The Voice of University Oaks, on Tuesday, February 14th, 2006 @ 3:17pm, said:
METRO purchased the 100' railroad right-of-way that runs parallel to Westpark from Southern Pacific many years ago. They sold 50' to HCTRA so that the Westpark Toll Road could be built but they retain the other 50' for future rail service. Obviously, it would be ideal for METRO, at some point, to run the train down property they already own. The question is, how and where do you do it?
The Westpark ROW technically continues east of Shepherd, running concurrently with a Centerpoint easment just to the south of US 59, but it narrows to essentially nothing before it reaches Main Street. This, obviously, poses a massive engineering problem in that there's really no room to put the rail line. Squeezing the rail line into the sliver of space on the south edge of the Southwest Freeway would require some sort of stacking or tunneling method which is prohibitively expensive. Elevation is not an option because of the power lines and the arched bridges along 59, and running it within 59 itself (i.e. taking a lane or two of traffic out and replacing it with rail) isn't desirable either.
And then there's the ridership issue. Richmond is where the people are. Westpark is not. Especially in the area between the Spur and Shepherd, where UST, the Menil complex, scores of apartment complexes, etc. are. Not to mention all the commercial and office development between Shepherd and Greenway Plaza. Therefore, it just makes sense to run the rail from Main Street down Richmond to at least Greenway Plaza before making a turn across 59 and settling into the Westpark ROW.
The problem is that Richmond is only four lanes (two in each direction) between Main and Kirby. I drive that section of Richmond on an almost-daily basis; it's congested enough as it is and taking away two lanes of traffic to make room for the rail is simply not an option. Either the train is built above grade along this stretch (it needs to be elevated over Spur 527 anyway) or right-of-way will have to be taken along either side of the street to make room for the tracks.
There are apparently two main centers of opposition along Richmond: the Afton Oaks community west of Weslayan and a handful of business owners east of Shepherd. I'm not sure the Afton Oaks people have anything to worry about; METRO learned their lesson in 1989-91 when they tried to run the monorail through this affluent community. It's all but certain that this neighborhood will be avoided, most likely by the rail switching from Richmond to Westpark at Timmons or Weslayan. (I think a northward jog to Westheimer is a *very* remote possibility.)
Of bigger concern, in my opinion, is the opposition east of Shepherd. I can understand whatever concerns they have about construction impacts, possible loss of access, possible taking of right-of-way, and aesthetic impacts. Elevating the rail will mean cutting down the trees in the median and building a huge structure above the street. This will have significant aesthetic impacts. Keeping the train at-grade by widening Richmond will require parking lots and buildings to be taken, and it will likely involve some intersection closures as well.
However, we won't know the full extent of these impacts, and what possible mitigation measures would be necessary to minimize these impacts, until they are studied in detail. This is why Martha Wong is, well, wrong to demand that Richmond be taken off the table now before it has even been closely studied. What needs to occur here is careful analysis and planning (which usually occurs in the Preliminary Engineering / Environmental Impact Statement process) with lots of community involvement, not some cynical, politically-driven end run around the planning process.
Good post.
METRO missed their opportunity years ago for not planning how to use their aquired ROW on 59 between Kirby and Main. As usual no one cooperated with anyone-ie METRO w/ TXDOT w/COH, etc...You gave all the reasons a rail route on 59 isn't going to happen: the bridges; the power lines; the removal of freeway lanes. In addition, you would have the quaranteed opposition from Southhampton and Broad Acres.
Everyone recognizes the problem of widening Richmond between Main and Kirby to accomodate the line. As far as elevating the line over 527, I don't think that is neccesary-check out Fannin under Holcomb. in addition you state:
Quote
It's all but certain that this neighborhood will be avoided, most likely by the rail switching from Richmond to Westpark at Timmons or Weslayan. (I think a northward jog to Westheimer is a *very* remote possibility.)
Many think jogging north to Westheimer on Weslyan is a very real possibility considering the potential for ridership. Riders catching this line from UH, TSU, Rice, St. Thomas, TMC, Dowtown and Midtown most likely are going to want to go SOMEPLACE...not to the Edloe stop on Westpark to visit the Kroger store.
You will never make everyone happy so at some point the bullet needs to be bitten. To hold this important east-west line hostage to people like Wong and Culberson who have offered no alternatives except removing Richmond from any discussion would be a travesty.
This is why I believe a concerted effort will be needed to offset the underhanded attempts of Wong and Culberson to undermine this entire project. Until they can come up with something more substansial than
"I am writing to add my support for the Richmond Area Residents and Businesses for Rail, and urge that the Houston METRO Board of Directors oppose extending light rail down Richmond Avenue or Westheimer."
http://ctchouston.org/blogs/robin/ we should hold their feet to the fire and make them justify their plan-not the other way around.
This post has been edited by nmainguy: Tuesday, February 14, 2006 at 5:29 PM
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