Houston Public Works Director Randy Macchi said Wednesday that hundreds of non-working high mast lights along Houston highways are the result of delayed maintenance decisions and competing infrastructure priorities, following a KHOU 11 investigation that documented widespread outages across the region.
KHOU 11 Investigates reported 478 non-working high mast lights across Harris County over a two-night survey, including 375 within Houston city limits. Under a 1963 agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation, the city is responsible for maintaining those lights.
Macchi said the city does not consider non-functioning infrastructure acceptable but said repair efforts have been delayed as the city prioritized other projects. He said the issue developed over time as individual outages accumulated without immediate repairs.
Macchi said Houston Public Works and TxDOT have since increased coordination to address the problem and develop a large-scale repair plan. He said repair work is now underway and cited ongoing replacement of high mast lighting towers and LED bulb installations along portions of the Eastex Freeway.
Houston Public Works said it has repaired 30 high mast lights in the past month.
Houston Vice Mayor Pro Tem Amy Peck said during a city council meeting Wednesday that the city is monitoring the remaining outages and expects continued repairs. She said the situation is not acceptable and called for full restoration of lighting along affected highways.
Houston Public Works is expected to present a repair plan and timeline to city council in the coming days. TxDOT Houston district engineer Glenn Albrittton declined an interview request.