METRORail University Line

[AftonAg]

I stand by what is posted on the petition-NOT this forum, you old "fart" [your word; not mine].

Besides, Red called me a slut in post 37 and it cut me to the bone!!!

Do me a favor then and give me a link to this petition, I would like to see it for myself, and not to be overly critical but Red called you an "ignorant slut".

[Highway6]

Do me a favor then and give me a link to this petition, I would like to see it for myself, and not to be overly critical but Red called you an "ignorant slut".

He did give you the link in post #1920 !!! Follow it then click on Signatures.

Numnuts !!

[nmainguy]

Do me a favor then and give me a link to this petition, I would like to see it for myself, and not to be overly critical but Red called you an "ignorant slut".

I listed it in post 1920 and you quoted it back to me in post 1922.

Pay attention.

[nmainguy]

http://www.richmondrail.org/blogs/?page_id=20 puts the AO crowd in perspective.

[KinkaidAlum]

Potentially great news for the light rail.

DeLay is gone and replaced by Lampson. The entire House is in Democratic control and liberal types who support things like public transportation and clean air initiatives are going to be taking over leadership positions. Not surprisingly though, Culberson won or else the night would have been perfect for the rail supporters.

Locally, Wong got the boot. Yippee. She was another potential obstructionist. Ellen Cohen will certainly push for the Richmond line.

Now, I'll cross my fingers and pray for Montana and Virginia to fall into Democratic hands and maybe we'll start slashing Iraq funding and putting that pork back into things like light rail!

[bachanon]

let's not slash the budget for iraq until we get everyone home, please.

[CDeb]

Potentially great news for the light rail.

DeLay is gone and replaced by Lampson. The entire House is in Democratic control and liberal types who support things like public transportation and clean air initiatives are going to be taking over leadership positions. Not surprisingly though, Culberson won or else the night would have been perfect for the rail supporters.

Locally, Wong got the boot. Yippee. She was another potential obstructionist. Ellen Cohen will certainly push for the Richmond line.

Now, I'll cross my fingers and pray for Montana and Virginia to fall into Democratic hands and maybe we'll start slashing Iraq funding and putting that pork back into things like light rail!

My opinion:

It doesn't matter so much which party is in control, or how much power Culberson has. He's going to be the only local guy on the committee (is this correct?), and if the local guy says, "Don't fund this project in my district," then the other folks sure as hell aren't going to say, "The hell with our projects, we're funding yours, pal."

[mrfootball]

The Metro people need to focus on bringing projects that people want, and make their plans clear to the voters (something they didn't do with regards to the Richmond line).

People want commuter rail. The ridership is there. Quit farting around with running trains through residential neighborhoods and busy city streets and start building rail lines down the freeways.

NMainGuy are you a bus driver or something?

[musicman]

NMainGuy are you a bus driver or something?

no he di'int

[sevfiv]

Quit farting around with running trains through residential neighborhoods and busy city streets and start building rail lines down the freeways.

while i agree metro needs to be clear (and concise, perhaps?), busy city streets have much ridership.

i guess i find it odd that the small amount of residents that oppose rail would rather have a multitude of stinky buses rather than rail (of course, i know many are only thinking in the short term, anyhow).

[musicman]

while i agree metro needs to be clear (and concise, perhaps?), busy city streets have much ridership.

i guess i find it odd that the small amount of residents that oppose rail would rather have a multitude of stinky buses rather than rail (of course, i know many are only thinking in the short term, anyhow).

if the light rail made a noticeable difference, everyone would be on the bandwagon. unfortunately at this point the bandwagon is still in the barn.

[JJxvi]

Quit farting around with running trains through residential neighborhoods and busy city streets and start building rail lines down the freeways.

You build a rail system from the inside out. Especially a city like Houston. What are people riding commuter rail going to do once they are in town? This city has people working downtown, greenway, uptown, the energy corridor, and everywhere in between. Commuter rail would be a dismal failure if you just built rail lines into town and expect people to hop on busses or whatever o get around once they are there. Suburbanites arent going to do that.

Plus, in my opinion, any kind of transportation to the suburbs is idiotic on its face anyway.

1)People in the suburbs are car dependent, simply because suburbs are car dependent.

2)The best way to alleviate traffic from the burbs to the city, is not by increasing transportation capacity to those suburbs. Think about it...if I make I-10 a superhighway from downtown through katy, thus decreasing traffic and making everyone have lovely commutes in...what is the ultimate effect? The effect is that developers will see those commute times and light traffic and develop even further out until the superhighway is just as congested as it was before. What needs to be done is have high capacity transit options INSIDE the city, which will focus developers on increasing density, which will alleviate highway congestion by stopping suburban expansion relieveing the highway burden.

[sevfiv]

if the light rail made a noticeable difference, everyone would be on the bandwagon. unfortunately at this point the bandwagon is still in the barn.

well, it sure doesn't help that the current -extremely- short line runs down one corridor

also doesn't help when most of the opposition *seems* to come from non-public-transportation-riding folks

[musicman]

also doesn't help when most of the opposition *seems* to come from non-public-transportation-riding folks

ironically many of the proponents are also non-public-transportation-riding folks

[sevfiv]

ironically many of the proponents are also non-public-transportation-riding folks

i guess we can see whose shouts are heard

[RedScare]

ironically many of the proponents are also non-public-transportation-riding folks

Touche.

[TheNiche]

You build a rail system from the inside out. Especially a city like Houston. What are people riding commuter rail going to do once they are in town? This city has people working downtown, greenway, uptown, the energy corridor, and everywhere in between. Commuter rail would be a dismal failure if you just built rail lines into town and expect people to hop on busses or whatever o get around once they are there. Suburbanites arent going to do that.

Plus, in my opinion, any kind of transportation to the suburbs is idiotic on its face anyway.

1)People in the suburbs are car dependent, simply because suburbs are car dependent.

2)The best way to alleviate traffic from the burbs to the city, is not by increasing transportation capacity to those suburbs. Think about it...if I make I-10 a superhighway from downtown through katy, thus decreasing traffic and making everyone have lovely commutes in...what is the ultimate effect? The effect is that developers will see those commute times and light traffic and develop even further out until the superhighway is just as congested as it was before. What needs to be done is have high capacity transit options INSIDE the city, which will focus developers on increasing density, which will alleviate highway congestion by stopping suburban expansion relieveing the highway burden.

1) False. There is no such thing as car dependency. There is only a lack of better options...although frankly, the HOV and Park & Ride system is by far the most efficient congestion-relieving program offered by METRO.

2) Development on cheap land is not a bad thing. Keep the freeways clogged and you force people to pay higher housing prices for land that is in more demand in the inner city. The cost of a freeway is very immediate and is easy to observe, but the cost of density is high as well...especially with respect to the poor. Congestion between the suburbs and employment centers also creates a long-term movement of jobs toward where skilled and professional labor lives and where there is cheap land--the suburbs.

[nmainguy]

Potentially great news for the light rail.

DeLay is gone and replaced by Lampson. The entire House is in Democratic control and liberal types who support things like public transportation and clean air initiatives are going to be taking over leadership positions. Not surprisingly though, Culberson won or else the night would have been perfect for the rail supporters.

Locally, Wong got the boot. Yippee. She was another potential obstructionist. Ellen Cohen will certainly push for the Richmond line.

Now, I'll cross my fingers and pray for Montana and Virginia to fall into Democratic hands and maybe we'll start slashing Iraq funding and putting that pork back into things like light rail!

I agree this is a positive move in so many ways. Culberson was always going to win but now that he's relegated to the back of the bench, perhaps that will take some steam out of those who wish to over-turn the referendum. As for Wong...well she was just wrong and now shes gone. Yea for that.

Now we wait.

[ssullivan]

I see yesterday's election results as nothing but good for Metro. And how do we know Culberson will still be on that particular House transportation committee? At least now he has far less ability to hold mass transit in Houston hostage.

Hopefully it won't be too long before we see an announcement from Metro with a final proposed routing for the University Line that keeps the trains running where they have a purpose, as opposed to sticking them on Westpark where they are rendered virtually useless for most riders.

[ricco67]

Well, the thing is that we need to find some way to put a little pressure on him.

Remind him that he's next?

[TheNiche]

Well, the thing is that we need to find some way to put a little pressure on him.

Remind him that he's next?

But he's not. He just got reelected by a fairly wide margin.

[nmainguy]

Well, the thing is that we need to find some way to put a little pressure on him.

Remind him that he's next?

Well, some legitimate pressure may be in line. For the last 12 years the Republicans have run rough-shod over the traditions of the House and Senate. They ceased allowing legislation to be introduced by the minority. Their leadership has campaigned against their opponents on their own turf at election time and has arbitrarily refused requests for committe memberships. I hope Speaker Pelosi will keep her word and return to the give and take traditions that used to define political conduct in the House. Otherwise they will be seen to be no better than the ill-mannerd, mean-spirited and arrogant DeLay Congress that was smacked down yesterday.

[ricco67]

While culberson DID win the election, it wasn't by the margin he was hoping for.

Some pressure can be put on him but it may have to be indirectly.

As much as I can't stand Pelosi, I'm sure she will be glad to do a little arm twisting.

[nmainguy]

While culberson DID win the election, it wasn't by the margin he was hoping for.

Some pressure can be put on him but it may have to be indirectly.

As much as I can't stand Pelosi, I'm sure she will be glad to do a little arm twisting.

As a side note, Culberson's margin of victory is irrelevant. He is now in the minority.

My question-which may be worthy of a new thread-is, what has Pelosi done that garners such contempt?

But I don't want to hijack this important thread. I'm just posing a serious question that may be better served if you would create a new thread.

[ssullivan]

My question-which may be worthy of a new thread-is, what has Pelosi done that garners such contempt?

Nothing that I know of, other than the fact that she's from San Francisco, supports things like equal rights, raising the minimum wage, expanding health coverage, etc. You know, the stuff that makes ultra-conservatives so upset. And for that she was made the poster child of liberalism that the Republicans and religious righters could throw darts at.

For the last 12 years the Republicans have run rough-shod over the traditions of the House and Senate. They ceased allowing legislation to be introduced by the minority. Their leadership has campaigned against their opponents on their own turf at election time and has arbitrarily refused requests for committe memberships. I hope Speaker Pelosi will keep her word and return to the give and take traditions that used to define political conduct in the House. Otherwise they will be seen to be no better than the ill-mannerd, mean-spirited and arrogant DeLay Congress that was smacked down yesterday.

Well said! I'm sick of the crap that has gone on in our government for so long, and this "you're either with us or you're against us" mentality that has prevailed for far too long. Truth is, neither party has a monopoly on what's right for the country. It takes a balance of both sides. But this business of not allowing the minority to even have a voice is nothing but childish bullying.

Now that the balance of power has shifted, let's hope the Democrats stick to their word to bring civility, respect, and cooperation back to Congress.

[nmainguy]

Nothing that I know of, other than the fact that she's from San Francisco, supports things like equal rights, raising the minimum wage, expanding health coverage, etc. You know, the stuff that makes ultra-conservatives so upset. And for that she was made the poster child of liberalism that the Republicans and religious righters could throw darts at.

Agreed. But this discussion really belongs in a new thread. Since Ricco brought it up, I'd really like to see him open it up in a new thread. I'll be glad to contribute.

[TheNiche]

As a side note, Culberson's margin of victory is irrelevant. He is now in the minority.

False. What matters to Culberson is that he is a representative to the House. Being in the majority was just a cherry on top, nothing more or less.

[dbigtex56]

1) False. There is no such thing as car dependency. There is only a lack of better options...

You're joking, right? If there's a "lack of better options", what remains is car dependency. These sprawling suburban developments would be nearly impossible to retrofit with any sort of practical local mass transit. And because shopping, employment centers, schools, etc. are so far flung, options such as walking, bicycling, pogo stick or rickshaw are unlikely to meet transportation needs.

Until such a time as teleportation becomes practical, car dependency is, unfortunately, a fact of life for all too many people.

[TheNiche]

You're joking, right? If there's a "lack of better options", what remains is car dependency.

Isn't that essentially what I said? I then went on to provide an example of wildly successful suburban mass transit services.

[dbigtex56]

Isn't that essentially what I said? I then went on to provide an example of wildly successful suburban mass transit services.

What you said was "There is no such thing as car dependency."

You then mentioned Park and Ride and HOV lanes - transportation geared to commuters, and both of which are dependent on cars. I maintain that it would require radical measures to allow most suburban developments to be livable without automobiles. Until such time, car dependency is a reality for many people, which is (IMHO) very unfortunate.