[Press Conference: “City Urges Action on Rail Safety Bill S.576"]
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GOOD MORNING.THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AS WE KICK OFF NATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE WEEK HERE IN HOUSTON AND AROUND THE COUNTRY.
I'M HOUSTON VICE MAYOR, PRO TEM MARTHA CASTEX TATUM, AND ON BEHALF OF OUR INCREDIBLE CITY AND THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES, WE ARE HERE TODAY TO HIGHLIGHT THE NEED FOR ACTION ON AN ISSUE THAT MATTERS TO HOUSTON AND THOUSANDS OF CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
EARLIER THIS YEAR, A TRAIN DERAILED IN EAST ADE OHIO, CARRYING TOXIC CHEMICALS THAT HAD TO BE BURNED OFF, CAUSING FULL SCALE EVACUATIONS OF THE CITY FOR THE SAFETY OF THEIR CITIZENS.
LEAVING ALL CITY LEADERS WITH DEEP CONCERNS ABOUT THE RAILROAD TRACKS IN OUR BACKYARDS.
ABOUT THREE TIMES EVERY DAY, A TRAIN LEAVES ITS TRACKS AND DERAILS, AND ABOUT HALF THAT TIME, A HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE IS ON BOARD.
SO WHAT HAPPENED IN EAST PALESTINE COULD HAPPEN IN ANY CITY, LARGE OR SMALL.
IN FACT, SINCE EAST PALESTINE, WE HAVE SEEN DERAILMENTS AND EVEN EVACUATIONS FROM MINNESOTA TO WASHINGTON, TO PENNSYLVANIA TO MONTANA, ACROSS TEXAS.
WE HAVE MORE DERAILMENTS THAN ALMOST ANY OTHER STATE IN THE NATION.
SECOND ONLY TO GEORGIA, AND FOLLOWED CLOSELY BY OHIO.
AND BEHIND US RIGHT HERE IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD ARE SOME OF THE NATION'S MOST FREQUENTLY BLOCKED RAIL CROSSINGS, CREATING SAFETY CONCERNS EVERY DAY FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
IN THE LAST YEAR, MORE THAN 200, MORE THAN 26,000 BLOCKED RAIL CROSSINGS HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO THE FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION, AND ALMOST ONE IN EVERY FIVE REPORTED THAT AN EMERGENCY VEHICLE COULD NOT CROSS, OR THAT A PEDESTRIAN WAS SEEN CLIMBING OVER OR UNDER THE TRAIN.
AND SOMETIMES BOTH CHILDREN CLIMBING OVER BLOCK TRAINS TO GO TO SCHOOL IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.
WHEN CITIES ARE FORCED TO EVACUATE AND PUSH PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR HOMES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, WE SHOULD ACT SO THAT NO OTHER CITY HAS TO RELIVE THESE HORRORS.
CONGRESS CANNOT WAIT TO ADDRESS AMERICA'S RAIL SAFETY ISSUES.
CONGRESS SETS THE SAFETY BAR FOR AMERICA'S RAILROADS, AND ONLY CONGRESS HAS THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE RAILS SAFER IN THE UNITED STATES.
THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT SENATORS VANCE AND BROWN FROM OHIO HAVE INTRODUCED COMMON SENSE BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION IN THE SENATE, AND LAST WEEK, THE COMMERCE COMMITTEE VOTED TO ADVANCE IT.
AMERICA'S CITIES, TOWNS, AND VILLAGES ARE UNITED IN ASKING OUR SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES TO PASS RAIL SAFETY LEGISLATION AND SEND IT TO THE PRESIDENT'S DESK FOR SIGNATURE BEFORE ANOTHER TRAGEDY STRIKES OUR COMMUNITIES.
FROM HOUSTON TO BRUNSWICK, MARYLAND, HAMMOND, INDIANA, VILLAGE OF RICHTON PARK, ILLINOIS, REYNOLDS, GEORGIA TO JAMESTOWN, NORTH DAKOTA, TO ALTOONA, PENNSYLVANIA.
WE ALL WANT TO SEE THIS RAIL SAFETY BILL.
IT IS NOW MY HONOR TO INTRODUCE THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER, TO SHARE HOW HOUSTON HAS TAKEN ON OUR CHALLENGES WITH RAIL SAFETY.
MAYOR TURNER, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UH, VICE MAYOR PROAM, UH, LOOK, I'M PLEASED TO BE HERE WITH YOU ALONG WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES, UH, REPRESENTATIVES FROM OUR TWO CON CONGRESS, UH, WOMEN CONGRESSWOMAN CITY GARCIA, AND CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE.
AND OF COURSE, WE ARE IN DISTRICT GUIDE REPRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS.
THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS HOME TO SEVERAL KEY MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES IN THE COUNTRY.
THESE FACTORIES AND DISTRIBUTORS RELY HEAVILY ON AN EXTENSIVE TRANSPORTATION NETWORK CONSISTING OF HIGHWAY WATER, AIRWAYS, AND RAIL CORRIDORS.
MY, THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS WORKED DILIGENTLY TO IMPROVE TRAFFIC FLOW AND REDUCE CONGESTION ON OUR STREETS BY STRENGTHENING THE ROADWAY INFRASTRUCTURE AND REMOVING STREET HAZARDS SUCH AS STALLED VEHICLES, UH, TRAINS OPERATING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS CREATE ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC CONGESTION.
AND DUE TO FEDERAL REGULATIONS, THE CITY HAS LIMITED MEANS AND AUTHORITY OVER RAILROAD OPERATIONS EACH DAY.
ABOUT 114 TRAINS OPERATE THROUGHOUT HOUSTON, AND AT TIMES RAIL TRAFFIC CAN INCREASE, INCREASE TO 124 A DAY.
THIS HIGH VOLUME OF TRAINS WITH LENGTHS WELL OVER A MILE OR
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MORE WILL CAUSE TRAFFIC DELAYS.AND WHEN A STOPPAGE OCCURS, TRAINS WILL BLOCK A RAILROAD CROSSING ON AN AVERAGE OF 20 MINUTES OR MORE, AND 20 MINUTES IS BEING VERY CONSERVATIVE.
A SINGLE STOP TRAINING AFFECTS MORE THAN ONE MOTORIST, AND THESE OCCURRENCES TAKE HOUSTONIANS, MAKE HOUSTONIANS AT RISK BY DELAYING EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND AROSE QUALITY OF LIFE BY REDUCING MOBILITY OF PEOPLE GOING TO WORK HOME OR SCHOOL BLOCK CROSSING.
SO A RAIL SAFETY ISSUE THAT'S HAPPENING IN HOUSTON AND IN THOUSANDS OF OTHER COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, ACROSS THE COUNTRY, MAYORS AND COUNCIL MEMBERS AND FIRE CHIEFS ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN, USING TECHNOLOGY, ADDING FIRE HOSES, HOUSES DOING OVERPASSES AND UNDERPASSES, BUT IT'S NOT ENOUGH.
AND I KNOW VICE MAYOR PRO WILL BE INTRODUCING MANY OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ARE HERE, UH, AS WELL AS, UH, CHIEF PENA, UH, WHO ARE STANDING IN SOLIDARITY THIS MORNING.
CONGRESS MUST PASS THE RAILWAY SAFETY ACT, BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION, WHICH WILL HELP PREVENT TOXIC TRAINING DERAILMENTS AND ENSURE RAIL MOVES SAFELY THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITIES AND OUR COUNTRY.
BLOCK CROSSINGS, PREVENTING EMERGENCY SERVICES FROM GETTING WHERE THEY NEED TO BE IN TIME STOP CHILDREN FROM GETTING TO SCHOOL, PARENTS FROM GETTING TO WORK AND GRANDPARENTS FROM GETTING TO DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT, THESE BLOCK CROSSINGS OR A FREQUENT OCCURRENCE IN COMMUNITIES OF ALL SIZES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, ALONG WITH BLOCK CROSSINGS, DERAILMENTS, AND NOT A RAIL PROBLEM FOR CITIES TO DEAL WITH.
THREE TRAINS DERAIL EACH DAY OF THE UNITED STATES, AND CLOSE TO HALF OF TRAINS ARE REPORTED TO BE CARRYING A HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE AS TRAINS GET LONGER.
EXPERTS HAVE MADE IT CLEAR THAT DERAILMENTS ARE PREVENTABLE WITH GOOD MAINTENANCE, SAFETY STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY, AND CONGRESS MUST SET THAT SAFETY PERFORMANCE BAR OR CONTINUE TO WATCH COMMUNITY AFTER COMMUNITY BEAR THE ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES OF TRAINED DERAILMENTS.
THE RISK IS TOO HIGH TO OUR COMMUNITIES, AND I'M URGING TEXAS SENATOR SENATOR CORNING AND SENATOR CRUZ TO SUPPORT THIS COMMON SENSE LEGISLATION TO KEEP RAIL SAFETY ON TRACK.
AND THIS ADMINISTRATION IS WORKING TIRELESSLY TO REDUCE IMPACTS CAUSED BY STOP TRAIN EVENTS, SO LESS LEFT UNCHECKED BLOCK CROSSINGS CREATE COMMUNITY AND STABILITY AFFECTING PUBLIC SAFETY AND QUALITY OF LIFE.
AND IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE ACT AND WE ACT NOW.
NEXT I'M GOING TO ASK IF THE COUNCIL MEMBER OF DISTRICT I, WHERE WE STAND WILL COME FORWARD.
HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT GALLEGOS, WHO HAS BEEN A TRUE CHAMPION ON THIS ISSUE.
FIRST OF ALL, LET ME THANK THE MAYOR FOR BEING HERE.
UH, MAYOR PRO TEM DAVE MARTIN OF CO VICE MAYOR PRO TEM CASSICK TATUM, AND MY TWO COLLEAGUES, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN AND COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN FOR BEING HERE AND JOINING US THIS MORNING.
UH, AGAIN, I'M ROBERT GALLEGOS.
I REPRESENT DISTRICT I, UH, WE ARE ALSO IN CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 29, UH, WHICH IS ONE OF THE BUSIEST, UH, CORRIDORS IN REGARDS TO RAIL TRAFFIC AND, UH, BLOCKAGE OF, OF TRAINS AND OUR CROSSINGS HERE.
UH, I WANNA THANK THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES FOR BEING HERE IN DISTRICT I THIS MORNING RAISING AWARENESS AND ADVOCATING FOR SOLUTIONS.
AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED, ENHANCING RAIL SAFETY AND IMPROVING MOBILITY IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND THE MANY COMMUNITIES ADJACENT TO TRACKS, CROSSINGS, AND RAIL YARDS.
WITHIN HOUSTON CITY LIMITS ALONE, WE HAVE OVER 700 ACTIVE AND BUSY GREAT CROSSINGS.
MANY OF THOSE ARE LOCATED IN MY DISTRICT HERE ON THE EAST SIDE, WHERE IN THE LAST FEW YEARS WE HAVE SEEN SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN RAIL TRAFFIC THAT HAVE IMPACTED SAFETY, MOBILITY AND THE OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND THERE WAS RECENTLY A MERGER BETWEEN CANADA PACIFIC AND KANSAS CITY SOUTHERN, WHICH WE'VE BEEN TOLD THAT'S GONNA INCREASE RAIL TRAFFIC IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON BY EIGHT MORE TRAINS.
AND THAT JUST STARTED, UH, THERE, THERE WAS, UH, ONE, UH, TRAIN GOING NORTH TO CANADA, CANADA, AND ONE COMING SOUTH GOING INTO MEXICO THROUGH THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WHICH STARTED LAST FRIDAY, MAKING THINGS MORE CHALLENGING.
ON THE EAST SIDE IS THE PRESENCE OF THREE HIGHLY ACTIVE RAIL CORRIDORS THAT CRISSCROSS OUR COMMUNITY.
FORMING A TRIANGLE DUBBED THE TRAIN TRAP TRIANGLE ON A REGULAR BASIS.
ONE OF TWO OF THESE TRACKS IS OCCUPIED BY STOP TRAINS MULTIPLE TIMES PER DAY, BLOCKING NUMEROUS STREETS AND CRITICAL CROSSINGS.
WE'VE EVEN EXPERIENCED INSTANCES WHERE STOP TRAINS HAVE OCCUPIED ALL THREE TRACKS SIMULTANEOUSLY, LEAVING THE COMMUNITY ALONG WITH, WITH CIS FIVE SCHOOLS AT A VERY BUSY FIRE STATION, COMPLETELY ENCIRCLED BY STOP TRAINS.
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UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S WHY THIS PART OF TOWN LEADS THE COUNTRY IN BLOCK CROSSING COMPLAINTS.IN 2021, OVER 1300 OF THE STATE'S, 2,800 COMPLAINTS ORIGINATED FROM THE EAST SIDE OF HOUSTON.
THESE BLOCKAGES CAN LAST FOR SEVERAL MINUTES TO HOURS, AND UNFORTUNATELY, THEY ARE ID CASES OR RARE OCCURRENCES.
THE FREQUENCY IN THE AMOUNT OF TIME THESE INTERSECTIONS ARE OBSTRUCTED IS HIGHLY PROBLEMATIC AND CONCERNING FROM BOTH THE SAFETY AND A MOBILITY STANDPOINT.
IN FACT, THROUGH A SMART CAMERA PILOT PROGRAM THE CITY LAUNCHED, WE HAVE DOCUMENTED MULTIPLE INSTANCES IN WHICH MAJOR THE FARES, INCLUDING THOSE VITAL TO HOUSTON EMERGENCY RESPONSE, HAVE BEEN BLOCKED FOR HOURS AT A TIME.
THESE PROLONGED BLOCKAGES HAVE MOTORISTS, STRANDED PROMPTING, UNSAFE MOTORISTS AND PEDESTRIAN BEHAVIOR, AND TWO, FREQUENTLY FORCED EMERGENCY RESPONDERS TO SCRAMBLE TO FIND ALTERNATE AND LONGER ROUTES.
NONE OF US SHOULD ACCEPT THESE SITUATIONS.
BLOCK CROSSINGS, IDLING LOCOMOTIVES NEXT TO HOMES, DIVERTED AMBULANCES, MOTORISTS CRUSHING TO BEAT THE TRAIN, RUSHING TO BEAT THE TRAIN, AND CHILDREN RISKING THEIR LIVES TO GET TO SCHOOL.
THIS ISN'T GOOD FOR THE SAFETY OF COMMUNITIES, AND I WANT TO THANK THE NATIONAL LEAGUES OF CITIES FOR THEIR WORK AND ADVOCACY, AND I URGE OUR CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS TO PASS RAIL SAFETY LEGISLATION TO PROTECT COMMUNITIES AND HOLD THE RAILROADS ACCOUNTABLE.
THANK Y'ALL AGAIN FOR BEING HERE.
NEXT WE'LL HEAR FROM MARY GILL.
SHE'S THE OWNER OF SEGUNDO COFFEE LAB HERE AT IRONWORK, AND SHE'S GOING TO GIVE US A PERSONAL ACCOUNT OF THE IMPACT OF THE STOP TRAINS FROM A BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE.
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
I AM THE CO-FOUNDER OF SEGUNDO COFFEE LAB.
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
MY NAME IS MARTHA GILL, AND I AM CO-FOUNDER OF SEVILLE COFFEE LAB AND ALSO A RESIDENT OF THE EAST END.
UM, I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT HOW THE TRAIN AFFECTS US ON A DAILY.
THERE'S TIMES WHERE THE TRAIN SITS THREE TO FOUR HOURS, AND A PRI A PRIVATELY OWNED BUSINESS, IS AFFECTED UP TO 40 TO 50%, UM, NEGATIVELY.
AND, UM, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT I WANT TO SAY IS THAT THE STRESS AND THE CHAOS THAT IT CAUSES WHEN YOU'RE DRIVING OR TAKING YOUR CHILD TO SCHOOL AND THE SCHOOL DOESN'T EVEN HAVE, UH, ANYTHING IN PLACE TO BE ABLE TO HELP PREVENT THIS OR ANY OF US.
EVERYONE ALWAYS ASKS, WHY DO YOU KEEP ON SPEAKING ON THIS SUBJECT? BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE TOGETHER, IF WE SPEAK UP, WE CAN DO A CHANGE.
EVERYONE IS STARTING TO LISTEN AND EVERYBODY IS STARTING TO, YOU KNOW, HELP OUT THE COMMUNITY.
UM, AND I'M SOME, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'M VERY, UM, CONTINUE TO SPEAK ON, UM, NOT JUST FOR MYSELF, NOT JUST FOR MY BUSINESS, BUT FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR THE FUTURE TO COME.
AND NEXT WE WILL HEAR FROM FIRE CHIEF SAM PENA, WHO WILL TALK ABOUT HOW PUBLIC SAFETY IS IMPACTED BY THESE RAIL ISSUES.
THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM AND VICE MAYOR PRO TEM.
I'M THE FIRE CHIEF OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND, UH, CERTAINLY A, UH, A DERAILMENT WILL COULD BE CATASTROPHIC.
IT'LL CAPTURE THE NEWS CYCLE, BUT, UH, MORE IMMEDIATE FOR US IN EMERGENCY RESPONSES, THE DAY-TO-DAY IMPACT THAT IT'S HAVING ON OUR ABILITY TO RESPOND TO EMERGENCIES.
WE DO TRACK THE NUMBER OF TIMES THAT OUR EMERGENCY RESPONSE VEHICLES HAVE TO DIVERT OR CHANGE, UH, DIRECTION AS A RESULT OF A BLOCKED TRAIN.
WE'RE AVERAGING ABOUT 90 INSTANCES PER MONTH, AND THAT IS, UH, THOSE ARE EMERGENCY RESPONSES THAT, THAT, UH, ARE IMPACTED AS FAR AS THE TIME IT TAKES US TO, TO GET TO THAT EMERGENCY.
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WE, UH, WE UNDERSTAND THE RAIL SYSTEM IS A VITAL PART OF OUR COMMUNITY.WE UNDERSTAND THE NEED, UH, TO, TO COEXIST.
UH, I DO WANT TO GIVE CREDIT TO UNION PACIFIC FOR, FOR TRYING TO WORK WITH US IN SOME TECHNOLOGY.
WE HAVE ABOUT 14 AT GRADE INTERSECTIONS THAT ARE BEING MONITORED.
AND, UH, IT GIVES US SOME IDEA OF WHEN THE TRAINS ARE CROSSING, BUT MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE.
UH, WE ARE IN, IN FAVOR OF THIS ACT.
WE DO THINK THAT WE NEED MORE TOOLS IN THE TOOLBOX TO ENSURE THAT, THAT THE RAIL CROSSINGS ARE NOT IMPACTED TO THE DEGREE THAT THEY HAVE BEEN.
BLOCKS TRAINS AND STOP TRAINS IMPACT COMMERCE.
THEY, THEY INCREASE RISK AND THEY IMPACT OUR ABILITY TO RESPOND EFFICIENTLY.
SO ANYTHING THAT COULD BE DONE TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE BEING GOOD NEIGHBORS, THAT WE'RE PROVIDING ACCESS AND NOT BLOCKING THESE AD GRADE CROSSINGS FOR 20 MINUTES PLUS IS GONNA BE A BENEFIT FOR OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
AND IT IS INFRASTRUCTURE WEEK.
SO WE ARE GLAD TO HAVE THE DIRECTOR OF HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS WITH US HERE TODAY.
DIRECTOR HADDOCK, WE'RE READY TO HEAR FROM YOU NOW.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS.
UM, AND, AND I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY HERE FOR ALLOWING US AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, TO, UH, REPRESENT HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS, BUT ALSO TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE.
UH, WE STARTED OFF WITH HOUSTON WATER WEEK, UH, WATER WEEK, THE LAST WEEK OF APRIL.
WE HAD PUBLIC SERVICE WEEK LAST WEEK FOR ALL PUBLIC EMPLOYEES, UH, FEDERAL, FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL.
UH, THIS WEEK IS INFRASTRUCTURE WEEK AND NEXT WEEK IS PUBLIC WORKS WEEK.
SO IT IS A NUMBER OF WEEKS WHERE WE REPRESENT THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE CHOSEN THEIR PROFESSION, UH, TO BE SERVING THE PUBLIC.
UH, I DO WANT TO SAY THAT WE ARE FULLY BEHIND AND SUPPORT, UH, THE PASSAGE OF THIS FEDERAL BILL, UM, FOR RAIL SAFETY.
BUT I ALSO WANT TO PAUSE AND SAY THANK YOU FOR THE SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT THAT HAS BEEN COMMITTED BY, UH, THE CONGRESS TO INFRASTRUCTURE THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES.
UH, WE ARE VERY THANKFUL TO THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION AND THE CONGRESS FOR THESE BILLS THAT HAVE BROUGHT SIGNIFICANT INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING.
WE'RE CURRENTLY WAITING, AND I WANNA SPEAK FORWARD TO THE FUTURE AND THE, AND THE HOPE THAT WE SEE, UM, CHANGES IN THE GROUND HERE.
BECAUSE OF PREVIOUSLY PASSED BILLS, WE'RE CURRENTLY WAITING ON ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR THE RAILROAD CROSSING ELIMINATION GAP THAT WAS PART OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL, UH, WHICH WITH AWARDED WOULD CLOSE THE FUNDING GAP FOR THE COMMERCE NAVIGATION GRADE SEPARATION, THE YORK SAMPSON GRADE SEPARATION.
AND WE'VE ALSO REQUESTED AN ADDITIONAL 38 MILLION, UM, FROM THE, THE RAIL ADMINISTRATION.
THIS FUNDING, IF AWARDED, WOULD PROVIDE LONG-TERM SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS IN THIS COMMUNITY TO DIRECTLY ADDRESS WHAT WE SAW TO WHAT WE'RE OUT HERE TO TALK ABOUT TODAY.
UM, I, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT Y'ALL.
UM, I WAS SITTING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TRAIN A LITTLE BIT NERVOUS THAT I WAS NOT GONNA BE HERE IN TIME FOR THE PRESS CONFERENCE.
AND IT WAS A TRAIN THAT WAS MOVING, ONE THAT WAS DOING EXACTLY WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO DO.
UM, THESE FUNDING SOURCES AND THESE PROJECTS, IF AWARDED, WILL ALLOW HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS TO WORK WITH OUR REGIONAL PARTNERS, UM, AND THE NEWLY FORMED HOUSTON AREA RAIL TRANSFORMATION PART, UH, TO TAKE A PROGRAMMATIC APPROACH TO ELIMINATE RAIL CROSSINGS, NOT THE RAILS THEMSELVES, BUT TO ELIMINATE THOSE AT GRADE CROSSINGS WHERE WE HAVE THE MOST CONFLICT BETWEEN VEHICLES, OUR EMERGENCY RESPONDERS, OUR PEDESTRIANS, OUR CHILDREN, TRYING TO GET TO SCHOOL WHEN THE SCHOOL'S ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT RAIL.
AND TO DO THIS IN A PROGRAMMATIC WAY WHERE WE CAN HAVE A MEANINGFUL LONG-TERM IMPACT AND BENEFIT TO THIS COMMUNITY WHILE RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF RAIL FREIGHT, UH, BOTH FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, BUT ALSO FOR THE ECONOMY IN THIS COMMUNITY.
THESE ARE LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS.
THEY WILL IMPROVE SAFETY, THEY WILL IMPROVE MOBILITY.
UM, AS IT AS CURRENTLY WE SEE MANY OF OUR MAJOR STREETS ARE CUT OFF THAT ARE TEMPORARILY SEVERED.
UM, AND EVEN THESE SLOW MOVING TRAINS CAN HAVE IMPACTS YOU, YOU HEARD FROM A LOCAL BUSINESS THAT HAVE THESE IMPACTS.
AND SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE INVESTMENTS THAT ARE GONNA RESULT IN MEANINGFUL CHANGE IN THESE COMMUNITIES.
UM, BUT WE ALSO LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUED ACTION AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, UH, TO IMPLEMENT COMMON SENSE CHANGES THAT WILL IMPROVE RAIL SAFETY.
AND NEXT WE WILL HEAR FROM CHRIS MCCARTHY, WHO IS THE DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF FOR CONGRESSWOMAN CELIA GARCIA.
WE ARE IN HER DISTRICT, UM, SHE'S THE CONGRESSWOMAN OF THE 29TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE.
UH, THE CONGRESSWOMAN IS ON HER WAY BACK TO WASHINGTON TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON THESE ISSUES.
UH, SO SHE CAN'T BE HERE THIS MORNING, BUT THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN A LONG TIME COMING, UH, IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE FEDERAL RAIL ADMINISTRATION'S BLOCKED CROSSING PORTAL, THE 29TH DISTRICT OF TEXAS HAS ALMOST DOUBLED
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THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS AS THE SECOND HIGHEST DISTRICT IN THE COUNTRY.SO THIS IS A ISSUE THAT IS EXTREMELY SPECIFIC TO OUR AREA, BUT IS ALSO NOW GETTING ATTENTION NATIONALLY.
UH, THE CONGRESSWOMAN HAS WORKED HARD TO INCREASE FUNDING FOR THE PROGRAMS THAT WILL HELP ELIMINATE THESE ISSUES, UH, FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS.
THANKS TO WORK THROUGH APPROPRIATIONS IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE LAW, THE CONSOLIDATED RAIL SAFETY, UH, IMPROVEMENTS IN INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT WILL PROVIDE ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO CITIES, STATES, AND TOWNS TO IMPROVE THE SAFETY AND CROSSING TECHNOLOGY, UH, WHICH WILL HELP ELIMINATE THE NEED TO HAVE PEOPLE WAITING AT THESE CROSSINGS AND INCREASE THE SAFETY OVERALL.
ADDITIONALLY, THE CONGRESSWOMAN HAS INTRODUCED, AGAIN, THE DON'T BLOCK OUR COMMUNITIES ACT.
THIS IS THE D BLOCK ACT FOR SHORT.
THIS IS A BILL THAT WILL ALLOW THE FEDERAL RAIL ADMINISTRATION TO ISSUE FINES WHEN TRAINS BLOCK CROSSINGS FOR MORE THAN 10 MINUTES.
UH, THIS IS AN ISSUE IN THE EAST END, UH, ALL OVER HOUSTON AND THE COUNTRY, BUT IT'S PARTICULARLY BAD HERE.
AND AS YOU HEARD FROM THE FIRE CHIEF, UH, IT'S A PUBLIC SAFETY MATTER.
IT'S IN MATTER OF KIDS GETTING TO SCHOOL ON TIME OF PARENTS GETTING KIDS TO DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS.
AND IT'S THE NUMBER ONE THING WE HEAR ABOUT IN OUR DISTRICT FROM OUR CONSTITUENTS, IS THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT MATTERS TO THEM.
SO CONGRESSWOMAN GARCIA STANDS WITH EVERYONE HERE.
WE KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO DO, BUT SHE'S GONNA CONTINUE WORKING ON IT.
AND IF THE BLOCK PROCESSINGS ARE AN ISSUE TO YOU, AND YOU'RE WATCHING THIS, PLEASE REACH OUT TO YOUR FEDERAL ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES, WHETHER IT'S A MEMBER OF CONGRESS OR THE SENATE, UH, OR THE HOUSE, AND LET THEM KNOW THAT YOU WANT THEM AS WELL TO CO-SPONSOR THE DON'T BLOCK OUR COMMUNITIES ACT.
AND NEXT WE'LL HEAR FROM LILY CONEY.
SHE IS THE CHIEF OF STAFF FOR CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE OF THE 18TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
THANKS EVERYONE, UM, FOR BEING HERE TODAY TO COVER THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE.
CONGRESSWOMAN JACKSON LEE IS UNABLE TO BE HERE BECAUSE SHE IS IN DC FOR FALLEN SOLDIER FOLKS FALLEN, UH, POLICE OFFICERS CEREMONY THAT'S TAKING PLACE ON THE CAPITOL TODAY.
SHE ASKS THAT I BE HERE TODAY ON HER BEHALF TO INDICATE HER APPRECIATION AND FULL SUPPORT FOR THE GOALS OF S 5 76, THE RAIL SAFETY ACT, CONGRESS SULLIVAN, JACKSON LEE, THANK SENATOR SCHWAR BROWN AND JD VANCE OF OHIO FOR LEADING THIS EFFORT TO ENACT THIS LAW.
S 5 79 ADDRESSES SAFETY REQUIREMENTS FOR RAIL CARRIERS AND TRAINS TRANSPORTING HAZARDOUS MATERIALS.
SPECIFICALLY, THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION MUST ISSUE SAFETY REGULATIONS FOR TRAINS CARRYING HAZARDOUS MATERIALS TO REQUIRE THAT RAIL CARRIERS OR SHIPPERS PROVIDE STATE EMERGENCY RESPONSE COMMISSIONERS WITH ADVANCED NOTICE AND INFORMATION ABOUT THE HAZARDOUS MATERIALS, REDUCE BLOCK RAIL CROSSINGS AND THEN COMPLY WITH CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS REGARDING TRAIN LENGTH AND WEIGHT SPECIFICATIONS, TRACK STANDARDS, SPEED RESTRICTIONS, AND RESPONSE PLANS.
THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION MUST ALSO ESTABLISH REQUIREMENTS FOR WEIGH DETECT DEFECT DETECTORS.
THIS IS CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO RAIL DEME, RAIL DERAILMENTS, SUCH AS HOT BID DETECTORS OR ROLLER BEARING HEAT DETECTION, DRAGGING EQUIPMENT DETECTORS, HIGH CARB DETECTORS AND SLIDE FENCES ALL REDUCE THE, THE INCIDENTS OF RAIL DERAILMENTS.
THESE ARE IMPORTANT STEPS THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN IN ORDER TO KEEP COMMUNITIES SAFE.
S 5 79 DIRECTS DOT TO ISSUE REGULATIONS, ESTABLISHING REQUIREMENTS FOR INSTALLATION, REPAIR, TESTING, MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION OF WAYSIDE DEFECT DETECTORS FOR EACH RAIL CARRIER OPERATING A TRAIN CARRYING HAZARDOUS MATERIAL.
THE BILL ALSO INCREASES THE MAXIMUM FINES DOT MAY IMPOSE ON RAIL CARRIERS FOR VIOLATING SAFETY REGULATIONS REQUIRES DOT TO UPDATE RAIL CAR INSPECTION, REGULATIONS AND AUDIT.
THE FEDERAL INSPECTION PROGRAM REQUIRES A MINIMUM TWO PERSON CREW FOR CERTAIN FREIGHT TRAINS PHASES OUT CERTAIN RAILROAD TANK CARS BY MAY 1ST, 2025, WHICH IS FOUR YEARS SOONER THAN REQUIRED UNDER CURRENT LAW.
THE BILL EXPANDS TRAINING FOR LOCAL FIRST RESPONDERS, IMPOSES A NEW FEE ON CERTAIN RAIL CARRIERS, AND PROVIDES FUNDING FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT TO IMPROVE REAL SAFETY.
ALL OF THESE ARE IMPORTANT STEPS THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAN TAKE TO MAKE COMMUNITIES SAFER, TO BE MORE RESPONSIVE TO THE CAUSES AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF BLOCK CROSSING CONGRESS OR JACKSON LEE HAS WORKED FOR, FOR WELL OVER A COUPLE OF DECADES ON THE ISSUE OF BLOCK CROSSINGS, AS WELL AS MATERIALS THAT ARE BEING CARRIED BY RAIL THROUGH RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITIES AND AREAS.
SEEKING TO FIND SOLUTIONS IN DIRECT DIALOGUE WITH RAIL COMPANIES, AS WELL AS BRINGING COMMUNITIES INTO THESE CONVERSATIONS SO THEY CAN HEAR DIRECTLY FROM CONSTITUENTS ABOUT THE PRESSING ISSUE OF ADDRESSING THIS, THIS, THIS PROBLEM.
SHE'S PLEASED TO JOIN IN THIS EFFORT.
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR ATTENTION.
ACROSS THE COUNTRY, COMMUNITIES ARE UNITED IN PROTECTING OUR RESIDENTS.
YOU'VE HEARD FROM SEVERAL SPEAKERS TODAY.
AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK, UH, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT HAVE JOINED US.
UH, SEVERAL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS
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FROM HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL ALSO SIGNED ON TO OUR RAIL SAFETY LETTER.WE APPRECIATE THAT OVER 500 CITIES HAVE SIGNED ON TO THAT, UH, LETTER URGING CONGRESS FOR THIS RAIL SAFETY ACT.
UH, MAYOR PRO TEM DAVE MARTIN, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAIN CAYMAN, WHO IS THE ON THE NLC ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE.
AND YOU HEARD FROM COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE VERONICA GOSKY, THE PRESIDENT OF THE EAST END DISTRICT HERE.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE, UH, THE PRESIDENT OF THE HISPANIC CHAMBER.
LAURA MARIA, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
AND THEN I WANNA SAY A SPECIAL THANKS TO JESSE BOUNDS AND JACK GRA FOR THE GREAT WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE TO PROVIDE THE INFORMATION THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE AMPLIFY THIS MESSAGE ACROSS THE NATION.
WE CALL ON CONGRESS TO HELP US KEEP AMERICA'S RAILROADS MOVING SAFELY THROUGH OUR COMMUNITIES BY PASSING LEGISLATION SOON.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING WITH US TODAY, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO OPEN IT UP FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
WHEN, WHERE SHOULD PEOPLE START SAYING RELIEF? SO WE ARE HOPING THAT, UM, THE LEGISLATION THAT HAS BEEN MOVED FORWARD WILL, UM, MAKE IT TO THE PRESIDENT'S DESK.
WHAT WE ARE URGING NOW IS FOR EVERYONE TO REACH OUT TO THEIR SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES TO ENCOURAGE THIS, THE PASSAGE OF THIS LEGISLATION.
UM, IT MAKES IT TO THE PRESIDENT'S DESK.
AND THEN WE HAVE A LOT, WE ARE ENCOURAGED, UM, BY THE ACTION THAT WAS TAKEN LAST WEEK, BUT WE STILL HAVE A WAYS TO GO.
SO, UM, IT IS PRESS CONFERENCES LIKE THIS, AN ACTION THAT WE CAN ALL TAKE THAT WILL PUSH US TO GET THAT ACTION QUICKER.
UH, WE'RE, WE'RE HOPING THAT, UM, PEOPLE WILL CONTINUE TO URGE THEIR CONGRESS MEN AND WOMEN TO, UM, SUPPORT THIS LEGISLATION.
SO WE CAN SEE SOME MOVEMENT QUICKLY.
AS, UH, DIRECTOR HADDOCK POINTED OUT, UH, THERE IS, UH, AN A APPLICATION FOR GRANT FUNDING FOR RAILROAD CROSSING, UH, THAT IS CURRENTLY BEING CONSIDERED.
UH, I WAS IN DC ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO TALKING WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE FEDERAL RAILWAY ADMINISTRATION.
AND HOPEFULLY, UH, BEFORE THE SUMMARY IS OUT, HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET SOME GOOD NEWS ON ON THAT FRONT AS WELL.
I MEAN, SOME OF THESE INTERSECTIONS HISTORICALLY TRAIN SITTING AT TELEPHONE AND, YOU KNOW, RIGHT HERE AND A BUNCH OF OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE, IN THE NORTH SIDE.
I MEAN, IS THERE ANY RELEASE TO THEM WITHIN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS? WELL, I THINK YOU HAVE TO BEAR IN MIND THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME, UH, YOU HAVE THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE BILL THAT HAS PASSED.
WE, UH, THAT IS HISTORIC LEVEL OF FUNDING FOR INFRASTRUCTURE.
IN THE PAST, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATION, BUT NO FUNDING.
UH, AND THERE ARE ABOUT, UH, SEVEN TO 800 RAILROAD CROSSINGS JUST IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON ALONE.
UH, SO THERE'S NO QUESTION THERE'S A TREMENDOUS NEED.
A LOT OF ATTENTION IS NOW BEING GIVEN.
AND SO ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW, YOU HAVE CITIES LIKE THE CITY OF HOUSTON WHO ARE STANDING UP AND INSISTING THAT, UH, CONGRESS, UH, TAKE SOME DEFINITIVE ACTION TO ADDRESS THESE SUBJECTS.
AND YOU ALL HAVE REPORTED, LIKE OTHERS WHERE THERE HAVE BEEN, UH, TRAINS THAT HAVE GONE OFF TRACK, UH, THAT ARE CARRYING VERY DANGEROUS CHEMICALS THAT ARE LITERALLY DISRUPTING COMMUNITIES AND PUTTING PEOPLE'S LIVES AT STAKE.
AND JUST RIGHT HERE, UH, WHEN PEOPLE, WHEN TRAINS ARE STOPPING FOR TWO, THREE HOURS AND PEOPLE ARE NOT ABLE TO GET WHERE THEY NEED TO GO.
SO AS MORE VOICES AND MORE PEOPLE COME TOGETHER AND WE, AND WE GATHER LIKE WE ARE DOING TODAY, THEN I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE SOME DEFINITIVE ACTION.
BUT IN THE IMMEDIATE NEED, UM, PEOPLE, CONGRESS CAN VOTE ON THE RAIL SAFETY ACT, AND THEN WE WILL HOPEFUL, UH, THAT WE'LL GET SOME SIGNIFICANT FUNDING OR AT LEAST THE ANNOUNCEMENT ON IT, UH, BEFORE THE SUMMARY'S OUT.
AND THAT WILL, UM, ALLOW US WITH THE FUNDING TO START TAKING SOME DEFINITIVE STEPS RIGHT HERE IN THE EAST END.
IF THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS, OH, WE HAVE A QUESTION HERE.
PLANNING THE BUS TRANSIT ON LOCKWOOD, UH, AND THAT PROJECT BE AN OVERPASS, MAYBE CAME AN UNDERPASS, BUT THEIR PLANS ARE ONLY TO ALLOW THEIR VEHICLE ON THAT LANE.
IS THE CITY HAVING ANY CONVERSATIONS WITH METRO ABOUT, UH, EXPANDING THAT SO THE UNDERPASS ARE OVER, MAY BE AVAILABLE FOR ALL VEHICLES? WELL, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION ON THAT, AND AS YOU KNOW, METRO HAS TAKEN,
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UM, HAS ALREADY MADE THAT ONE ANNOUNCEMENT IN TERMS OF GOING UNDERNEATH.IT'S ALWAYS DIFFICULT TO TRY TO FIND A HOLISTIC SOLUTION.
AND A PART OF THAT IS BEING ABLE TO WORK WITH THE RAILROAD COMPANY ITSELF.
AND BECAUSE THEY HAVE A LOT OF SAY WHAT THE END RESULT WILL BE.
UH, BUT, UM, I KNOW I'VE HAD EXTENSIVE CONVERSATION WITH, UM, WITH THE CHAIRMAN OF METRO SANJAY RAM.
UM, AND I KNOW THEY'RE TRYING TO WORK THROUGH THESE ISSUES AND I KNOW THEY'RE WORKING IN COLLABORATION ON LEAST HAVING SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS AS WELL.
IN REGARDS TO YOUR QUESTION ABOUT, UH, LOCKWOOD, I KNOW THAT, UH, METRO HAS MET WITH THE COMMUNITY, UH, AND, UH, THE COMMUNITY IS, IS WANTING AN UNDER PREFER PREFERRING AN UNDERPASS.
UH, BUT IT'S JUST FOR THE BRT, UH, NOT, NOT FOR VEHICULAR TRAFFIC, BUT THE GOOD THING ABOUT IT IS THAT ONCE IT'S BUILT BY METRO, THE UNDERPASS JUST FOR THE BRT ON LOCKWOOD, UH, IT WILL ALSO BE USED BY EMERGENCY VEHICLES.
SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET AMBULANCES, FIRE TRUCKS AND POLICE CARS, UH, TO GO UNDERNEATH THE, UH, TRAIN A STOP TRAIN THERE AT LOCKWOOD.
SO, SO THAT'S, THAT'S GOOD NEWS.
AND THEN WITH THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL THAT WAS MENTIONED, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT ALSO HAVING GREAT SEPARATION AT SAMSON AND YORK, IF, IF, IF IT GETS APPROVED, THAT IS, UH, AND THEN ALSO LIKE DIRECTOR HADDOCK MENTIONED THERE AT, UH, FRANKLIN AND JENSEN, UH, ALSO A GREAT SEPARATION THERE.
UH, SO THOSE ARE TWO MAJOR POINTS HERE IN THE EAST END THAT WILL BE BENEFICIAL.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE CAN DO 'EM ALL BECAUSE OF THE COST.
UH, BUT WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO, UH, DO THIS IN THE SMART WAY AND JUST TARGET, UH, CROSSINGS THAT ARE, HAVE BEEN IMPACTED IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR DECADES.
IF NO OTHER QUESTIONS, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.