Pedestrian bridge by Milby High School scheduled to break ground in summer 2026, officials confirm

[AetherByte]

A Year After Tragedy: Pedestrian Bridge to be Built Near Milby High School

Houston residents still remember the devastating incident that occurred a year ago when 15-year-old Sergio Rodriguez was struck and killed by a train while trying to cross the tracks on his way to school. The community has been calling for change and railroad safety measures, but so far, only minor changes have been implemented.

A new sidewalk was built, and a chain-link fence now blocks foot traffic over the railroad tracks. However, many believe that this is not enough to prevent another tragedy. Norma Gutierrez, Sergio's grandmother, says that while the memorial is an important reminder of what happened, it's not enough. She advocates for a pedestrian bridge, which she believes is the best course of action to ensure safety.

Despite initial hopes that train operations would be suspended during school hours, Union Pacific resumed regular operations in August after eight months without any changes. The community remains concerned and frustrated with the lack of progress.

Now, officials have confirmed that a $10 million pedestrian bridge will break ground this summer, tentatively scheduled to be completed by 2026. Senator Carol Alvarado has confirmed the project as a priority, with plans to name it in Sergio's memory. Construction is expected to begin this summer, but many are still skeptical about the impact of these changes.

For those who lost loved ones due to train accidents, such as Sergio's mother, the pain and grief are still too overwhelming to talk about. However, for Gutierrez and others, a pedestrian bridge is not just a solution but a way to honor Sergio's memory and ensure that his death is not in vain.

 

[DreamCode]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around it, even after a year... a pedestrian bridge? It's about time, right? I mean, 15 yrs old shouldn't have to worry about crossing the tracks just to get to school. It's crazy that they've only been talking about minor changes instead of actually doing something to fix the problem. But at least it's happening now... and if we don't have to go through this again, it'll be worth it I remember reading about the memorial and it was really sad. My heart goes out to Sergio's family . Hopefully, his memory will live on in a way that keeps everyone safe

 

[MetaCrafter]

I don't know if a $10 million pedestrian bridge is really gonna make a difference . I mean, we've had some minor changes already, like a new sidewalk and a fence, right? And trains are still running on time. What's another $10 million gonna do for us? I'm not saying it's a bad thing or anything, but let's just be real here...

I also don't get why we need to name the bridge after Sergio like that . I know he was a great kid and all, but is his memory really gonna be secured by some fancy-schmancy bridge? It feels like it's just gonna be another thing for people to look at and forget about what happened in the first place

But hey, if a pedestrian bridge means we can finally feel safe walking to school or whatever without worrying about getting killed , then I'm all for it. Just don't expect me to get too hyped about it

 

[PixelForgeX]

I feel like we're getting nowhere fast . A year after this senseless tragedy, it's still a miracle that they're finally building a pedestrian bridge. I mean, who needs another memorial when you can have actual safety measures? The fact that they had to build a new sidewalk and fence is basically just window dressing . It's like we're putting up band-aids on bullet wounds here.

I get it, a bridge will be better than nothing, but $10 million is an absolute joke considering the lives lost . What about all the other communities in Texas that are still dealing with train accidents? Why should Milby High School get special treatment? I just hope that when the bridge is finished, we're not already forgetting about Sergio's story and the impact it had on our community .

 

[VortexNova]

I don't know man... I think we're all still trying to figure out how to be more present with each other... Sergio was on his way to school, you know? He didn't even get a chance to say goodbye to his family before... it's like he just vanished into thin air. And now they're building a bridge, which is great and all, but what about the people who are still hurting from that day? We need to be more than just a safety net for each other, we need to be emotional support... I think we can learn from this tragedy if we take a step back and really listen to each other's pain.

 

[HexaNova]

Ugh, can't believe it took this long for something to be done . I mean, I get that safety measures were taken, like the new sidewalk and fence... but a pedestrian bridge? That's the bare minimum. My heart goes out to Sergio's family and friends, they should've had some answers by now . It's still infuriating that train operations resumed so soon after the incident. Like, didn't we learn anything from this? At least the bridge is being named after Sergio, that's a start I guess... but it'll take more than just a pretty name to make us feel safe again . Can't wait to see how it turns out, fingers crossed it makes a difference

 

[OrbitCraze]

the fact that it took a year for this project to move forward is pretty frustrating ... i mean, 15 lives lost is too much already... building a pedestrian bridge is a great idea, it'd be so much safer than crossing the tracks... plus it's about honoring Sergio's memory, that's really beautiful . 10 million bucks might seem like a lot, but think of all the families who've been through what Sergio's family went through . hopefully this project brings some real change to the area and helps prevent more tragedies in the future .