N Judah Posted May 3, 2008 Share Posted May 3, 2008 Your first clue should have been the fact that timetables are not posted at every stop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desirous Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 Oh, I heard something about a terminal being planned by UH. I'm not surprised to hear that demolition would be needed at the point of the rail terminus. I wonder about other places along Wheeler, though? I remember watching some townhomes go up just west of Almeda over the past couple of years, and wondering if anyone had thought about the possibility of the city claiming domain. Is the rail likely to fit in the existing lanes, with there still being room for cars?I thought the terminus is the Eastwood Transit Center.Wheeler is a two-lane road at that point. Building rail on the existing lanes wouldn't leave any space at all. I presume the condemned ROW will be used for rail construction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustMefromLA Posted May 5, 2008 Share Posted May 5, 2008 I read somewhere that the U-Line has many more complications, so the preliminary work is going to take longer. I'm sure it is in some preliminary phase now, but the actual ground breaking will come later.Someone from Metro (I forget who) was at the University of Houston not to long ago and mentioned the same thing. The University Line would more than likely start at a later date, but (a huge but), it would finish construction in time to open in 2012. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted May 5, 2008 Share Posted May 5, 2008 Someone from Metro (I forget who) was at the University of Houston not to long ago and mentioned the same thing. The University Line would more than likely start at a later date, but (a huge but), it would finish construction in time to open in 2012....which is METROspeak for "we plan to get a late start, come in overbudget, and will finish behind schedule, but when we do, we'll blame it on that we benchmarked the rail construction schedule to a project in Phoenix where it doesn't rain." ...which is FTAspeak for "we had to lie in order to get approved for Federal funds that otherwise would've only been allocated to better liars." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MetroMogul Posted May 5, 2008 Share Posted May 5, 2008 ...which is METROspeak for "we plan to get a late start, come in overbudget, and will finish behind schedule, but when we do, we'll blame it on that we benchmarked the rail construction schedule to a project in Phoenix where it doesn't rain." ...which is FTAspeak for "we had to lie in order to get approved for Federal funds that otherwise would've only been allocated to better liars."If Metro got the funds, doesn't that make THEM the better liars? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted May 5, 2008 Share Posted May 5, 2008 (edited) If Metro got the funds, doesn't that make THEM the better liars?Isn't that what I said?EDIT: Well that's what I meant, anyway. Edited May 5, 2008 by TheNiche Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N Judah Posted May 5, 2008 Share Posted May 5, 2008 (edited) Ah, the wild world of federal funding. But where would Houston be without them? Edited May 5, 2008 by N Judah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted May 5, 2008 Share Posted May 5, 2008 Ah, the wild world of federal funding. But where would Houston be without them?That depends. By "without them" do you mean a circumstance in which only Houston is excluded from the funds, or a circumstance in which the funds just outright don't exist? Level playing field or no? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N Judah Posted May 5, 2008 Share Posted May 5, 2008 That depends. By "without them" do you mean a circumstance in which only Houston is excluded from the funds, or a circumstance in which the funds just outright don't exist? Level playing field or no?It just seemed that METRO was being vilified for playing the "federal funding for transportation dollars" game (and having the audacity to succeed). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted May 5, 2008 Share Posted May 5, 2008 It just seemed that METRO was being vilified for playing the "federal funding for transportation dollars" game (and having the audacity to succeed).No, that really hasn't been much of a hot button issue. It's mostly that METRO uses the money to worsen our quality of life. That's what annoys me, anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N Judah Posted May 5, 2008 Share Posted May 5, 2008 (edited) "Ours" ? They don't worsen mine. Anyway I am happy with the land values along the Main St line and think ultimately once these other lines are built it will be a development boon in areas that could use it. Edited May 5, 2008 by N Judah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jax Posted May 5, 2008 Share Posted May 5, 2008 Metro hasn't worsened the quality of life of anybody I know either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trae Posted May 5, 2008 Share Posted May 5, 2008 Doesn't TheNiche want everyone to have their own little hybrid vehicle and ride tollways? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 In a hearing about the so-called Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 If water and gas lines under Richmond and other streets need to be moved, Metro would bear the cost. However, when Councilwoman Melissa Noriega asked if Metro plans to improve and beautify sidewalks, Marcotte said that job is likely to fall to management districts, tax increment reinvestment zones and other community organizations.chron article Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 Metro hasn't worsened the quality of life of anybody I know either.METRO has improved my quality of life. I support their efforts to improve it further. Judging by the increases in ALL forms of METRO ridership, there are others who may not see the world through Niche's glasses.Responding to music's post, it would appear that what is being said here is that METRO will replace broken sidewalks with new concrete walks. If the neighborhoods or TIRZ' along the lines want new landscaping and cute pavers, they would need to pony up the cash for those themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HtownWxBoy Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 Now, Metro has agreed to build the new lines in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trae Posted May 14, 2008 Share Posted May 14, 2008 ^^I remember reading that back in October. METRO said they were going to do that then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
citykid09 Posted May 22, 2008 Author Share Posted May 22, 2008 Another stupid move to make this stupid on street rail even stupider: http://www.khou.com/news/local/stories/kho...0cc4e7.html?npcI'm with the anti rail people now, whats the use of having rail like this when you can just ride a bus. Give the people a real mass transit system or don't give them one at all, its a waste of money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jax Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 What's wrong with building the tracks a few blocks at a time rather than shutting down entire streets for months at a time? Sounds like a good idea to me. The traffic light timing issue is kinda funky though. Shouldn't the trains have priority in certain intersections and cars in others? Does anybody know how San Francisco deals with their light rail which is also in the streets and signal timing? It seems to work pretty well there, maybe Houston could learn from them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CDeb Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 The traffic light timing issue is kinda funky though.Given the City of Houston's (lack of) ability in timing signals at the vast majority of their other intersections, this is a scenario with high disaster potential. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wernicke Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 Too bad we can't do subway in the most congested areas... but, alas, it is too expensive. I agree this does take away some of the attraction to light rail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsb320 Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 Too bad we can't do subway in the most congested areas... but, alas, it is too expensive. I agree this does take away some of the attraction to light rail.I remember reading that some components of the Uptown line would be sub-terrainian (is that a word). Anyway, I'm not sure if I read it on the HAIF or a Chron blog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arisegundo Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 Too bad we can't do subway in the most congested areas... but, alas, it is too expensive. I agree this does take away some of the attraction to light rail.Seriously, the damn thing will be no better than an express bus if it has to stop every three blocks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
citykid09 Posted May 22, 2008 Author Share Posted May 22, 2008 Can someone please explain to me how Charlotte was able to build their rail the way it is and Houston a larger city can't? Does the Government not like Houston? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 Can someone please explain to me how Charlotte was able to build their rail the way it is and Houston a larger city can't? Does the Government not like Houston?They didn't have opponants like Delay or Culberson stepping in the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 Metro hasn't worsened the quality of life of anybody I know either.You know me. It has worsened my quality of life. Therefore, the above is false.And when I say "our", I mean "society" and "on the whole." In no way do I mean to imply that every single person is hurt by METRO rail...only most people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsb320 Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 They didn't have opponants like Delay or Culberson stepping in the way.Well, they're both gone now, right? May we please proceed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CDeb Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 Well, they're both gone now, right?Last time I checked, Culberson was still my Congressman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
citykid09 Posted May 22, 2008 Author Share Posted May 22, 2008 Last time I checked, Culberson was still my Congressman.See what happens when you don't vote people you get stuck with sorry people who are aginst progression. I wonder if the gas prices will change peoples mind on rail. Houston doesn't need a light rail system like the Main street line, Houston needs one like the one in Charlotte or a real hevey rail transit system. Either way, the rail should not run on the streets, and should be faster than riding a bus on a street, because thats basically what they have, a guided bus on a street. Build it right or don't build it at all. The way that METRO is proposing this thing does not make it a true city rail, it makes it nothing more than a trolley on a street. Take a look at these:http://web.presby.edu/~jtbell/transit/Charlotte/LightRail/You can also see other cities rail lines on that site Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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