Some one

https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/2018/11/07/311132/metro-hopes-for-a-strong-advocate-in-congress-with-lizzie-fletchers-election/ I'm also guessing the expanded length contributed to the cost. Either way it's unfortunate.

The proposed University BRT should be a commuter rail. I feel like the ridership count and the length justifies it. That and it makes more sense than the light rail expansion plans. Unfortunately no, or at the very least, not in a while. Metro said in an interview that the reason they can't build the University Line as light rail is due to cost.

Don't forget Bob Lanier, who killed the original monorail proposal and subsequently forced Metro to use local funding to build the red line.

It's fine.

If you saw my earlier posts, I actually preferred rail being built over BRT. I understand why they had to build it as BRT, but I do agree that we screwed ourselves over any chances of rail on the west side in the next few years

Mono...DOH!

Maybe I shouldn't have said near-future. I was just curious about if they're planing on upgrading some of the brt lines to rail, especially because some of the corridors seem to warrant the ridership for rail. A subway under Westheimer would be interesting.

Did Metro actually say anything about upgrading the brt to light rail in the near future? I heard people say that's partly why they're building brt but I never actually heard Metro say it. The closest I heard them talk about it was when they said they plan on upgrading uptown brt to light rail in the future.

The people who bend over backward for any road projects are the same people who will scream and cry foul if Metro wants to build one mile of light rail.

There's a boost corridor being planned that runs down Broadway. Honestly the good thing about the realignment is that not only is it cheaper, but it also goes through Gulfgate , which could bring in more riders.

Not everyone wants to sit in bumper to bumper traffic for 1 hour just to go 5 miles.

I think they're most likely going to change the alignment of the extensions if they go through with just one. I think they should go with what Ramabhadran said and have the two lines meet up earlier to form one line. Hopefully they use the money from that to fund the other lines. (and judging by the comments they got, I think it's possible, they are considering it after all). (https://ridemetro.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=5&clip_id=1780&meta_id=41291 if you're interested in seeing the presentation) I think it would be a better idea to extend the red line to Pearland, since it would connect the TMC to Pearland (and Pearland really wants to have transit connection to the TMC). I do agree with you on a potential Green Line though.

I doubt Southwest will fly there, given their record of airports like these. I think smaller airlines, and maybe Allegiant, will fly there instead.

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/transportation/article/Richmond-rail-ban-removed-from-federal-spending-13620859.php?utm_campaign=CMS Sharing Tools (Premium)&utm_source=reddit.com&utm_medium=referral

It's privately funded https://www.texascentral.com/facts/