Jump to content

Future Metro rail stop in EaDo near 816 Ennis St


BeerNut

Recommended Posts

With the influx of infrastructure monies made available by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, local neighborhood associations have suggested connecting the two areas over, under, or around the BNSF Milby/UP Commerce yard complex. It could apply under the U.S. DOT's Reconnecting Communities grant, among others: https://www.transportation.gov/grants/reconnecting-communities

Sadly, CoH didn't submit a grant application in the first round of funding. The second round is open, but I my understanding is the city has not yet submitted a funding request. 

 

 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, JClark54 said:

With the influx of infrastructure monies made available by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, local neighborhood associations have suggested connecting the two areas over, under, or around the BNSF Milby/UP Commerce yard complex. It could apply under the U.S. DOT's Reconnecting Communities grant, among others: https://www.transportation.gov/grants/reconnecting-communities

Sadly, CoH didn't submit a grant application in the first round of funding. The second round is open, but I my understanding is the city has not yet submitted a funding request. 

 

 

How can we get them to do that? These are two areas with proximity and individual bents toward walking, biking, micromobility, and transit access, but the barrier is not insubstantial, especially for people on foot. A nice ped/bike V-bridge could really do wonders, if you ask me.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Contact your local representative and request for them to push the city or related governmental entity to apply for grants. It took a lot of residents going to council over the course of nearly eight months, presenting them with media from the federal government about grants that may work to this situation, just to get them to apply for a railroad crossing elimination grant covering proposed York crossing in this year's round of grants, something that's desperately needed.

For close-in east end neighborhoods, you can only cross the Galveston sub (line that runs along Harrisburg heading south) dividing Second Ward and EaDo/Eastwood at Emancipation and Wayside. That's a healthy 3-plus-mile gap between separated crossings. Even then you can still make that sojourn and get stuck by a parked train on the East Belt depending on your end destination, wasting your time altogether. 

The York crossing is approximately 1-plus mile from Emancipation and another 1-plus mile from Wayside, and Sampson/York/Waco/Hirsch is one of the most traveled roadways in the East End, per TxDOT traffic studies last published in 2021. If the feds award the grant monies, it'd a great starting point for improving East End mobility. 

Surveys done in the East End commonly show train blockages are always the number one issue. A recent HGAC survey of its entire coverage area showed train blockages are the third-most important issue, interestingly. That survey is obviously not east end-specific, but it reflects the reality that investments in transportation connectivity around rail in the Houston complex is sorely needed.

 

Edited by JClark54
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

For those who live, work, and play in EaDo, there is a Particpatory Budget Workshop this evening at Shell Stadium (formerly BBVA). It is an open house style so I believe you can come whenever. Linking more details to the event below. 

 

From TIRZ 15: 

"Please join TIRZ 15 on Tuesday, February 28th at any time between 5pm-7:30pm at Shell Energy Stadium (formerly PNC Stadium) for a participatory budgeting exercise.

What's participatory budgeting?

Participatory budgeting is a strategy to prioritize public funds in partnership with the public (YOU!) Each attendee will be given $10 million dollars in (play) money to spend on real projects identified through the TIRZ 15 Mobility Plan. Each project will give you information on the cost, benefits, and anticipated challenges to help you make informed decisions. Following the exercise, the TIRZ 15 Board of Directors will review your preferences for how to spend the money. In other words, you are helping us make real decisions!

The exercise will be relevant to anyone who lives, works, or visits East Downtown. We’ll be promoting the event via email, yard signs, postcards, and social media. Please help us get the word and enhance the democratic process in East Downtown by inviting your friends and neighbors.

As a special treat, attendees will be given a behind-the-scenes tour of Shell Energy (formerly PNC) Stadium!"

East Downtown Participatory Budgeting for Transportation Tickets, Tue, Feb 28, 2023 at 5:00 PM | Eventbrite

East Downtown Participatory Budgeting for Transportation, 28 February | Event in Houston | AllEvents.in

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

A METRORail stop there would be beneficial, surely. Unsure what strings are attached to that $10 million, but I'd rather it be spent on a pedestrian/bike crossing over UP's Congress Yard. Many in EaDo have commented here and on social media that great spots in Second Ward are so close -- literally blocks away -- but so far away due to the yard's presence and CoH's lack of investment in grade separated crossings. 

Chicago has many pedestrian bridges spanning a BNSF yard and vehicular roadways that are wider than UP Congress -- four main lines, six sidings, and the roads compared to UP's two main lines, two sidings, and no roads -- that were built for less than $10 million of local money (federal matches covered the rest).

The BIL has made trillions available for infrastructure projects, and many billions are set aside for re-connecting communities split by highways, railways or similar. The TIRZ is eligible to apply for BIL funding in specific instances, so it's time that Houston and its management district and transportation district partners serving the area begin stitching back together the east end. 

Unknown-1.jpeg.90d2d2b8419f379a99905203c7abde5f.jpeg41st-street-pedestrian-bridge-04-credit-chicago-dot.jpg.165cb65d3a5db23a4f2cb225e5bb8f1f.jpgUnknown.jpeg.0f8ac8f67b091563f8a7335ad8289129.jpeg

Velasco would be a good spot. Short distance and not too close to Emancipation, the only crossing in the area. Would also permit the Columbia Tap to be connected with the Harrisburg Trail, another popular but isolated path, were it to be extended as was once discussed. 

It would also connect well with the forthcoming Concept Neighborhood developments and Buffalo Bayou East trails. 

image.png.eb8144c7b2639cf122c644fd33c222bc.png

Edited by JClark54
  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The event was very informative. I was surprised to learn a Velasco crossing has been proposed more than once. It did not gain traction, TIRZ members said.

Also learned there is an old underpass connecting EaDo to Second Ward at Preston, which has been filled in. It's likely structurally sound, TIRZ reps said, as locomotives pulling many railcars weighing 40,000 pounds each traverse it daily. Like Velasco, utilizing the Preston underpass has not gained traction with the city, they said. 

Edited by JClark54
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, JClark54 said:

The event was very informative. I was surprised to learn a Velasco crossing has been proposed more than once. It did not gain traction, TIRZ members said.

Also learned there is an old underpass connecting EaDo to Second Ward at Preston, which has been filled in. It's likely structurally sound, TIRZ reps said, as locomotives pulling many railcars weighing 40,000 pounds each traverse it daily. Like Velasco, utilizing the Preston underpass has not gained traction with the city, they said. 

How do we make it gain traction?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tell your elected representatives or appointed board members of TIRZes, management districts, etc., that it interests you. There's grant money available to offset the costs of studying next steps, too. For example, the US DOT just announced recipients of the BIL's Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program, which was developed as a method of stitching together communities separated by rail, highways, etc. $185 million of grant monies were given to 45 applicants. 

Recipients included: 

 

image.png.87dfeff8e572b87e7c37e86063f915f1.png

image.png.1af019a97c489048ddc31c23dd0ef9e0.png

image.png.adfe7634ec7661d609da2cc324d47f6e.png

The barrier to success that I've noticed is actually the city, not the feds. Sylvia Garcia said during public comment at a recent CoH council meeting that she had set aside monies for CoH to study rail blockages in her district, but they never asked for it. She stated her staff alerted the appropriate parties at the city, but no application was ever submitted. 

Edited by JClark54
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...
On 6/3/2023 at 5:23 PM, 004n063 said:

The plaza designs are beautiful! What are the chances of its actually happening?

From Goal Park Twitter:

• “The transit and civic plazas are opportunities that we are in constant conversations with Public Works and Metro. 

We have made great progress, especially on the Metro side of things. We will have some positive news on all of this later this year.”

• “It’s all dependent on funding/fundraising. That will be the bulk of our work for the next 6 months. It’s ambitious, but we are confident we will get it done.”

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...