scarface

Yeah, the historic Rice Hotel would look so much better with a giant, neon, Chipotle sign hanging 30 feet off the side of the building. Downtown would be so much more awesome! I'd drive 10 miles and pass 36 other Chipotles just to eat at that one...

Look, you guys don't have to agree with me and nobody is saying that these signs need to be giant. Your sarcasm is funny, but it still doesn't change the fact that people are attracted to lit up areas, especially at night. I've been saying this for the last 7 1/2 years I've been on this forum. The developers of the Houston Pavilions even wanted to hang more lit up signs when it first was developed to fill pedestrian voids.  Since downtown is so spread out, it would definitely help connect designated areas.

I've posted a few pictures of downtown New Orleans/Bourbon Street to show how it can add to the vibrancy.

Now compare that to downtown Houston's drab signage. YAWWNNN!!!!

Hopefully they do a total metro system and forget about light rail altogether

What do you mean by that?

I don't like the sound of this idea already.

I also let them know of my disapproval of the sign ordinance.

I also let them know of my disapproval of the sign ordinance.

You know what?You're reeal funny. LOL

I don't know how those sentences got double posted in my post. I didn't realize this until after it was too late to edit.

What sign ordinance are you referring to?

The retarded sign ordinance that doesn't allow business to hang signs above so many feet. And the one that that doesn't allow lit up signs on businss. I forget that Chipoltle is downtown. No signs except a hanging wooded sign in the front.

I just took the survey.

And boy did i let them know that I think the sign ordinance hinders downtown from feeling like a vibrant area. Not to mention, the poor lighting.

I just took the survey.

And boy did i let them know that I think the sign ordinance hinders downtown from feeling like a vibrant area. Not to mention, the poor lighting.

They should keep the University Line down Richmond, then jump the 59 as planned, then subway the line under WestPark. Since Westpark is the least congested between Westheimer and Westpark, this would be perfect. They basically did the same when they trenched the WestPark tollway over there just east of 59 and westpark Drive. They can subway under Westpark

If they delay this line, they should not make the same at-grade system they did with the Red Line. Just think, if there were so many accidents in the beginning in the area off Main, think about what will happen if we put a line in an area with 10X the amount of traffic. Let's learn from the past!

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Both have been active and upward for more than a few years now, and this stretch of land between these two areas is going to change quickly.

Let's hope so.

I doubt that anything I wrote answered any of Slick's questions. However, I am amused that my simple suggestion that METRO look to connect downtown and the Galleria by way of a planned, but future, route that is far less contentious was so roundly attacked. You'd have thought I was proposing bus service or something.

I didn't attack the idea, I just said it's not being considered. There was talk a while ago about a trolley running down Washington. I wonder what happened with that?

But I guess the University Line is in the same boat as your idea since its death on November 6. It's just the thought of having to start all over again with a new feasibility study, new routes, new possible oppostion, etc. It seems it will take another 20 years.

I wish they would just put rail alongside the Katy Freeway like how they did in Denver alongside I-25. But i think they killed that possibility early on after the Katy freeway project was completed,

Yes, they reopened there a while ago - was at Brewey Tap a couple nights ago and people where in and out of there

I missed that announcement. I had been waiting on the re-opening since they closed 2.5 years ago. Last i heard, they were considering a Pearland location.

Who cares? When progress is stymied in one area, move to another. Would you prefer they do nothing at all simply because some people think the ULine is important, or would you prefer progress overall until the political climate changes?

Your quesion can be answered in several ways. Take the east end, southeast, and the Red rail lines expansion. Yes, I'm extremely happy that they are moving forward with something. I wasn't aware they were as far ahead on the Redline as they were. They even have a segment of it elevated. But it still doesn't change the fact that these areas of town are not exactly integral parts of town with real points of interest. I would've much rather seen the University Line built out and connecting vital sections. That would've been better at connecting the city as a whole.

Your idea of studying other routes would be great, only if it was actually being brought to the table.

I was sad to see Redcat go away. That building is so nifty.

I was passing through downtown today. Did Redcat re-open off Franklin over there by where Pink Monkey used to be? I never heard of them opening.

I tried to go in but it was locked. I couldn't tell if they were in the process of re-opening or if they were just closed outside of regular business hours.

It is a lot of the first two, and a little bit of the third.

Eventually, it will get done.

Yeah but after how long?

Nope. That's an absolutely ridiculous theory.

You can attack me all you want, but that's all it was.... a theory.

But even reading the clip you included, it is still misleading. It says "related projects". An average citizen like myself would think that metrorail is a related project because it involves road and infrastructure. So i stand by my assessment, The ballot language was not clear and it was very misleading.

It did not.

I remember lightrail expansion being mentioned in the ballot that I voted for in the early elections. So, maybe they put out 2 separate ballots. It sure wouldn't surprise me.

No, because I read the question and found it perfectly straightforward. It specifically describes that an Agree vote means continued dedication of Metro taxes to road work.

I disagree.

The question also mentioned lightrail at the end and it did not say or indicate anything about cutting funding to lightrail. "Roadwork" could have been interpreted many ways to voters. It could have meant all road activity; streets, buses, including lightrail since lightrail does infact run on the roads.

So, i can respect you defending the ballot, but I will maiintain that it was misleading. It shouldn't be an algebra question when voters are trying to decide what to do for their city.

First, demonstrate that a significant percentage of people were fooled by the wording. I found it perfectly straightforward. We lost. Houstonians want transit dollars diverted to roads.

See link: isn't this demonstration enough?

http://blog.chron.co...end-light-rail/

But it doesn't. METRO can still use funds in its existing budget to build rail, and money is fungible. Furthermore, we're just a federal grant away from continuing at any time.

but it will take at least a decade or longer before we are in the running for another federal grant.

Thanks Niche and James for your suggestions. So I'm going to have to go to a different entity.

Why did Houston re-elect her again especially after the lie she sold us on the drainiage fee? It clearly said in the ballot that it would be $5.00 and then later tried to base it off impervious land area and everything. Then she tried to slightly go back and adjust it, but it still wasn't to what voters voted for. I can't wait for her term to be up. But knowing Houston, we're going to elect another schmuck that is not interested in investing in this city's future and doing things the same way we did in the past.

I encourage everyone who supports lightrail and the future of this city's progress to do follow suit. Please take the time to write a letters to both the city officials and the District Attorney and the Texas Office of Attorney General as Niche suggested. I think they can be reached by email but here are the websites. I'll try to narrow it down to specific email addresses when I can get a little more time.

http://app.dao.hctx.net/OurOffice/Contacts.aspx

https://www.oag.state.tx.us/

I just started the letter I'm going to foward to the Mayor and Mr. Garcia. Tell me what you think. Let me know if anything can be added or taken out. Thanks

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing this letter to express my disdain of the recent ballot language that was used regarding light rail for the City of Houston.

As a resident of Houston, I am extremely disappointed by how this matter was conducted. I feel the language in the ballot was fixed in a matter to where we thought we were supporting light rail, but really it was intended for a different outcome. I voted “For” thinking that I was supporting light rail expansion for the City of Houston. I did not learn that the vote “For” really was voting against it until after I submitted my vote.

I am requesting that the City of Houston considers a revote for the issue regarding light rail expansion using language that is clearer to voters. Many of our concerned citizens feel like we were duped in to making a selection that was entirely opposite from what we intended. Light rail is an integral component of this city’s future and progress. The longer we wait to expand the rail plans, the more costly it will be later on down the road. I ask that you please review this and respond back to me as soon as you can. Thank you and have a nice day.

I'm starting this topic because i am extremely disappointed on the underhanded politics that went in to killing lightrail for this city. This city has been back and forth before on the issue of lightrail and now that we've begun progress, we're moving backwards again.

I'm thinking of starting a petition to allow us to revote using different language. I am in the process of researching how to start one and maybe it could start here. I think its only fair because of how voters were duped in to thinking they were for the lightrail when really a "For" really meant against it.

I voted "For" rail when early voting took place. I didn't see articles about the confusion of wording until after I had already voted. I'm betting that millions of other people didn't see it at all.

LargeTX might be able to help me with this one because i think he's good with this stuff.

man. i wish more areas in Houston could look like this.

Looks bigger than Discovery Green.

Let's hope they don't let weeds start growing all out of control like Disco Green has.

Los Angeles was hemmed in by mountains and the sea; our barriers are trivial by comparison.

That's part of what I'm afraid of. Wouldn't that be a factor as to why Houston could continue to grow outward? I think and hope you're right about Houston growing upward. It needs more of that.

But there's something about Los Angeles. Did it actually achieve greatness, or was it merely the intersection of geography and climate that thrust greatness upon it? Perhaps there is nothing we can do but to sit back, enjoy a beer, and watch.

Point well taken.

But couldn't the same be said about most great areas in the country?

Example (figuratively speaking) Los Angeles and the weather? Houston and the oil?

I see all the points about the competition nearby, but i'm not sure about the reasoning for wanting to drop the retail?

I mean, isn't that what we want? Multi-use/Mixed use developments with retail? If there's no retail, then its bland.

I agree that Houston seems to be headed in the same direction as Los Angeles. But Los Angeles has proven itself and is the densest metro in the country. It's not a bad example to use because its a city that has been able to achieve greatness and world status in spite of not having everything inside its downtown. Heck, Los Angeles skyline is really no better than Houston's.

why attack the man for making an observation? There was alot of the vid i agree with. Some of you guys on here are some bullies at best!

Forgive me for asking, but...are you black?

yes niche i am african american. WTF?

what does that have to do with the price of tea in china?