Mayor pulls the plug on $2.6M in funding for Montrose bridge lights over I-69 Southwest Freeway
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Hope is dimming that the six Montrose bridges over the I-69 Southwest Freeway will light up again anytime soon.
Houston Mayor John Whitmire has pulled the plug on $2.6 million in funding for the project, according to reporting from our partners at the Houston Chronicle. The total price tag for the lights is $4 million.
After a city council vote in September 2023 to move forward with turning the lights back on, the plan was for the city of Houston to contribute two-thirds of the cost from the general fund.
Houston First -- the organization responsible for promoting the city and bringing in tourism -- was supposed to make up the rest and cover maintenance over the next 10 years.
Mary Benton, Whitmire's spokesperson, told the Chronicle that the money for the lights will now go toward the mayor's newly announced homelessness initiative.
READ MORE: Mayor John Whitmire addresses plan to tackle homelessness issue in Houston
"Mayor Whitmire has other priorities, including (a plan) to fund the recently announced initiative to end street homelessness," Benton wrote in an email, adding that there may be future opportunities to identify funding sources from other agencies to install the lights at a later date.
The lights first burned bright in 2017 as Houston prepared to host the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons in the Super Bowl at NRG Stadium. Then, they went dark in 2018 when the Montrose Management District didn't pay the light bill.
Houston First took over in 2019, saying they'd repair or replace the lights with the $2.6 million from the city money set aside for it.
On Tuesday, officials said that $2.6 million is set to go back to the city. A Houston First spokesperson told the Chronicle that money has yet to be transferred.
Meanwhile, Councilmember Abbie Kamin, whose district includes the bridges, has concerns about not only making the bridges prettier, but safer.
"The lights are in complete disrepair and falling apart," Kamin said at Tuesday's city council meeting. "The railings that protect drivers and pedestrians are falling apart. There are no lights for drivers and residents utilizing the bridges at night."
Kamin said she plans to ask the administration if there's an alternative plan in place to address the public safety needs along the bridges.
Benton told the Chronicle the bridges were inspected by an engineering consultant with TXDOT, who had found no issues.
SEE ALSO:
- City of Houston to discuss spending nearly $3M to fix lights on Southwest Freeway bridge
- Only 1 'no' logged in vote to commit $2.6M to reviving Montrose bridge lights
