for Texas roadways; trac deaths up 15%over 2020
COMPILED BY MIKAH BOYD & HANNAH ZEDAKER
UPCOMING PROJECT
NORTHPARK PLAZA DR.
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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.” The release provided information on initiatives TxDOT is researching and studying before implementing to aid in roadway safety. Some of the initiatives include trac 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 initiatives in those areas.
The Texas Department of Trans- portation sent out a press release in March detailing its ndings that are part of a larger issue nationwide: Roadways are becoming increasingly deadly. TxDOT reported there were 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. Ocials 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 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
TRAFFIC TRAGEDIES While most trac crashes did not result in injuries, thousands of Texans died or faced serious injuries on the roads in 2021. REPORTED VEHICLE CRASHES IN TEXAS IN 2021
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Loop 494 expansion Construction is underway on a project to expand Loop 494 between half a mile north of Kingwood Drive and north of Sorters McClellan Road from two to four lanes with a raised turf median, center turn lanes and inter- sections, and sidewalks. According to Danny Perez, public information o- cer for the Texas Department of Trans- portation, ISI Contracting is about 76% done with project construction. Timeline: July 15, 2019-fourth quarter 2022 Cost: $15.8 million Funding sources: 80% federal, 20% state
Noninjuries
1.07M
Possible injuries
137.4K
Unknown injuries
100.4K
82.5K Suspected minor injuries 19.4K Suspected serious injuries
4.5K Fatalities
ALL INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE WAS UPDATED AS OF APRIL 13. NEWS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE OR OTHER LOCAL TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS? EMAIL US AT LHKNEWSCOMMUNITYIMPACT.COM.
SOURCE: TEXAS PEACE OFFICER’S CRASH REPORTSCOMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
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LAKE HOUSTON HUMBLE KINGWOOD EDITION • APRIL 2022
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