Resident Petition for Pedestrian & Road Safety Improvements Needed for Kuykendahl Rd. & Creekside Green Dr. in Creekside Park

Concerned Residents of Creekside Park Village in The Woodlands, TX call upon The Woodlands Township, The Howard Hughes Corporation, Harris County Commissioner Pct. 4, Harris County Constables Office Pct. 4, and Tomball ISD to work together to improve the pedestrian safety at the intersection of Kuykendahl & Creekside Green, as well as the surrounding amenities bifurcated by Kuykendahl Rd.

The intersection at Kuykendahl Rd. (a major thoroughfare) and Creekside Green Dr. has become increasingly more dangerous for pedestrians due to heavy commercial and residential traffic and has even resulted in the recent death of a 19 year-old resident on 5/27/21 and injury to a 12 year old Jr. High student on 11/16/21. Creekside Park Junior High borders the southwest corner of the intersection and Timber Creek Elementary School is within 200 yards on the southeast corner. A pedestrian bridge would allow for residents of both Creekside Park East and Creekside Park West to traverse safely and easily by foot or by bike between the two sides of our village, increase pedestrian traffic to the surrounding businesses, pools and parks, Covenant Methodist Church, and improve the safe passage of our students to their respective schools.

With increasing development in our area and a shared desire for our students, neighbors and friends to work, worship, play, and study safely in our community, we propose the following comprehensive plan to better protect our residents:

1. Construction of a Pedestrian Bridge built in keeping with the aesthetics and standards of The Woodlands Township, which will provide a more obviously marked southern entry to The Woodlands while visually indicating a transition from a thoroughfare to a pedestrian-oriented residential area. The pedestrian bridge will connect the existing concrete pathways along Creekside Green Dr. to both the east and west of Kuykendahl Rd. allowing our residents to safely traverse above Kuykendahl. It is our proposal that this bridge be named in honor of Juanita Boada, beloved resident and Township Life Guard recently killed at this intersection.

2. School Zone Extension between the hours of 7:00am – 8:15am and 2:45 – 3:30pm from current area west of Kuykendahl Rd along Creekside Green through the intersection of Kuykendahl Rd & Creekside Green Dr. as many Jr. High Students cross this intersection before and after school. Extension of the School Zone combined with the complex geometry of the intersection would require flashing yellow school zone signs/lights and improved signal timing.

3. Permanently reduced speed limit of 35mph for both Northbound and Southbound traffic at Kuykendahl Rd. beginning at Augusta Pines Dr. and ending at Indian Hill Rd. This area along Kuykendahl has multiple pedestrian crossing points and has been designed as a pedestrian-oriented shopping and residential area rather than a thoroughfare as it’s marked by Harris County at the current inconsistent 40mph & 45mph speed limits (varies northbound vs. southbound). According to AAA, the pedestrian/vehicle accident fatality rate nearly doubles to 50% for cars traveling over 42 mph versus an approximate pedestrian fatality rate of 25% for cars traveling around 32mph. A mere drop of the speed limit by 5mph can almost double the chance of survivability relative to such a minor change in affecting traffic pattern and nuisance to drivers. A speed limit of 35mph will also better parallel speed limits of similar busy roads with many pedestrian crossing points in The Woodlands area. Bottom line, the current speed limit must be reconciled with the pedestrian design to keep our residents safe and better avoid more injuries and fatalities.

4. An Interim Safety Solution. Due to the quickly escalating danger in this area, our residents also call for an Interim Safety Solution until the completion of the proposed pedestrian bridge and intersection improvements can be made. We propose the contracting of 1-2 Harris County Constables to control traffic during School Zone hours M-F 7:00am – 8:15am and 2:45 – 3:30pm during the school year at the intersection of Kuykendahl Rd. and Creekside Green Dr.

Finally, The Woodlands Township cites the following benefits of walking/biking:

• Increases the use of pathways and boosts physical activity
• Teaches safe pedestrian and bicycling skills to children
• Reduces traffic congestion, pollution and speed near schools
• Increases neighbor-to-neighbor interactions
• Features eco-values like vehicle emission reduction and clear air

With our proposed changes, our residents will be able to safely enjoy these benefits, as well as increasing pedestrian traffic to local businesses, pools, and parks from opposite sides of Kuykendahl (Creekside Park West Center and Creekside Park Village Green). After witnessing more and more near misses, many families keep our children and ourselves from crossing the Kuykendahl thoroughfare by foot or bike, as we fear for our safety. We urgently ask for your help TODAY in approving this plan to keep our families safe and prevent another injury or tragedy.