Highway Lights Restored After Two Years of Complaints

Drivers on Houston's Hardy Toll Road finally see the light after city and state agencies resolve power line failure.

Feb. 5, 2026 at 10:39pm

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For nearly two years, drivers on a stretch of Houston's Hardy Toll Road were forced to navigate a dark, unlit section of the highway due to a power line failure. After repeated complaints from motorists and reporting by KHOU 11 Investigates, Houston Public Works and the Texas Department of Transportation worked together to diagnose and repair the complex infrastructure issue, restoring the high-mast lighting along the roadway.

Why it matters

Proper lighting on major highways is crucial for driver safety, especially at night. The extended outage on the Hardy Toll Road raised concerns about visibility and potential accidents. This case highlights the challenges cities and state transportation agencies face in maintaining aging infrastructure and coordinating repairs across jurisdictions.

The details

The first 311 complaint about the lighting outage between the 610 North Loop and Crosstimbers St. on the Hardy Toll Road was submitted in February 2024. Over the next two years, drivers continued to report the stretch of roadway being completely dark, with one motorist describing it as "just madness." Houston Public Works initially had trouble determining which agency was responsible for maintaining the high-mast lights, as they are owned by the Texas Department of Transportation but maintained by the city under a longstanding agreement. Once responsibility was confirmed, HPW hired a contractor who discovered an underground power line failure as the cause of the problem. Repairing the "complex infrastructure" and "specialized equipment" required significant safety planning, according to HPW Director Randy Macchi.

  • The first 311 complaint about the lighting outage was submitted in February 2024.
  • The lights were finally restored after nearly two years of darkness.

The players

Houston Public Works

The city department responsible for maintaining the high-mast lights on the Hardy Toll Road, which is owned by the Texas Department of Transportation.

Texas Department of Transportation

The state agency that owns the high-mast lights on the Hardy Toll Road, which are maintained by the city of Houston under a longstanding agreement.

Randy Macchi

The director of Houston Public Works, who acknowledged the lengthy timeline for restoring the lights but said the department moved "quickly and decisively" once responsibility was confirmed.

Trevor Goodchild

A motorist who described the stretch of the Hardy Toll Road without lighting as "just madness."

Eric Carter

A driver who expressed concerns about the dangerous situation caused by non-functioning high-mast lights on the Grand Parkway in northwest Harris County.

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What they’re saying

“Lights still out. Absolutely darkness on that stretch of road.”

— Trevor Goodchild, Motorist (KHOU 11)

“Could be a dangerous situation. People zip up and down through here pretty quick.”

— Eric Carter, Driver (KHOU 11)

“While the general timeline was longer than any of us would prefer, once it was confirmed our department maintains these TxDOT-owned high mast lights near the Hardy Toll Road, we moved quickly and decisively.”

— Randy Macchi, Director, Houston Public Works (KHOU 11)

What’s next

The city of Houston and the Texas Department of Transportation will continue to work together to address any remaining high-mast lighting issues across the region, including on the Grand Parkway where more than 20 lights are still not functioning.

The takeaway

This case highlights the challenges cities and state transportation agencies face in maintaining aging infrastructure and coordinating repairs across jurisdictions. It also underscores the importance of proper lighting on major highways for driver safety, and the need for more proactive and transparent communication between government agencies to address such issues in a timely manner.