August, 2025

To:

Council Member Amy Peck
City of Houston, District A

We, the undersigned residents and concerned members of the Spring Branch community, respectfully petition the City of Houston and Council Member Amy Peck to address urgent pedestrian safety and infrastructure issues along Hollister Street, between Long Point Road and Hammerly Boulevard (Zip code: 77080). This corridor has seen rapid residential development, leading to increased foot traffic, including children, elderly residents, and public transit users. However, the current pedestrian infrastructure is inadequate, unsafe, and prone to flooding — posing serious risks to public safety.

The west side of Hollister Street currently lacks a continuous, raised sidewalk. In its place is a narrow, at-grade pedestrian path separated from the road only by concrete bumps. This path is fragmented, disappears in sections, and becomes completely unusable during rain due to flooding. The drainage ditch along this stretch fails to function properly, creating standing water several inches deep. After the water recedes, thick mud remains, creating a dangerously slippery surface. Residents have slipped and fallen in this section, enduring injuries.

Additionally, this street serves as a critical pedestrian corridor to the METRO bus station located at the southwest corner of the intersection of Long Point Road and Hollister Street, served by Routes 26 and 58. The lack of safe, continuous pedestrian infrastructure makes access to public transit hazardous, especially during inclement weather.

Furthermore, Hollister Street is designated as a Major Collector under the City of Houston’s 2024 Major Thoroughfare and Freeway Plan (MTFP), with future plans to widen the corridor. This classification underscores its importance as a key connector for residential, educational, and commercial traffic. The street also serves as a vital route for students and families accessing Cedar Brook Elementary School, located on Hammerly Boulevard. Additionally, the upcoming ExxonMobil Campus of Kids’ Meals, currently under development near Hammerly and Hollister, is expected to significantly increase both vehicular and pedestrian traffic in the area. These developments make it even more critical to ensure safe, accessible, and resilient pedestrian infrastructure along Hollister Street.

This petition aligns with the City of Houston’s Vision Zero initiative, which aims to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries by prioritizing safe, equitable mobility for all. The current conditions on Hollister Street—lack of sidewalks, poor drainage, and absence of traffic calming—are in direct conflict with these goals. Moreover, the lack of accessible infrastructure disproportionately affects vulnerable populations, including residents with disabilities, seniors, and families with strollers, creating inequitable barriers to mobility and safety.

Compounding these risks is the absence of speed limit signage or traffic calming signals along this stretch of Hollister Street. Speeding is common, and with pedestrians walking at the same level as fast-moving vehicles, the danger is severe. The lack of physical separation between pedestrians and traffic creates an environment where even routine walking becomes hazardous.

To address the safety, accessibility, and drainage issues described above, we respectfully request that the City of Houston and Council Member Amy Peck take the following actions along Hollister Street, from 29.808318, -95.506618 to 29.803224, -95.506676:

• Construct a continuous, raised sidewalk on the west side of Hollister Street to provide a safe, accessible pedestrian route that is protected from vehicle traffic and resilient to flooding.
• Install proper drainage infrastructure to prevent water accumulation and eliminate the muddy, slippery conditions that persist after rain. This includes addressing the drainage ditch between 29.805222, -95.506594 and 29.804651, -95.506572, which currently fails to drain effectively.
• Add speed limit signage and traffic calming measures to reduce excessive speeding along this stretch of Hollister Street. The absence of posted speed limits contributes to unsafe conditions for pedestrians walking at road level.
• Adjust pedestrian signal timing at the intersection of Hollister Street and Long Point Road to allow sufficient time for safe crossing, especially for elderly residents, children, and individuals with mobility challenges.

To support the concerns outlined above, we have compiled photographic and map-based documentation of the pedestrian conditions along Hollister Street. These visuals underscore the urgent need for infrastructure improvements and provide compelling, real-world context for the requested actions.

Visual Evidence 1 - Sidewalk conditions - Hollister St. From Hammerly to Long point. 

Visual Evidence 2 - Flood Zone in Pedestrian Pathway at Road Level