Promises for safety improvements along Columbia Tap Trail remain unfulfilled, advocates say

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Advocates say promises for safety improvements along the Columbia Tap Trail remain unfulfilled.

Last year, ABC13 brought you the stories of several people beaten and robbed on the Columbia Tap Trail.

On May 30, 2023, Houston Councilmember Dr. Carolyn Evans-Shabazz hosted a press conference where she pointed to the $100,000 of district funds her office allocated for safety improvements along the trail in 2022.

"If there's any accountability, it needs to come to me," she said.

A year after the 2023 press conference, Ed Pettit, founder of Friends of the Columbia Tap, told ABC13 that there have been few improvements along the trail, the handful of improvements he attributed to the $50,000 set aside by the Houston Housing Authority.

The handful of improvements he attributed to the $50,000 set aside by the Houston Housing Authority.

"Shabazz's office keeps telling me that they have a plan and things are in the works, but they've been saying that since October 2022, a year-and-a-half ago," he said.

ABC13 spoke with Evans-Shabazz on Monday.

She said she was also "frustrated" by the lack of progress. She said one reason for the delay was the change in administration from Mayor Sylvester Turner to John Whitmire.

She said new city staff needed to be brought up to speed, but ultimately, her office needs to continue to coordinate with the several partners involved in the project. She mentioned that the $100,000 remains allocated for trail improvements.

"Sometimes things don't go forward like we expect them to. I am still accountable for it. In fact, I'm going to get even more behind it and push to see how we can get this done because these safety measures are certainly needed," she said.

Delores Ford, president of the resident association at Cuney Homes, a low-income housing complex that sits along the trail, told ABC13 that she agrees that safety measures are needed.

"I'm not walking that trail, and that's not because I don't want to. I'm thinking about my own safety. Who is gonna hear me?" she asked.

More than 80% of Cuney Homes residents said they felt the same way. They are too afraid to use the trail, according to a survey conducted by the Friends of Columbia Tap Trail.

"The trail is not used for the right reasons," Ford said.

She told ABC13 she believes the trail should serve as a vital artery for her community, a path to food and laundromats for those without cars.

She said she has been frustrated watching wealthier areas secure funding and execute trail improvements while hers remains largely the same.

"It's significant because if you look at the data, communities of color and low-income communities are three times less likely to have access to green space and city infrastructure, and that's what we're seeing on this trail," Pettit said.

"I can't disagree. It's not a good look," she said. "But as far as me and my accountability, I will move this forward."

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