Commissioner Ellis Launches New, Sweeping Public Safety And Health Improvement Programs

For My Neighborhood News, Tiffany Krenek reports on the launch of “Plan Together”—a new set of programs, advanced by Commissioner Ellis for the residents of Precinct One, “designed to strengthen infrastructure, enhance public safety, and promote accessibility” across the precinct.

What Commissioner Ellis Says: “No matter your zip code, everyone deserves access to roads and sidewalks that are safe, well-lit, and resistant to flooding. Whether you live in a historic neighborhood or a newly developed one, in Precinct One, you have the same opportunity for safety and progress.”

The new precinct-wide effort “aims to ensure that every community—from urban corridors to quieter residential streets—benefits from strategic, data-driven investments in infrastructure” and that everyone in the community, “from residents, school leaders, and neighborhood organizations,” has a say in how this effort takes shape through applying to the program. 

Plan Together has five core pillars of focus and community members are encouraged to apply to them “to bring critical improvements to their neighborhoods.” Here’s more on each program and a link to the application for Commissioner Ellis to take a look at your request:

• Orphan Roads: “Orphan roads are roadways that no legal entity is responsible for maintaining and the burden falls on individual homeowners. Under certain circumstances, Harris County will accept responsibility for, improve, and maintain orphan roads in unincorporated Harris County. Adopting orphan roads within Precinct One will make our roadway network safer and more sustainable and improve community well-being.” Submit your application here.

• School Safety: “Every student should be able to walk and bike safely to their school. This program allows members of school leadership to request mobility improvements near their school, focused on improving safety for all roadway users.” Submit your application here.

• Street Lighting: “Roadway streetlights illuminate roadways and sidewalks which can improve both traffic safety as well as public safety. This application allows community members to request street lighting on the local streets within their neighborhood. Submit your application here.

• Neighborhood Traffic Calming: “Traffic Calming can reduce the number of crashes on our streets by slowing traffic and keeping through-traffic off of smaller residential streets. This program allows for the installation of traffic calming on residential streets with a recorded traffic issue. Based on County policy, traffic calming can only be implemented on 2-lane collector or residential roadways with a speed limit of 30mph or less in unincorporated Harris County.” Submit your application here.

• Partnerships: “We are seeking opportunities to financially support impactful projects led by community members and groups. Partners will be required to implement and maintain proposed projects. More details about this application-based funding opportunity will be released in December 2025 with the application launching in January 2026.”