This is an update to our last missive on first responders.
Here is a quick summary
On 2/23/2022, in response to questions from the Transportation Planning Department about its design of the 11th Street project, the Fire Department said “Reducing the number of lanes and restricting turns will have an impact on emergency response. Performing a U-turn on single lanes with a large apparatus (ladder trucks especially) will be problematic and most likely need the unit to reverse and backup which could lead to increased accidents….a single lane is very restricting.”
The longer story
As a result of filing an open records request, we just received a copy of a series of emails between City of Houston employees regarding emergency response in connection with the renamed 11th Street Safety Project. Following is a summary of these emails.
Lauren Grove is Senior Staff Analyst, Transportation & Drainage Operations-Multimodal Safety & Design Branch, Public Works Department. She is also a frequent contributor on letstalkhouston.org.
On 11/30/2021, Ms. Grove contacted first responders seeking a reply to community concerns about how the 11th Street Bikeway (her words) would impact emergency response given that a concrete median would run most of the length of W. 11th Street. At this point, the design concept was no more than 60%. She suggested that, when responding to an emergency, emergency vehicle drivers would be instructed to drive the posted speed limit, and that HFD would plan routes that maintain access. Perhaps she does not know the law on fire department vehicles.
The Texas Transportation Code allows the operator of an authorized emergency vehicle to exceed a maximum speed limit, except as provided by city ordinance, as long as the operator does not endanger life or property. An authorized emergency vehicle includes a fire department vehicle. City ordinance may be enacted to regulate the speed of ambulances or EMS vehicles, but the speed of fire department vehicles seems to be outside the purview of city ordinance.
The relevant reply that she received months later on 2/23/2022 from Justin R. Wells, Executive Assistant Fire Chief, was that reducing the number of lanes and restricting turns will have an impact on emergency response. “Performing a U-turn on single lanes with a large apparatus (ladder trucks especially) will be problematic and most likely need the unit to reverse and backup which could lead to increased accidents….a single lane is very restricting.” It is plain that Chief Wells’ primary concern is the ability to turn his ladder trucks and engines onto local streets and that he is concerned about being able to do so in a single lane.
Ms. Grove’s immediate response was that the design had been changed to remove the concrete median for most of the section under discussion, but that one lane would be maintained in each direction between Shepherd and Heights. In closing, she asked Chief Wells to respond to the changes in the plan.
Chief Wells did not respond for several months.
Mayor Turner discussed the 11th Street Safety Project with HFD Chief Pena and HPD Chief Finner during his review of the project in May. He announced his decision to go forward with the project as planned on 6/14/2022.
On 6/16/2022, the plan was kicked back into gear and all departments were asked for approval on the 100% design. The 100% concept design includes 2 lanes for vehicle travel; 2 "protected" bike lanes; and a pedestrian refuge at Nicholson. The plan also restricts turns at Dorothy, Nicholson and Allston; and also provides for a concrete median from Allston to Yale; a concrete median Yale to Heights Blvd.; and no left turns onto or from Heights Blvd.
In a stunning series of emails between Chief Wells, Ms. Grove and other city employees beginning on 7/12/2022 and concluding on 8/17, Chief Wells states his understanding that there would be no left turns onto Nicholson from 11th Street but that the rest of 11th affords right turns and left turns. This is not what the plan called for, so it is a misunderstanding on his part.
Ms. Grove responds by re-stating the restrictions on turns at Dorothy, Nicholson, Allston and Heights Blvd. that are part of the 100% design, and that all other turns will be allowed. She does not address his previous concerns about turning in a single lane. She does not point out specifically that there will be no center turn lane.
Chief Wells responds that he has no more comments on the project. When Ms. Grove asks if HFD is okay with the latest proposal, he says yes. There is no indication of any other communications between them. But we know of the conversation between Mayor Turner and Chief Pena.
Tension between Mayor Turner and the Fire Department should be well known by now. HFD Executive Assistant Fire Chief Ruy Lozano had just resigned to take a new job in New Braunfels, and Chief Wells stepped into the job. Can you imagine just starting your new job and being confronted with questions on the mayor’s pet project?
We are left thinking that that our safety may well be at risk.