illusionescape
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I thought we were supposed to be getting snazzy train-lookalike buses like these...
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Looks like there are plans in the works for a 3-mile extension of Spur 5 from its existing terminus just south of UH campus. Extension would take it past I-610 down to Bellfort. Project includes 4 direct connectors between I-610 & Spur 5. Work wouldn’t start until 2025. Route won’t be redesignated as SH 35 until future extensions take it past the Beltway. https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/transportation/article/Long-sought-Alvin-Freeway-could-start-with-Spur-5-13656687.php
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I thought the bus lanes were supposed to feature a strip of grass down the center. Metro’s website shows the renderings/schematics with grass. They even refer to it as a “green guideway”. The photo above looks like it’s solid concrete. https://www.ridemetro.org/Pages/UptownBRT.aspx
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610 West Loop Express Lanes
illusionescape replied to BayouCityMan's topic in Traffic and Transportation
They've posted the schematics and some renderings that were presented at tonight's open house on the website. Clearly this is a flawed design. The express lanes go from 1 lane as it ramps up, to 2 lanes in the middle section, then back to 1 lane as it ramps down. It's going to bottleneck for sure. What a joke. -
610 West Loop Express Lanes
illusionescape replied to BayouCityMan's topic in Traffic and Transportation
I agree that the extent of the project is too short. On the northern terminus, it should at least go past the US 290 interchange. I wonder if there will be entrances/exits between these express lanes & the existing main lanes in between I-10 and I-69 terminus (like the Katy Freeway managed lanes). Or instead it will truly act as a West Loop bypass meaning that once you get on, you ride it the full stretch (like the elevated section of I-35 in Austin). I prefer the latter for better traffic flow. -
Ok, I agree with you on the blocking of sunlight. But I don't agree that it would kill street life or development at grade. Your Pearce Elevated arguement doesn't apply. It's not meant to serve pedestrians, it's for vehicular traffic. If it was, people would be at grade walking underneath it to access stations. I can't speak for the entire Chicago system, but many of the areas I was in had lively activity at grade with coffee shops, restaurants, etc. and this wasn't necessarily right underneath a station but in between them. One reason why Houston is better suited for elevated rail is because of the flooding issue. A subway would be deemed useless during floods. Even the existing at-grade system can only operate in a few inches of water before they shut it down and runs busses instead.
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Visit Chicago then tell me why an elevated rail line would be a nightmare.
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Took the green/purple line this morning to the Thanksgiving Day parade. Got on at EaDo Station and got off at Theatre District Station. Going there wasn't too bad as we left after the parade started. However, coming back was a nightmare. Everyone was trying to walk back to their cars and walking in the streets (and on the rails). Police were yelling at pedestrians to get off the rails. The trains couldn't proceed. It was so slow. I think I could've walked faster than the train was travelling between Theatre District Station and Convention District Station. Once we passed Convention District Station the train sped up to normal speed. I really think METRO blew it with this section within Downtown. This section should be elevated. Yeah I know its a cost issue but I'm just saying.
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Yes, that's my interpretation of it. The two underpasses will intersect below the RR tracks and feature either a traffic light or a stop sign. So if you're travelling on Commerce you could elect to take a left or right onto Navigation and vice versa. The bike paths & sidewalks I am assuming will be featured in the design of the underpasses. So pedestrians and bikers can avoid waiting for trains as well. The current Navigation underpass has no shoulder that I would consider for bikes & pedestrians.
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I don't think this has been discussed yet here on the boards. Since I live in the area, I recently received a flyer in the mail in regards to a project that the Gulf Coast Rail District is proposing. You can read the full details in the attached images, but the highlights include: Reconstructing the Navigation underpass to include an intersection with a new Commerce underpass New railroad underpass on York Converting York and Sampson to 2-way traffic Closing a number of current surface railroad crossings New bike lanes & sidewalks Although not mentioned, since they are creating a RR quiet zone, I would assume that they would be installing tall concrete sound walls like they have along Houston-area freeways (i.e., Katy Freeway, I-610 in Bellaire, etc.) to protect adjacent neighborhoods from the noise. That would make sense since they're closing a number of current RR crossings and making new underpasses. What do you think of the project?
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hey, it says your video is private
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Metro is about to award the $30m contract for the Hughes overpass to McCarthy. The company is being given 18 months to build it with incentives to finish earlier. At some point, Harrisburg (from Caylor to 66th) will need to be closed for 4 months. Traffic will be routed to Navigation. http://blog.chron.com/thehighwayman/2015/01/harrisburg-overpass-construction-pending-along-with-painful-closures/?cmpid=houmhcat
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I read somewhere that this line won't have priority at intersections within downtown. That's gonna suck.
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Board recommended overpass design with rail and one lane of vehicular traffic. Other vehicular lane will be at grade. METRO will negotiate with city council to aide with financials for this design. If by summer nothing has come to fruition, then METRO will proceed with overpass design with only rail (2 vehicular lanes at grade).
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No plans for separate trains running on the east portion according to the Green Line office representative I spoke to. The rails and stations will sit there unused until the bridge is completed.
