New bridge to honor Houston teen
By Leo Flores
Sept. 17, 2026
HOUSTON — Standing just yards from the railroad crossing where her son died, Cecilia Rodriguez reflected on a loss that forever changed her family.
Before a crowd of students, educators and community members in Houston's East End, Rodriguez recounted the day in December 2024 when police told her that her 15-year-old son, Sergio, had been killed while attempting to cross railroad tracks on his way to school.
Nearly two years later, Rodriguez returned to that same location for a different purpose: the groundbreaking of the Sergio Ivan Rodriguez Memorial Pedestrian Bridge. This TxDOT project is designed to provide students and residents with a safe route across the Union Pacific rail corridor.
"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," Rodriguez said in Spanish. "I will carry that pain forever. But we want to transform that pain into something that will save lives."
For years, students and residents crossed the railroad tracks near Milby High School, prompting concerns about safety and accessibility. Sergio's death brought renewed urgency to those concerns and galvanized support for a grade-separated crossing that community leaders had long sought.
The project took a significant step forward when the Texas Legislature appropriated $10 million for its construction. State Sen. Carol Alvarado, a Milby High School graduate whose district includes the school, championed the funding effort.
"Sergio's death was preventable. It resulted from the kind of neglect and indifference that Houston's East End has known for far too long," Alvarado said. "Today, I am proud to see a measure of justice for Sergio's family, the Milby High School community and the entire East End."
While community advocacy and legislative support helped launch the project, TxDOT played a central role in transforming the vision into reality.
The September groundbreaking marked the culmination of extensive coordination among TxDOT, the city of Houston, Union Pacific Railroad, Houston Independent School District, state lawmakers and community partners. Through that collaboration, a project that might normally take years to advance moved forward in less than two years.
"A project of this scope would typically take several years to move from concept to construction, ," said Glenn Allbritton, TxDOT Houston District Engineer. "[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."
The ceremony brought together Texas Transportation Commissioner Steve Alvis, Houston Mayor John Whitmire, Alvarado, members of Sergio Rodriguez's family, Milby students and community leaders.
"Every student should be able to walk to school safely," Whitmire said. "This bridge reflects what we can accomplish when the city, TxDOT, state leaders, railroad partners and the community work together with urgency and purpose. It honors Sergio's memory by delivering a safer connection for students, families and residents in the East End."
Alvis said the project reflects TxDOT's commitment to improving safety for communities across Texas.
"Sergio's death brought urgent attention to the need for a safer way to cross these tracks," Alvis said. "Safety is not an abstract goal. It is a promise we owe to every Texas family."
The bridge will feature a covered pedestrian crossing over the Union Pacific tracks, ADA-compliant switchback ramps, lighting, and weather protection.
The Sergio Ivan Rodriguez Memorial Pedestrian Bridge is expected to open in January 2027.
