* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:15] I AM RAQUEL LEWIS. I AM THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS FOR SOUTHEAST TEXAS, FOR THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. AND I'LL BE YOUR MC TODAY ON BEHALF OF THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, WELCOME TO THE GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY FOR THE SERGIO IVAN RODRIGUEZ MEMORIAL BRIDGE. WE ARE HERE TO MARK AN IMPORTANT STEP TOWARD PROVIDING A SAFER CONNECTION FOR MILBY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, THEIR FAMILIES, AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY. WE ALSO GATHER TO HONOR THE LIFE AND THE MEMORY OF SERGIO IVAN RODRIGUEZ. WE ARE ESPECIALLY GRATEFUL TO SERGIO'S PARENTS AND FAMILY FOR JOINING US TODAY. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I'M GONNA ALSO ASK YOU TO JOIN ME IN RECOGNIZING SOME OF THE ELECTED OFFICIALS AND AGENCY REPRESENTATIVES AND PROJECT PARTNERS WHO ARE HERE TO HELP US BRING THIS PROJECT FORWARD. OUR COMMISSIONER, TEXAS TRANSPORTATION COMMISSIONER STEVEN ALVIS. SENATOR CAROL ALVARADO, MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER, STATE REPRESENTATIVE CHRISTINA MORALES. STATE REPRESENTATIVE ANN PEREZ. MARYANNE PEREZ, CITY COUNCILMAN JOAQUIN MARTINEZ. WE ALSO HAVE REPRESENTATION FROM, I BELIEVE I SAW SENATOR CORNING'S OFFICE. JAY RO AND DANNY, DID YOU HAVE A LIST FOR ME? I, I THINK THERE'S A LIST WHILE HE BRINGS ME THAT. EVA LAREDO, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM UNION PACIFIC, OUR CONTRACTOR JFO SERVICES, OUR ENGINEER, P DAWSON ENGINEERS. AND LET'S SEE, I WE HAVE SOMEBODY FROM US, REPRESENTATIVE SENATOR GARCIA'S OFFICE. THANK YOU. AND MY APOLOGIES IN ADVANCE IF I MISSED ANY ELECTED OFFICIALS, BUT I ASK YOU NOW TO SAY HELLO TO US. OKAY. WE HAVE TRUSTEES FROM HISD. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. PLEASE COME, COME UP AND HAVE A SEAT FOR US. WE, WE LOVE TO YOU TO. WE'RE GONNA GET SOME SEATS OVER HERE, ARGENTINA. OKAY. OKAY. WE'RE GONNA MOVE ALONG ON THE PROGRAM. NOW IT'S MY HONOR TO INTRODUCE ONE OF OUR SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKERS, TEXAS TRANSPORTATION COMMISSIONER STEVE ALVIS. HE WAS APPOINTED TO THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION IN MARCH OF 2023. COMMISSIONER ALVIS HAS LED IN THE EFFORT TO INCREASE DEVELOPMENT OF THE STATE'S HIGHWAY HIGHWAYS AND MEET THE STATE'S NEEDS TO SERVE THE POPULATION THAT'S EXPECTED TO GROW TO 10 MILLION BY 2050. COMMISSIONER ALVIS, WELCOME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WELCOME. HERE IT IS. WHERE ARE YOU? WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH. UM, YOU KNOW, NORMALLY THESE GROUNDBREAKINGS ARE SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE. THIS ONE'S A CELEBRATION, BUT YES, ALSO EXTREMELY SAD. SO TO THE FAMILY, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. BUT THANK YOU RAQUEL. AND GOOD MORNING. ON BEHALF OF THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. AS WE BREAK GROUND ON THE SERGIO IVAN RODRIGUEZ MEMORIAL PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE, WE GATHER TODAY WITH GRATITUDE FOR OUR LEADERS. THANK ALL OF YOU, OUR PARTNERS, OUR NEIGHBORS WHO HELP BRING THIS IMPORTANT SAFETY PROJECT TO THIS POINT. AND WITH DEEP RESPECT FOR THE FAMILY WHOSE LOSS GIVES THIS BRIDGE ITS NAME. I WANNA RECOGNIZE SENATOR CARROLL ALVARADO, A PROUD MILBY HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE. I BELIEVE WE HAD ANOTHER MILBY HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE. [00:05:01] DID I READ THAT RIGHT? VICE CHAIR. THANK YOU. UM, CAROL ALVARADO'S CONNECTION TO THIS SCHOOL IN EAST END IS PERSONAL AND LONGSTANDING IN A DIFFICULT MOMENT. SHE RESPONDED WITH COMPASSION RESOLVE AND A CLEAR COMMITMENT TO ACTION. SHE HELPED ELEVATE THIS NEED AT THE STATE LEVEL AND WORK TO SECURE THE FUNDING REQUIRED TO MOVE THIS BRIDGE FROM AN IDEA TO A PROJECT NOW BECOMING REALITY. I ALSO WANT TO THANK GOVERNOR ABBOTT AND LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR DAN PATRICK FOR THEIR SUPPORT OF SENATOR ALVARADO'S EFFORTS TO SECURE THIS STATE FUNDING NEEDED TO MOVE THIS PROJECT FORWARD ALONG WITH VICE CHAIR MARYANN PEREZ. THANK YOU FOR SERVING ON TRANSPORTATION, MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER, WHICH WE COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT IT. MANY PROBLEMS OCCURRED IN MOVING UTILITIES AND GETTING CONDEMNATION DONE. JOHN MADE IT HAPPEN. REPRESENTATIVE, UH, THANK YOU, REPRESENTATIVE CHRISTINA MORALES. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER JOAQUIN MARTINEZ AND OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS, MILBY HIGH SCHOOL'S LEADERSHIP. AND EVERYONE JOINING US HERE TODAY HELP MAKE THIS BRIDGE HAPPEN. MOST OF ALL, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE SERGIO'S FAMILY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENCE AND FOR THE STRENGTH YOU HAVE SHOWN AFTER AN UNIMAGINABLE LOSS. WE'RE HUMBLED TO STAND HERE WITH YOU TODAY. PLEASE STAND FOR A MOMENT FOR SERGIO. THANK YOU. SERGIO WAS 15 YEARS OLD WHEN HE LOST HIS LIFE. WHILE WALKING TO MILBY HIGH SCHOOL ON DECEMBER 9TH, 2024. HE FOLLOWED A ROUTE. MANY STUDENTS AND FAMILIES IN THIS COMMUNITY KNOW WELL. HIS DEATH BROUGHT URGENT ATTENTION TO THE NEED FOR A SAFER WAY TO CROSS THESE RAILROAD TRACKS. TODAY WE TAKE AN IMPORTANT STEP TOWARDS MEETING THAT NEED. THIS BRIDGE WILL PROVIDE A DEDICATED PEDESTRIAN CROSSING OVER THE RAILROAD TRACKS AND THE FOUR LANES OF TRAFFIC AND HELP PROTECT THE STUDENTS, FAMILIES, NEIGHBORS WHO MOVE THROUGH THIS AREA EVERY DAY. HOUSTON DISTRICT ENGINEER GLENN ALBRITTON WILL SPEAK LATER ABOUT THE PROJECT, THE PARTNERSHIP THAT MOVED IT FORWARD AND THE WORK NOW UNDERWAY. NO BRIDGE CAN ERASE YOUR LOSS. SERGIO'S FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND CLASSMATES HAVE EXPERIENCED. BUT THIS BRIDGE CAN OFFER A SAFER PATH. THERE OTHERS AND STAND AS A LASTING REMINDER THAT SAFETY IS NOT AN ABSTRACT GOAL. IT IS A RESPONSIBILITY WE OWE TO EACH AND EVERY TEXAS FAMILY. IT'S NOW PRIVILEGED TO INTRODUCE SENATOR ALVARADO. SHE KNOWS THIS SCHOOL, THIS SHE HELPED HIGHLIGHT THE NEED, BUILD SUPPORT AMONG STATE LEADERS, AND SECURED THE FUNDING NEEDED TO MOVE THIS PROJECT FORWARD. PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING A PROUD MILBY HIGH SCHOOL, GRADUATED AND DEDICATED CHAMPION, SENATOR LVRA. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. GOOD MORNING ENO. WELCOME TO MILBY BUFF TERRITORY. WE WELCOME EVERYBODY. I SEE THERE'S A FEW AUSTIN MUSTANGS AND WE LOVE YOU TOO. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT. I SEE SOME, SOME OF THEM EVEN WORE THEIR GREEN. AND WE'LL TAKE THAT TODAY. UH, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, IT'S A HARD DAY WHEN SOME OF YOU WHO'VE SERVED. YOU KNOW THAT THESE, THESE MOMENTS ARE, THEY'RE BITTERSWEET. AND I WANT TO, UM, TO FIRST SPEAK TO THE FAMILY. OUR HEARTS ARE HEAVY. THIS I KNOW, I KNOW THE [00:10:01] FAMILY HAS, UH, THERE'S, THERE'S BEEN SOME CHALLENGES THAT YOU MAY HAVE READ ABOUT RECENTLY. AND I WANT TO ASSURE THEM THAT WE ARE, WE ARE WITH THEM. WE ARE APPEALING SOME OF THOSE DECISIONS. AND WE WILL, WE WILL STAND FIRM WITH YOU. COMMISSIONER ALVIS, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND WORDS. MAYOR WHITMAR. UM, BOY, YOU, YOU MET ME WHEN I WAS A VERY YOUNG GIRL AND I WAS, UM, WELL, I WASN'T TYING MYSELF TO THE RAILROAD TRACKS, BUT I WAS STANDING ON THE RAILROAD TRACKS MAKING THE CASE FOR A BRIDGE IN MANCHESTER. AND YOU KNEW ME BACK THEN. YEAH. WE COULDN'T HAVE DONE HIM WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON. JOAQUIN, YOU KNOW, I'VE, I'VE BEEN IN THE, IN THIS FIGHT FOR A LONG TIME. MOST OF MY ADULT LIFE. YOU AND THE MAYOR AND CITY OF HOUSTON. WE THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES IN THE HOUSE, UH, FIRST OF ALL TO MY MILBY BUFF MARIANNE FETIS FOR CARRYING THE RESOLUTION TO HONOR THIS BRIDGE WITH THE NAME FOR MICHAEL MADRE, REPRESENTATIVE CHRISTINA MORALES, WHO REPRESENTS THIS DISTRICT AND FOR HELPING TO SHEPHERD THIS THROUGH AND MAKING SURE THAT IT GOT, IT GOT PASSED, I THINK BOTH OF YOU ON THE MORNING OF DECEMBER THE NINTH. GIO DID WHAT THOUSANDS OF KIDS IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD DO EVERY DAY, WALKED TO SCHOOL, CROSSED THE TRACKS. I USED TO CROSS THESE TRACKS EVERY DAY 'CAUSE WE USED TO PARK RIGHT OVER THERE. SET HILL'S DEATH WAS AVOIDABLE. IT WAS BORN OF THE KIND OF NEGLECT AND INDIFFERENCE THAT THE EAST END HAS KNOWN ALL TOO WELL. AND TODAY, IT GIVES ME JUST PRIDE AND A LITTLE BIT OF SATISFACTION THAT WE'RE SEEING SOME JUSTICE. WE ARE GETTING SOME RESOLVE FOR THIS SITUATION. AND THE EAST END DESERVES IT. I GREW UP IN MANCHESTER. I GREW UP SURROUNDED BY RAILROAD TRACKS. THIS HAS BEEN A LIFELONG FIGHT OF MINE. AND I'M VERY PLEASED THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO CARRY THAT FIGHT TO THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE AND SECURE THE FUNDING AND RECORD TIME TO GET THIS BRIDGE DONE TO ALSO WORK ON A $250 MILLION GRANT PROGRAM FOR GRADE SEPARATIONS ACROSS OUR STATE. AND THAT'S JUST A START. WE'VE GOT MORE TO COME. THE BRIDGE IN MANCHESTER TOOK AT LEAST 15 YEARS TO GET DONE. AND I'M GLAD THAT THIS BRIDGE HAS TAKEN A VERY SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME. IN FACT, THEY'RE SAYING IT'S ONE OF THE QUICKEST PROJECTS WE'VE HAD DONE FROM SECURING THE FUNDING TO BREAKING GROUND AND THEN TO THE END OF THE YEAR, GETTING IT DONE. MY ALMA MATER, MILBY HIGH SCHOOL, HAS SEEN MANY KIDS WHO HAVE CROSSED THESE TRACKS TRYING TO GET TO SCHOOL ON TIME. AND THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN. THIS SHOULD NOT BE A PART OF AN ENVIRONMENT FOR ANY SCHOOL. SO SOON WE WILL HAVE STUDENTS CROSSING OVER THIS BRIDGE. THEY WILL NOT KNOW SET HIM, BUT HIS CONTRIBUTION WILL BE FELT THE SAME. I'M GONNA LET THAT DO THE AMBULANCE OR A FIRETRUCK PASS. MAYBE IT'S GOING THE OTHER WAY. SO, TO EVERYONE WHO'S PARTICIPATED TODAY, I'M SO GLAD THAT WE HAVE THE FOOTBALL TEAM HERE. I'M SO GLAD THAT THE PRINCIPAL WITH PENAS HERE AND SO MANY MILBY ALUMNI AND EASTENDERS, AND WE THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT. WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING THIS DONE IN RECORD TIME. COMMISSIONER, LET'S GET IT DONE BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR. CAN WE COUNT ON YOU? YES, MA'AM. ALL RIGHT. OKAY. AND SO NOW IT'S MY, MY PRIVILEGE AND HONOR TO INTRODUCE A MAN WHO NEEDS NO INTRODUCTION, WHO'S BEEN A FRIEND OF THE EAST END FOR A LONG TIME, WHO'S BEEN THERE TO SUPPORT MY EFFORTS, WHETHER IT'S BEEN TAKING ON THE CHEMICAL COMPANIES OR IT'S BEEN ARGUING FOR GREAT SEPARATIONS OVER RAILROAD TRACKS. PLEASE HELP WELCOME OUR MAYOR, JOHN WHITMAR. THANK YOU SENATOR. AND THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING. I HAVE VERY CONFLICTING EMOTIONS THIS MORNING. NORMALLY YOU CELEBRATE PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS. CERTAINLY THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN LONG OVERDUE, BUT ALSO IT'S A SOLEMN OCCASION FOR ME. 'CAUSE I KNOW IT DIDN'T HAVE TO HAPPEN. SERGIO'S LIFE DID NOT HAVE TO BE TAKEN FOR US TO COME TOGETHER, WORK ACROSS THE AISLE TO GET FUNDING FROM AUSTIN. YOU KNOW, GOD DOES NOT ALLOW US TO CHOOSE WHEN WE LOSE A LOVED ONE [00:15:01] OR OUR FRIENDS, BUT HE ALLOWS US TO CELEBRATE. AND IT'S OKAY FOR US TO CELEBRATE THIS MORNING. THE COMING TOGETHER OF ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT TO MEET THEIR RESPONSIBILITY. THIS IS WHY WE RUN FOR OFFICE. IT'S WHY WE GO TO WORK EACH AND EVERY DAY. BUT THE CITY, THE STATE, THE COMMUNITY CAN COME TOGETHER, PULL THE RESOURCES, ALLOW OUR ENGINEERS TO REMEDY THIS DANGER. AND IT WON'T BE JUST A PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE. IT'S GONNA TRANSFORM THIS INTERSECTION. AND THAT'S SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF. BUT WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS REALIZE THERE'S MUCH, MUCH MORE TO DO THROUGHOUT THE EAST END. WE NEED MORE PEDESTRIAN CROSSWALKS. WE NEED OVERPASSES. WE NEED UNDERPASSES. AND WE SHOULD SETTLE FOR NOTHING LESS. THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE GONNA HAVE, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS GONNA HAVE TO BE MORE COOPERATIVE. WE KNOW THAT THE STUDENTS, SERGIO AND HIS FRIENDS WERE HELD ACCOUNTABLE AND ACTUALLY DISCIPLINED FOR BEING LATE, FOR WAITING FOR THE TRAIN TO CLEAR. YOU KNOW, I TOLD YOU I HAVE A CONFLICT OF EMOTIONS. I CAN GET ANGRY REAL DARN QUICK GROWNUPS. WE'RE ON THE SIDELINE, OFFICIALS, WERE ON THE SIDELINE. BUT LET ME STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY AND SAY NEVER AGAIN. NEVER AGAIN. AND THAT'S WHY WE LEAVE HERE UNITED GOING FORWARD, SPREAD THE WORD ACROSS HOUSTON THAT THIS IS A HOUSTON ISSUE. IT'S NOT AN EAST END ISSUE. WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. WE HAVE CHALLENGES RIGHT NOW IN EAST END. PEOPLE ARE AFRAID. SO WE HAVE TO GET THROUGH THE CURRENT CHALLENGE PRESENTED TO US BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. AND WE'RE GONNA DO THAT, MEET THAT CHALLENGE, JUST LIKE WE MET THE CHALLENGE OF SERGIO'S TRAGEDY. WE'RE GONNA DO IT TOGETHER. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK. THANK YOU SENATOR AND MAYOR. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS THE STATE REPRESENTATIVE FOR THIS DISTRICT, DISTRICT 1 45. SHE'S BEEN AN ORATE SUPPORTER OF THIS PROJECT AND PLEASE WELCOME ME, HELP JOIN ME IN WELCOMING THE HONORABLE CHRISTINA MORALES. THANK YOU SO MUCH. UM, AND I'M SO GRATEFUL TO BE ABLE TO SHARE A FEW WORDS HERE TODAY. UM, FIRST I WANNA SPEAK DIRECTLY TO SERGIO'S PARENTS, MARCO ANTONIO OR ELIA RODRIGUEZ GRACIA. [00:20:58] I WANNA THANK, UM, STEVEN ELVIS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING ALL THE WAY TO HOUSTON. MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER, CITY COUNCIL MEMBER JOAQUIN MARTINEZ. PRINCIPAL RUTH PENA, I BELIEVE IS HERE. OKAY. THERE. YES, I'M SORRY. AND ALSO MY COLLEAGUE, VICE CHAIR OF TRANSPORTATION, MARIANNE PEREZ. I'M SO GRATEFUL WE GET TO SERVE ON THAT COMMITTEE TOGETHER. AND OF COURSE I HAVE TO RECOGNIZE M MADRE SENATOR CAROL ALVARADO, WHAT A TREASURE YOU ARE TO OUR CITY. AND I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR OUR FRIENDSHIP, HONESTLY. UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PERSISTENCE AND FOR CONTINUING TO DELIVER FOR THE EAST END. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER. STATE, CITY SCHOOLS, COMMUNITY, WE TURN PROMISES INTO ACTION. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO ALL OF US COMING BACK TOGETHER WHEN THIS BRIDGE IS COMPLETE AND SEEING OUR STUDENTS SAFELY ACROSS IT FOR THE FIRST TIME. BUT THERE'S ONE THING WE KNOW HERE IN HOUSTON. IT'S THAT PREPARATION MATTER, AND THAT'S WHAT TODAY IS ABOUT, MAKING THIS CROSSING SAFER FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. LIKE SENATOR ALVARADO, I GREW UP IN THIS COMMUNITY. I DIDN'T GO TO MILBY, I WENT TO AUSTIN GO MUSTANGS . BUT I HAVE BEEN PRIVILEGED TO SERVE AS THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR TA HOUSE DISTRICT 1 45 SINCE 2019. BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT LONG BEFORE I HELD THIS O UH, THIS OFFICE, THIS NEIGHBORHOOD HAS BEEN MY HOME. AND I REMEMBER THESE DANGERS. I REMEMBER MY FRIEND'S LITTLE BROTHER, NICK, WHO LOST HIS FOOT WHILE CROSSING A TRAIN AND HAS LIVED WITH THAT FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE. HE HAS A PROSTHETIC LEG THAT WAS A GENERATION AGO. AND YET GENERATIONS LATER, FAMILIES ARE STILL DEALING WITH MANY OF THE DANGERS. NO CHILD SHOULD HAVE TO CLIMB OR CRAWL UNDERNEATH A STOP TRAIN JUST TO GET TO SCHOOL OR TO GET BACK HOME. AND IF YOU'VE BEEN PAYING ATTENTION TO THE NEWS, WHICH SOMETIMES I TRY TO NOT PAY ATTENTION 'CAUSE IT'S SAD. JUST RECENTLY ANOTHER LIFE WAS TRAGICALLY LOST AT A RAILROAD CROSSING IN INDEPENDENCE HEIGHTS. IT'S ANOTHER PAINFUL REMINDER OF HOW MUCH WORK REMAINS ACROSS OUR CITY. SO THANK YOU MAYOR, FOR MAKING SURE TODAY IS HAPPENING. AND EVERYBODY WHO'S BEEN INVOLVED TODAY IS AN IMPORTANT STEP MOVING FORWARD. BUT WE KNOW THERE IS STILL MORE WORK AHEAD. WE HAVE MORE CROSSINGS TO MAKE SAFER, MORE BARRIERS TO ADDRESS AND MORE WORK TO DO TOGETHER ON MANY FRONTS. I SAW, UH, HERE ROLANDO IS HERE FROM THE SALGADO FAMILY. THERE IS A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE IN OUR CITY AND OUR STATE AND IN OUR NATION. SO LISTEN, YEARS FROM NOW, THERE WILL BE CHILDREN WHO CROSS THESE TRACKS SAFELY BECAUSE OF WHAT ARE WE, WE ARE BEGINNING HERE TODAY. THEY MAY NEVER KNOW EVERY MEETING THAT HAPPENED, EVERY PHONE CALL, OR EVERY PERSON IT TOOK TO MAKE THIS BRIDGE A REALITY. BUT GUESS WHAT? THEY WILL KNOW. THEY WILL KNOW THE NAME SERGIO IVAN RODRIGUEZ. AND THIS BRIDGE CAN'T CHANGE WHAT HAPPENED TO SERGIO, BUT WE CAN MAKE SURE HIS NAME IS NEVER FORGOTTEN AND THAT HIS STORY HELPS PROTECT OTHER CHILDREN. AND BECAUSE OF SERGIO, GENERATIONS OF CHILDREN WILL HAVE A SAFER WAY TO GET TO SCHOOL. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, A SAFER WAY TO GET BACK HOME TO THEIR FAMILIES. [00:25:11] AND NOW IT'S MY HONOR TO INTRODUCE, UM, A COUNCIL MEMBER WHO KNOW NEEDS NO INTRODUCTION BECAUSE HE'S EVERYWHERE. EVEN BEFORE YOU WERE A COUNCIL MEMBER, YOU ALWAYS SHOWED UP FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND WE'RE GRATEFUL. QUIN MARTINEZ , GOOD MORNING. UM, TO THE EAST END RESIDENCE. AS SOMEONE THAT GREW UP, UH, NOT TOO FAR, USUALLY ABOUT A BLOCK OR SO AWAY FROM A TRACK, WE KNOW THIS IS NOT, UH, SOMETHING FOREIGN TO US. WE KNOW THAT, UH, WHEN WHEN TRAINS STOP, IT PROVIDES IT, IT ACTUALLY CREATES OTHER CHALLENGES. AS, UM, SENATOR ALVARADO MENTIONED AND STEP REPRESENTATIVE, UH, CHRISTINA MORALE MENTIONED, FOLKS START GOING UNDER AND OVER TRACKS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD NOT BE NORMALIZED. SO I REALLY WANNA FIRST AND FOREMOST STRESS OUT THAT IF THERE IS A BLOCK CROSSING, PLEASE, PLEASE DO NOT CROSS IT. THESE PROJECTS SHOULD HAVE COME A LONG TIME AGO, AS MANY OF, UH, THE SPEAKERS MENTIONED BEFORE, GRAY SEPARATION, WHETHER PEDESTRIAN VEHICULAR TRAFFIC SHOULD BE THE CORE WORK FOR EAST ENDERS. WE'VE BEEN DO. I'VE BEEN DOING THIS AS A STAFFER AND NOW AS A COUNCIL MEMBER WORKING ALONGSIDE OUR STATE LEGISLATIVE, UH, YOU KNOW, LEADERSHIP TO MAKE SURE THAT THE $250 MILLION, WE START SEEING SOME OF THOSE DOLLARS HERE IN HOUSTON IN ADDITION TO THIS NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION, MAKING SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO, UH, PRESS ON THE STATE LEADERSHIP TO ENSURE THAT WE SEE SAFE CROSSINGS. THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK THAT UNION PACIFIC HAS DONE, MAYBE IN THEIR YARDS. BUT THEN THE CALL TO ACTION NOW TO UNION PACIFIC IS HOW DO WE DO THAT IN THE COMMUNITIES WHERE WE NEED IT MOST TODAY, WE DO. TODAY WE ARE CELEBRATING A PEDESTRIAN CROSSING. A PEDESTRIAN CROSSING THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME AGO. NOT JUST HERE, BUT WE KNOW AT CHAVEZ HIGH SCHOOL, THERE'S ALSO CHALLENGES. WE KNOW AT MCREYNOLDS THAT THERE IS ALSO CHALLENGES. SEVERAL OF OUR, OUR SCHOOLS SEE THIS, THESE CHALLENGES. SO AS WE COME TO CELEBRATE WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY, LET'S NOT LOSE FOCUS ON THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO CONTINUE TO HAPPEN. COMMISSIONER ALVIS, I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO BE HERE WITH THE EAST END FAMILY. MY HOPE IS THAT YOU CAN TALK TO THE REST OF THEM, LET 'EM, AND LET LET THEM TELL YOU WHAT THOSE NEEDS ARE AS WELL. SO THAT WAY YOU CAN CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR US HERE IN HOUSTON TO MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER. I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT GREAT SEPARATION. THIS IS A JOINT EFFORT FROM THE STATE UNION PACIFIC AND CITY OF HOUSTON. THERE WAS A LOT OF WORK TO, THAT HAD TO BE DONE TO MAKE SURE THAT PROPERTY WAS RELEASED, WHETHER IT WAS CITY RIGHT OF WAY, WHETHER IT'S PRIVATE PROPERTY. AND WE MADE SURE THAT WE WERE GONNA MOVE THROUGH THIS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. AS, AS SENATOR ALVARADO MENTIONED, THE HOPE IS THAT AS JANUARY COMES, THE STUDENTS OF MILBY HIGH SCHOOL WILL BE ABLE TO WALK SAFELY TO THEIR SCHOOLS. SO I WANT TO THANK THE COMMUNITY FOR BEING HERE. THOSE THAT ARE FROM THE HARRISBURG MANCHESTER SMITH EDITION, UH, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THOSE THAT ARE FROM THE E ILE WOOD NEIGHBORHOOD, YOUR VOICE DOES MATTER. YOUR COLLABORATION DOES MATTER. AND SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THE WORK. I WANNA, AGAIN, JUST THANK EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE. THE WORK CONTINUES, MY APOLOGIES. I AT THIS MOMENT, UM, ACTUALLY I GET TO, UH, BRING UP SOMEBODY THAT'S A REALLY GOOD PARTNER. UM, ALTHOUGH SHE'S A MILBY BUFF AND I'M A AUSTIN MUSTANG, UH, WE DO, WE DO GET ON THE PHONE A LOT, WHETHER IT IS THE TRAIN, WHETHER IT IS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S CONSTRUCTION HAPPENING THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND THERE'S WATER OUTAGES. UM, IF THERE'S ONE PRINCIPAL, ONE PRINCIPAL IN HIZ THAT I CAN ALWAYS DEPEND ON THAT IS DOING THE WORK THAT CARES ABOUT OUR STUDENTS, IS RU PENA ALSO AN EAST ENDER. AND I THINK THAT'S ALWAYS ROOTED IN, IN THE WORK THAT WE DO. WE ARE FROM THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, SO WE CARE DEEPLY ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS IN [00:30:01] THIS NEIGHBORHOOD. AND SO IT'S MY HONOR TO BRING UP RUTH PENA, THE PRINCIPAL OF MILBY HIGH SCHOOL. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU CONTINUE TO DO. I WANNA THANK JOAQUIN. 'CAUSE HE IS ALWAYS A PHONE CALL. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT'S FOUR IN THE MORNING, FIVE IN THE MORNING, 10:00 PM HE TAKES MY CALL. SO I TRULY APPRECIATE IT. UM, TWO YEARS AGO WE LOST SERGIO, BUT WE DIDN'T ONLY LOSE SERGIO. WE LOST FIVE STUDENTS THAT YEAR. SO, YOU KNOW, AS A PRINCIPAL, IT'S KIND OF HEAVY TO TAKE THAT LOAD, ESPECIALLY FOR THE FAMILIES IN THE COMMUNITY. BECAUSE I AM FROM HERE, I GREW UP BEHIND SELLERS. I WALK THESE STREETS, I CROSS THESE RAILROAD TRACKS. SO IT'S, IT'S UNDERSTANDABLE. BUT TODAY WE COME TOGETHER TO HONOR THE MEMORY OF SERGIO RODRIGUEZ AND DEDICATE THE BRIDGE IN HIS NAME. SERGIO WAS A MEMBER OF OUR MILBY FAMILY, AND THIS YEAR HE WOULD'VE BEEN A SENIOR. HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN WALKING THESE HALLS. HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN PREPARING FOR GRADUATION. AND HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO HIS FUTURE THAT WAS AHEAD OF HIM. ALTHOUGH HIS LIFE WAS TRAGICALLY CUT SHORT. THIS MEMORY WILL FOREVER REMAIN A PART OF OUR SCHOOL AND OUR COMMUNITY. THIS BRIDGE WILL SERVE MORE THAN JUST A STRUCTURE. IT WILL BE A REMINDER OF SERGIO, OF THE LIFE HE LIVED AND OF THE IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTING AND CARING FOR OUR STUDENTS. AS GENERATIONS OF STUDENTS CROSSED THIS BRIDGE. THEY MAY REMEMBER SERGIO, IVAN RODRIGUEZ, AND MAY HIS MEMORY CONTINUE TO LIVE ON SERGIO. YOU'RE NOT FORGOTTEN. YOU WILL ALWAYS BE PART OF THE MILBY FAMILY AND YOU WILL FOREVER BE IN OUR HEARTS TODAY. WE HONOR YOU AND TODAY WE REMEMBER YOU. AND TODAY WE ENSURE THAT YOUR NAME WILL CONTINUE TO BE CARRIED FORWARD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE ARE NOW GONNA INVITE THE FAMILY TO COME UP AND MAKE SOME REMARKS AS WELL. Y'ALL WELCOME THEM, PLEASE. WHEN IS THE IN PARTICULAR S GREG ADO MONTE I RAMIREZ. RU PENA A MAESTROS THE MIBI HIGH SCHOOL. A [00:35:29] YOU NOT FAMILIAR? THANK YOU. I JUST THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE TO TAKE A MOMENT. SOME THINGS TRANSLATE. I'M NOT FLUENT IN SPANISH, BUT I UNDERSTAND EMOTION. AND SO WITH THAT, I JUST WANT TO SAY ON BEHALF OF THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, WE ARE GLAD TO BE A PART OF MAKING A DIFFERENCE. AND THIS IS AN OCCASION TO DO EXACTLY THAT. SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING TOGETHER FOR US TO DO THIS AND CELEBRATE THE OCCASION OF A MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT DELIVERED IN AN EXTRAORDINARY [00:40:01] WAY TO HONOR THE LIFE OF AN EXTRAORDINARY YOUNG MAN. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS OUR DISTRICT ENGINEER FOR THE HOUSTON DISTRICT. HE IS THE MAN RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING SURE THAT THIS PROJECT GOT HERE AND IS GOING TO BE REAL. YOU WELCOME GLEN DEN. ALL RIGHT, THANK EVERYBODY FOR COMING. UM, IT'S TOUGH TO FOLLOW THAT. UM, I KNOW I'M A DAD MYSELF. I CAN'T, I CAN'T IMAGINE THE EMOTIONS Y'ALL MUST BE GOING THROUGH. SO IT IT'S REALLY AN HONOR TO BE HERE, UH, WITH YOU TODAY. UM, I DO WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR SHOWING UP, ESPECIALLY OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS. I KNOW A LOT OF THEM'S BEEN NAMED. UM, SO I'LL SAVE TIME AND TRY NOT TO NAME EVERYBODY AGAIN, BUT THANK Y'ALL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT. UH, IT REALLY MEANS A LOT, UH, ESPECIALLY SENATOR ALVARADO, YOU PUSHING FORWARD, UH, WITH THE HELP WITH THE FUNDINGS REALLY OUT OUTSTANDING. AND, AND MAYOR, I JUST GOT A CALL OUT, YOU AND YOUR STAFF, UH, FOR THOSE OF Y'ALL DON'T KNOW ME, I'VE BEEN IN HOUSTON FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF NOW, UM, IN THIS POSITION. AND IT'S BEEN A TRUE, IT, IT IS BEEN REALLY AMAZING TO WORK WITH THE CITY AND THE PARTNERSHIP THAT THE CITY AND TXDOT HAVE. AND THIS PROJECT WAS NO DIFFERENT. THEY REALLY, UH, THE CITY REALLY DID A, DID A REALLY GOOD JOB ON THIS. SO THANK YOU TO THE CITY. I THINK MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE GOTTA RECOGNIZE SERGIO'S FAMILY. UH, YOU KNOW, THANK Y'ALL FOR BEING HERE. IT MEANS A LOT. WE'RE GRATEFUL TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR SERGIO, UH, WITH THIS BRIDGE. SO TDOT'S MISSION STATEMENT, CONNECTING YOU WITH TEXAS. I THINK THAT MISSION, UH, IS REFLECTED TODAY IN A VERY PRACTICAL, MEANINGFUL WAY, UH, BY PROVIDING A DEDICATED PEDESTRIAN CONNECTION OVER THE RAILROAD TRACKS RIGHT HERE AT MILBY HIGH SCHOOL. THIS BRIDGE REPRESENTS MORE THAN CONCRETE AND STEEL AND ENGINEERING. IT REPRESENTS A COMMITMENT TO LISTEN TO AND TO RESPOND TO, AND TO WORK TOGETHER WHEN THE COMMUNITY IDENTIFIES A NEED. AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED HERE. UH, SO THIS IS AN OFF SYSTEM PROJECT. SO WHEN I SAY THAT, I MEAN IT'S NOT LOCATED ON THE STATE HIGHWAY. THIS IS A CITY STREET. TEXDOT AGREED TO DESIGN AND CONSTRUCT BECAUSE OF THE PROJECT'S IMPORTANCE AND THE PROJECT'S IMPORTANCE TO PUBLIC SAFETY. UH, WHEN CONSTRUCTION'S COMPLETE, IT'S GONNA BE, UH, TURNED BACK OVER TO THE CITY TO, TO OWN THE BRIDGE AND MAINTAIN THE BRIDGE. SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROJECT. NORMALLY A PROJECT OF THIS TYPE WOULD TAKE YEARS TO COMPLETE, AND I'M SAYING FOUR TO FIVE YEARS TO NORMALLY COMPLETE A JOB LIKE THIS WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL AND PUBLIC MEETINGS AND BUYING RIGHT AWAY AND GETTING UTILITY MOVES AND RAILROAD AGREEMENTS AND, AND ALL THE STUFF THAT GOES ALONG IN PLAN DEVELOPMENT. BUT THROUGH THE STEADY FOCUS WORKING TOGETHER AND EVERYBODY COOPERATING, UH, THIS PROJECT IS PROJECTED TO BE OPEN ROUGHLY ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF FROM WHEN WE STARTED WORKING ON THIS THING. THIS IS A E EXTRAORDINARY EFFORT, AND I, IT, IT JUST REALLY IS A, A MARVEL IN HOW QUICK THIS CAME TOGETHER. I THINK, UH, RAQUEL SAID IT EARLIER, BUT IT'S ONE OF THE, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE FASTEST TIMES THE HOUSTON DISTRICT'S MOVED A PROJECT LIKE THIS FORWARD. UM, AND SO JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, WE'VE, WE'VE, UH, FINISHED THE PLAN WORK EARLY IN THIS YEAR. WE'VE ACTUALLY ALREADY ORDERED THE BRIDGE. UH, SO WE ORDERED THE BRIDGE BACK IN FEBRUARY. IT'S A PRECAST, UH, PRE-MADE BRIDGE THAT A, THAT A MANUFACTURER'S MAKING RIGHT NOW. UM, WE LED A CONTRACT TO CONSTRUCTION IN JUNE, UH, WITH OUR CONTRACTOR. UH, THEY, THEY'RE ALREADY STARTED, AS Y'ALL CAN SEE DOWN THERE, REDOING PART OF THE PARKING LOT, UH, IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOL. UH, THEY'RE PROJECTED TO, TO GET TO THE POINT IN DECEMBER. AND THE BRIDGE IS SUPPOSED TO BE DELIVERED THE FIRST PART OF DECEMBER AND INSTALLED AFTER THAT. UH, SO REALLY, UH, IT REALLY ALL CAME TOGETHER. A LOT OF DIFFERENT MOVING PARTS, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT HAS BEEN REALLY GOOD. UH, AND AGAIN, ALL THAT PROGRESS WAS POSSIBLE BECAUSE PARTNERS CAME TO THE TABLE EARLY, PARTNERS STAYED ENGAGED, AND, AND A LOT OF TIMES WE WERE COMPLETING THINGS AT THE SAME TIME WHEN NORMALLY THAT HAPPEN A STEP AT A TIME. UM, SO SENATOR ALVARADO, UH, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, THE GOVERNOR, THEY ALL HELPED SECURE THE STATE FUNDING, UH, THE CITY, THEY ADVANCED REQUIREMENTS. UM, AND IT COORDINATED THE WORK NEEDED TO PREPARE THE SITE. THE CITY PUBLIC WORKS. I KNOW RANDY'S NOT HERE TODAY, BUT HE, HIM AND HIS TEAM DID A REALLY OUTSTANDING JOB AND THEIR LEGAL TEAM WAS TRYING TO GET THE RIGHT OF WAY HERE, HELPING TO GET PERMITS AND GETTING UTILITIES MOVED. UH, IT WAS REALLY GOOD. WE HAD A LOT OF UTILITIES THAT'S ALREADY MOVED. CENTER POINT. THEY WERE RIGHT ON JOHNNY ON THE SPOT TO GET TO GET THE LINES MOVED. UH, SO REALLY, REALLY KUDOS TO THEM. UM, BUT UH, SO SAFETY [00:45:01] AT TDOT, THAT'S OUR PRIORITY. THIS PROJECT REFLECTS THAT RESPONSIBILITY AND SHOWS THAT WHEN, WHEN WE ALL WORK TOGETHER, WE CAN ACCOMPLISH SOME AMAZING THINGS. AND THAT'S WHAT WE DID ON THIS PROJECT. WE ALL WORKED TOGETHER FOR THE SAME GOAL. AND SO THE SERGIO, YVONNE RODRIGUEZ MEMORIAL PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE, IT'S KINDA GOT A RING TO IT, DOESN'T IT? UH, THAT'S GONNA PROVIDE A SAFER CONNECTION. IT'S ALSO GONNA STAND AS A LONG TRIBUTE TO SERGIO. AND A REMINDER THAT BEHIND EVERY PROJECT IS A PERSON, A FAMILY, AND A COMMUNITY THAT WE'RE CALLED TO SERVE AS GOVERNMENT AGENTS. SO ON BEHALF OF TXDOT, WE WANNA THANK SERGIO FAMILY, THANK OUR PARTNERS, THINK OUR EMPLOYEES. I KNOW I'VE GOT A LOT OF EMPLOYEES HERE THAT, THAT WERE HEAVILY INVOLVED IN THIS. UM, AND, UH, I GOT SOME AT THE BACK. HEIDI, WAVE YOUR HAND. I KNOW SHE'S HEAVENLY INVOLVED. DIP VISTA IN THE BACK. IT'S ALSO, UH, REALLY BROUGHT THIS PROJECT HOME. I'M UP HERE TALKING ON BEHALF OF THEM, BUT, UH, THEY'RE THE ONES THAT DID ALL THE WORK TO GET IT TO THIS POINT. I DO WANT TO THANK, UH, THE SCHOOL. WE, WE HAD TO WORK WITH THE SCHOOL TO, TO GET AGREEMENTS, UH, TO GET THIS INSTALLED. SO THANK YOU TO THE SCHOOL FOR WORKING WITH US UNION PACIFIC. UH, THEY APPROVED AGREEMENTS IN WEEKS WHEN SOMETIMES IT MIGHT'VE TAKEN YEARS TO GET DONE. SO THEY REALLY, REALLY STEPPED UP TO THE TABLE UNION PACIFIC IN GETTING THIS DONE. AND ALSO JUST WANT TO THANK OUR CONTRACTOR, JFO SERVICES. I KNOW THEY'RE SITTING IN THE BACK RIGHT THERE. SO THANK Y'ALL FOR BEING HERE. UM, THEY'RE GONNA BE RESPONSIBLE FOR BUILDING THIS PROJECT, AND WE'RE GONNA APPRECIATE THE COMPANY'S COMMITMENT TO KEEPING THE SCHEDULE. RIGHT GUYS, WE'RE GONNA KEEP THE SCHEDULE . SO, UH, BECAUSE THE SCHEDULE IS, IS WE'RE GONNA HAVE THIS BRIDGE BACK OPEN WHEN, WHEN THE KIDS COME BACK FOR A SECOND SEMESTER AFTER CHRISTMAS BREAK. THAT, THAT'S OUR, THAT'S OUR GOAL. AND WE'RE GONNA WORK REALLY HARD TO MEET THAT GOAL. UH, SO AGAIN, BEHALF ON TXDOT. THANK YOU. I THINK IN A MOMENT WE'RE GONNA TURN SOME DIRT TOGETHER. MARK, BEGINNING OF THE CONSTRUCTION. SO RAQUEL, YOU WANNA COME LEAD US THROUGH THAT. THANK, THANK Y'ALL. THAT CONCLUDES OUR FORMAL REMARKS OF THE PROGRAM. WE'RE NOW GONNA TRANSITION TO THE ACTUAL CEREMONIAL DIRT TURNING. SO I'M GONNA ASK OUR PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS IF YOU WOULD JOIN ME JUST BEHIND THE STAGE TWO, THREE. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.