'Like riding a rollercoaster': Giant road crack angers Houston drivers – Chron

A large stretch of West Holcombe Boulevard near the Texas Medical Center looks like the after-effects of an earthquake—and residents are worried it may get worse before it gets better.

The busy roadway, from Kirby Drive going west towards Buffalo Speedway, is a gateway to Houston’s Texas Medical Center and a road traveled by thousands of cars and trucks every day. The high-traffic zone appears to have a giant crack that has grown worse over the recent weeks. The troubled areas of the street run right past a busy Kelsey Seybold Clinic, St. Vincents de Paul Church and a strip mall with a Randall’s Flagship, Chick-Fil-A and several other restaurants. Residents are worried the crack may widen and someone may get hurt.

“It’s like riding a roller coaster,” wrote one user on Nextdoor’s West University neighborhood group.

“I think that portion of Bellaire/Holcombe should be a priority to fix as it is a major street heading to the Med Center. Many ambulances take that route, I feel really bad for anyone in an ambulance on that road,” replied another Nextdoor user.

“I drive a lot of streets throughout Houston and there is not one that is in as treacherous shape as that segment of Holcombe,” commented another Nextdoor user. “I drove it yesterday and it is quite a bit more severe than it was a few days ago. It is likely to result in some serious accidents.”

“Every day I have to get in the middle lane because the left lane is like off-roading,” said another.

Reached for comment, Erin Jones, a spokesperson for Houston Public Works, insisted the road is not in danger of becoming a sinkhole—it is merely a “longitudinal crack,” meaning it’s a crack that runs parallel to the pavement center line and is apparently very common. It is often made worse by a drought, according to Jones.

Jones said the road is not currently on the list for rehabilitation, “but our team is looking to determine if any kind of action is needed.”