A notorious stretch of Bissonnet Street in Southwest Houston, long recognized as a hotspot for prostitution and human trafficking, is now under a nightly curfew for vehicles. The Houston Police Department (HPD) has initiated a strategy to blockade this area, known as the Bissonnet Track, every night between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.
According to HPD spokesperson Shay Awosiyan, officers are deploying barricades at the intersections of Bissonnet Street with Centre Parkway and Plainfield Street. This proactive measure began last week and is a direct response to years of persistent criminal activity in the area.
“It’s a corridor that has been plagued with prostitution and criminal activity for years,” stated Houston City Council member Edward Pollard, representing District J. “The residents don’t deserve it, the business owners don’t deserve it, the people who attend church in the area don’t deserve it, and HPD is taking proactive steps to shut down those streets at night to try to curb the behavior. I stand behind them in their efforts.”
Prostitutes soliciting drivers on Bissonnet Street in Houston, highlighting the area's long-standing issues with prostitution and human trafficking.
The barricade initiative originated from patrol officers within HPD’s Westside division, who maintain a consistent presence in the Bissonnet Street area. Awosiyan noted the immediate positive impact of the blockade as a crime deterrent. This area has seen over 300 arrests this year alone, underscoring the severity of the issues. While the barricades restrict vehicle access, pedestrian traffic is still permitted, though it has noticeably decreased since the implementation.
The section of Bissonnet Street affected by the nightly closures is home to a diverse range of businesses, including restaurants, pawn shops, gas stations, and auto repair services. Awosiyan reported that businesses have shown “very supportive” of the initiative, with some even offering to help block off their parking areas to further assist the effort.
Council member Pollard highlighted that most businesses in the area operate primarily during daytime hours. He also mentioned the lack of significant opposition to HPD’s strategy, as local stakeholders have been advocating for solutions to the prostitution problem for a considerable time. The issue began in the 1990s and has progressively worsened, becoming a major concern for the community.
“So far they’ve told us they’re pleased with the plan,” Awosiyan stated, regarding the business response. “From what we’ve seen so far, it’s had a dramatic reduction in the amount of foot traffic on Bissonnet.”
The ongoing operation is currently funded through HPD overtime. Awosiyan explained that while there is no definitive timeline for how long the Bissonnet Street blockade will remain in effect, the focus is on assessing the long-term sustainability and effectiveness of this unique approach.
“It’s going to be looked at how can we sustain it and move forward positively in targeting this issue in a very unique way, instead of making arrests,” Awosiyan elaborated. “This is community policing where you can target an issue in an environmental way.”
Pollard expressed his hope for the initiative’s continuation “for the foreseeable future.” He also emphasized the need for a broader, more comprehensive strategy involving local, state, and federal collaboration, along with engagement from community stakeholders to address the deeper roots of the problem.
The prostitution along Bissonnet Street, specifically between the Southwest Freeway and Beltway 8, is intertwined with other serious criminal activities, including human trafficking, drug dealing, and gang involvement, according to Pollard.
“It’s not a good reflection of the city and not a good reflection of my office,” Pollard stated. “We don’t want to be known for being cavalier as it pertains to these serious matters that are so visible and vivid for the community to see. So by blocking off those streets and putting up those barricades, it will hinder people from going down some of these side streets to do this illegal activity.”
This nightly blockade on Bissonnet Street represents a significant step by the Houston Police Department to reclaim public spaces and address persistent criminal issues impacting the community.
