Photograph by Mark Wilson/Getty Images
Hurricane Ike, which hit the United States two weeks ago was devastating and, as you’d expect the damages it caused had a high impact on motorists too. Houston, which was hit on September 12, encountered serious problems with power outages. While authorities struggle to bring back electricity to all the residents, they’ve also encountered another serious problem. At least 90 percent of the city’s 2,500 intersections with traffic lights sustained damage from the storm.
According to Mike Marcotte, Houston’s director of public works and engineering, about 1,200 intersections were still not working on Tuesday, but should all have at least a flashing red light by the end of next week, while authorities expect the city’s traffic lights to function at pre-Hurricane Ike levels byl November. “I’ve been amazed with the courtesy our drivers have been showing,” Marcotte said. “Our biggest issue at this point is going out and making repairs on the signals as well as waiting for power to be restored.”
Of course, chaos didn’t settle on the streets of Houston, but a lot of motorists complained about their trips taking twice as much time, while pedestrians are also facing difficulties scrambling and dodging their way across streets. To try and help as much as possible, Assistant Houston Police Chief Dorothy Edwards said that, until the traffic lights are restored, more officers will be dedicated to directing traffic and related transit issues.
Source: Houston Chronicle
