SE Houston neighbors call for change over 'dangerous' road
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Neighbors in a southeast Houston subdivision are demanding action from city officials regarding a road they say has caused serious damage to homes and telephone poles.
"We don't have the peace of mind that at night, a car isn't going to come barreling through our back fence and into our homes," said Patrick Sears, a UH law student who lives in the area. "We believe it's up to us to use our voices and bring attention to this issue until this issue is resolved."
Sears is referring to what he calls a dangerous dip in the road on East Orem Drive between Martin Luther King Street and Mykawa Road.
He showed ABC13 pictures of crashes in the spot along the street right behind his home. One of the pictures shows a car plowed through the fence in his backyard.
"Had that car been a few feet off, I might not be here to tell my story," said Sears.
Sears is not the only one concerned. Asha Wilson has lived in the neighborhood for three years and said she's afraid to sleep.
"It's not safe for anybody at all," she said. "The sound of car wrecks is now something that I listen for, especially at night."
Dennis Henderson told ABC13 he moved in four years ago and is ready to leave if something doesn't change.
"It's bad," he said. "Everybody is talking about getting [away] from over here, and I'm one of them."
The city added a caution sign in August, and they repaired asphalt in July.
ABC13 contacted the city's public works department Tuesday and a spokesperson said the city has received 14 311 calls about street conditions on Orem in the last 24 months.
They said that section of road is "being evaluated as part of the mayor's directive to develop a comprehensive plan to identify which city streets are in need of serious repairs." There is no immediate plan to reconstruct.
Sears said despite the road being evaluated, he's tired of waiting. He wants something done soon before someone gets seriously hurt or worse.
"I'm just afraid at one point, someone, a child, someone in their home, is going to lose their life," he said.
Sears even created an online petition to get the city's attention.
