AASHTO Journal - TxDOT Names Rail Crossing Bridge for Fallen Teenager

The Texas Department of Transportation recently broke ground on a pedestrian bridge spanning a railroad crossing in Houston’s East End; a bridge to be named after a local teenager hit and killed by a train at that crossing nearly two years ago.

[Above photo by TxDOT]

The agency said the Sergio Ivan Rodriguez Memorial Pedestrian Bridge – expected to open in January 2027 – is designed to provide students and residents with a safe route across the Union Pacific rail corridor near Milby High School. It will feature a covered pedestrian crossing over the Union Pacific tracks, Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant switchback ramps, lighting, and weather protection.

Rodriguez’s death in December 2024 crossing those tracks while on his way to school – he was just 15 years old at the time – brought renewed urgency to those concerns, TxDOT said. His death galvanized support for a grade-separated crossing long sought by the community; one that took a significant step forward when the Texas Legislature appropriated $10 million for its construction.

“This bridge means much more than a simple structure that will allow young people to cross from one side to the other. For my family, it is a permanent reminder that my son died far too soon,” said his mother, Cecilia Rodriguez, at a September groundbreaking event for the new bridge. “I will carry that pain forever. But we want to transform that pain into something that will save lives.”

While community advocacy and legislative support helped launch the project, TxDOT played a central role in transforming the vision into reality.

The agency said this project resulted from extensive coordination between TxDOT, the City of Houston, Union Pacific Railroad, Houston Independent School District, state lawmakers, and various community partners. Through that collaboration, a project that might normally take years to advance moved forward in less than two years, noted Glenn Allbritton, an engineer with the TxDOT Houston District.

“A project of this scope would typically take several years to move from concept to construction,” he explained in a statement. “[Everyone] worked together to address property, environmental, design and railroad coordination requirements. That collaboration allowed us to move with urgency while maintaining the safety and engineering standards this community deserves.”