Metro Gets Money

[jt16]

Bill for funding puts millions on road to Houston

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/m...politan/3288783

Metro stands to receive $1 billion over a decade

Agency praises Congress' cooperation on transit bill

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/front/3288773

For all the Delay haters out there.

[Sunstar]

"Metro would construct railbeds but initially operate train-like buses on them until ridership increases enough to justify a shift to rail"

I can't figure out if this means that they will actually lay track. The term railbed sounds purposefully vague. I sincerely hope the answer is yes, as it will make the possibility of switching to rail in the future more likely.

[YakuzaIce]

I can't figure out if this means that they will actually lay track. The term railbed sounds purposefully vague. I sincerely hope the answer is yes, as it will make the possibility of switching to rail in the future more likely.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes they are laying track and paving over it, the way it will be done was explained more clearly when the annoncement of the new plan came out. The only thing not being built yet are the overhead wires for the BRT routes.

[Sunstar]

Yes they are laying track and paving over it, the way it will be done was explained more clearly when the annoncement of the new plan came out.  The only thing not being built yet are the overhead wires for the BRT routes.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

ok, good to know. I remember that from the original announcement, but then heard later on that it was still up in the air. I've also heard that there was a possibility of the east-west line starting out as a BRT line, but I'm hoping that has been dismissed.

[ssullivan]

Everything that's been published in the Chronicle and the METRO website has said the east/west (Westpark) line will be light rail from the start. It needs to be, as I think it will have very heavy ridership from the very start, connecting two major universities, a lot of diverse neighborhoods, Greenway, and Uptown/Galleria all together, and connecting to the Red Line. This line will put a lot of people who live in the Third Ward and neighborhoods west of Midtown within range of being able to ride the rail system to work in four of the city's major employment centers.

[GovernorAggie]

Well I'd like to think that we at Lakewood just gave the University Line ridership projections a nice shot in the arm

[ssullivan]

Well I'd like to think that we at Lakewood just gave the University Line ridership projections a nice shot in the arm

They probably did.

Speaking of rail ridership, this morning I had my second consecutive day of commuting downtown on MetroRail. At TMC Transit Center, where I transfer from bus to rail, a two-car northbound train pulled up. There were at least 150 people on the platform waiting to get on, and the train was already near capacity. A few got off, more got on, and finally the operator had to announce that the remaining passengers would have to wait for the next train. This one was well beyond capacity -- it was almost hard to believe I was actually in Houston. By the time we had cleared the Medical Center and were entering Hermann Park it was less crowded and I was able to get a seat, but damn, everyone who still bitches about seeing empty trains on the streets needs to come try riding through the Med Center during rush hour. The system is already being stretched beyond its current capacity and if this continues Metro is going to have to look at reviving the original plan to run Med Center shuttle trains between the regular trains going all the way to downtown, which would give the Med Center three-minute frequencies between trains. Either that, or a way needs to be found to add a third car to trains in the Med Center. I will say that those are nice problems to be having if you're a supporter of rail transit in Houston.

[YakuzaIce]

So I guess they were using the double car setup. Though it is always good to hear it is being used. I believe frequency is once every six minutes right? I know a few months ago there was talk of metro getting money for repairs and new LRT vehicles. So is it possible to increase frequency to once every 3 or 4 minutes.

[H-Town Man]

They say that money has been "appropriated" to Metro, but then they say that Metro has "not been guaranteed a single dollar." They also say that the East/West University line "has not been approved." How many more hurdles does this thing have to go through? When will construction begin?

[The Great Hizzy!]

I agree ^^^.

[musicman]

They probably did.

Speaking of rail ridership, this morning I had my second consecutive day of commuting downtown on MetroRail. At TMC Transit Center, where I transfer from bus to rail, a two-car northbound train pulled up. There were at least 150 people on the platform waiting to get on, and the train was already near capacity. A few got off, more got on, and finally the operator had to announce that the remaining passengers would have to wait for the next train. This one was well beyond capacity -- it was almost hard to believe I was actually in Houston. By the time we had cleared the Medical Center and were entering Hermann Park it was less crowded and I was able to get a seat, but damn, everyone who still bitches about seeing empty trains on the streets needs to come try riding through the Med Center during rush hour. The system is already being stretched beyond its current capacity and if this continues Metro is going to have to look at reviving the original plan to run Med Center shuttle trains between the regular trains going all the way to downtown, which would give the Med Center three-minute frequencies between trains. Either that, or a way needs to be found to add a third car to trains in the Med Center. I will say that those are nice problems to be having if you're a supporter of rail transit in Houston.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

ridership is higher cause METRO eliminated the old route that circulated through the med center which results in more people being forced to use the train.

[kjb434]

^^

And that is called good planning. It keeps there ridership numbers and cuts costs too.

[musicman]

^^

And that is called good planning.  It keeps there ridership numbers and cuts costs too.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And causes people to wait longer.

[skwatra]

They say that money has been "appropriated" to Metro, but then they say that Metro has "not been guaranteed a single dollar."  They also say that the East/West University line "has not been approved."  How many more hurdles does this thing have to go through?  When will construction begin?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

the way i read it: metro gets federal money to match what they already spent on the original line. they're still not gauranteed the full amount they're going for.

as for the univ line, its just at the first stages of proposals, they haven't even laid out a route yet. there are many phases to go...

[ssullivan]

ridership is higher cause METRO eliminated the old route that circulated through the med center which results in more people being forced to use the train.

Well, yes and no. There are still four Metro routes that circulate through the Medical Center -- the TMC Trolley, and the Red, White, and Blue TMC Shuttles. The TMC is still well served by Metro buses within the campus, so it's not just a case of eliminated buses forcing people onto rail. Even the giant Smithlands lot doesn't require taking the train to get into the TMC campus, as Metro runs buses to it as well. And many of those buses run just as frequently during peak times as the train does.

[ssullivan]

So I guess they were using the double car setup.  Though it is always good to hear it is being used.  I believe frequency is once every six minutes right?  I know a few months ago there was talk of metro getting money for repairs and new LRT vehicles.  So is it possible to increase frequency to once every 3 or 4 minutes.

Weekday frequency is every six minutes. Two-car trains are being used, but right now Metro doesn't have enough LRVs to run all trains with a two-car setup. I've read that the current system could potentially go to a frequency of every three minutes if needed. The original plans did call for TMC shuttle trains between Smithlands and Memorial Hermann/Houston Zoo, but that idea was dropped after service started because of the level of accidents, and delays that often occur in that area due to cars in the left turn lane blocking a train while waiting for a left turn signal.

[skwatra]

more details on federal funding:

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/m...politan/3297285

[kjb434]

The TMC area just shows how rail is very benificial withing a tight urban area. Everytime I talk to someone who works in the TMC they always say how the train has made things better. Eventhough it gets a little crowded, it better than before the trains were there.

Good article skwatra. I'd much rather Houston go through the process right. It'll prevent people later from accusing us of anything wrong.