Harris County gets $10 million in federal funding to address delays at east Houston train crossing

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- A railroad crossing on Lockwood Drive in east Houston is set to receive more than $10 million in federal funding to find a long-term solution to trains blocking traffic and delaying emergency responders.

The crossing was selected by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) for its Railroad Crossing Elimination/Crossing Safety Program. According to the agency, the project was chosen for what is called a future grade separation.

Harris County Commissioner Adrian Garcia told ABC13 that instead of cars and trains crossing at the same level, the goal is to design an underpass so one would go under the other.

The FRA said the project will improve rail safety by removing a crossing that is frequently blocked by trains, causing delays in emergency response times.

That issue has drawn thousands of complaints from Houston residents to the federal government over the years. Data reviewed by 13 Investigates showed the FRA received 23,000 complaints since 2021 about stalled trains blocking intersections in Houston.

The data shows most complaints are on the east side of town, at crossings on Eastwood Street, Leeland and South Lockwood. Many of the complaints are about emergency vehicles not being able to get through.

Garcia told ABC13 that the federal funding covers only the design phase of the project. Additional funding will need to be secured in the future to pay for construction. There is no timeline for how long the project could take.