As Montgomery County, Texas residents in Conroe are once again affected by flooding many are questing if the newly installed medians on Highway 105 are contributing to the damage. "It hardly seems like as much rain as the hurricanes we've had and yet we're getting flooding on both sides of 105 just as bad as then" one resident claimed.
Local businesses have been affected as well. Vernon's Kountry Katfish has once again flooded despite attempts at mitigating water egress by the median establishing authorities. 105's medians are supposed to have stips cut in them so that water can flow between. But when significant rainfall pushes debrit and dirt into those strips they can become clogged. Not to mention the issues that continue to plauge sections that are not equipped with egress stripping.
But once medians are erected by county and state officials can they be removed? Recently the City of Houston removed medians. In December, median and curbs were installed on Houston Avenue to enhance pedestrian safety. However, less than two months later, they were removed at the insistence of Whitmire, who argued they posed a hazard to drivers. The removal, according to HPW, aimed to restore lane capacity and facilitate easier property access, enhancing overall traffic safety. Before the removal, HPW plans to inform residents through door hangers, with construction set to begin soon.
Joe Cutrufo of BikeHouston opposed the removal, emphasizing the importance of pedestrian and cyclist safety measures. Peter Eccles from Link Houston highlighted the project's alignment with Houston's Vision Zero initiative, aiming to eliminate traffic fatalities by 2030. Despite these views, the Lutheran church Trinity Downtown expressed concerns about access issues arising from the roadwork.
It isn't just city and urban communities affected. The city of Bryan has also looked into removing medians. An organization is advocating for the removal of the majority of medians along Texas Avenue in Bryan-College Station. Despite the capabilities of technology like Google Maps, the precise locations of these medians are not always accurately represented. In a community characterized by a significant demographic of both young and elderly residents, locals argue that these medians do more harm than good. With the recent flooding tensions about the newly installed medians are rising faster than the water level.
It may have reached the point that it is a public safety risk, says local attorney Brian Foley. Residents who believe the medians are worsening flooding can raise the issue with their county commissioner and with the Texas Department of Transportation, which maintains state highways like 105, and — where a genuine public-safety hazard exists — push for review and possible modification.
Whether the medians on 105 are ultimately removed or redesigned, the debate reflects a larger tension between traffic-safety projects and drainage in a county that floods. For now, residents and business owners along Highway 105 will be watching the next big rain closely.