Houston officials are preparing to tear out a year-old, $200,000 roundabout in Northside to replace it with a traditional traffic signal.
Construction is scheduled to begin in December and be completed by Jan. 5, District H Council Member Mario Castillo said.
The roundabout, installed in early 2024 with $200,000 in federal Highway Safety Improvement Program funds, was intended to address crashes tied to left turns from Patton onto Irvington. The Houston Public Works website previously stated the design could reduce crashes by up to 30%, injuries by up to 60% and fatal crashes by up to 90%, and cited an increase in serious crashes at the intersection between 2016 and 2022.
At the time of publication, all information about the roundabout had been removed from the Houston Public Works website.
Before the roundabout, and before Castillo took office, neighborhood residents had requested a traffic light. But an earlier analysis showed the intersection did not meet the criteria for a signal, and the roundabout was installed as a way to preserve left-turn access while attempting to improve safety.
Since its installation, however, residents have voiced frustrations about drivers striking the curbs, signs and concrete barriers.
“There have been some issues with drivers running into the actual concrete barricades themselves,” Castillo said, adding that residents contacted Mayor John Whitmire directly and prompted another review by Houston Public Works.
“Public Works did another study and figured out that a light at this point was feasible and so that’s what they’re going forward with,” Castillo said.
The Houston Chronicle reached out to Whitmire’s spokesperson, who also serves as the spokesperson for Public Works, for more information and did not receive a response.
After Whitmire and public officials reviewed the roundabout last year, questions emerged about whether the city would still receive federal funding for the project. Typically, Houston pays for construction upfront and is later reimbursed. Removing the roundabout months after its completion could lead federal officials to rescind the repayment.
Last year, city officials declined to say whether the money would have to be repaid.
Now that removal is moving forward, Castillo said he has asked Public Works to clarify how the federal funding will be handled and whether the city will be reimbursed or must pay any of it back.
“I am still waiting to hear back on that, but I do want to know more about that side of the project,” he said.
Castillo said communication with Public Works has been consistent since the reassessment began, and his office has updated civic clubs and community groups as new information has come in.
“There are a number of folks in my district who like it and a number of folks who don’t,” he said. “We’ve given updates when we’ve gotten updates.”
This article originally published at Houston is removing a $200K roundabout after two years and replacing it with a traffic light.
