METRORail Purple Line

[Pleak]

Perhaps some form of uprising will get the attention of the elected buffoons?

Nah - it would never work. Too much entrenched power in the status quo. Plus any semi-successful movement would be co-opted by the powers that be.

Although a good ol' tar and feathering would be entertaining.

[mfastx]

Wasn't METRO's sales tax approved by voters? If that's the case, then taking 25% of that isn't what voters wanted, is it? Although it's obvious that the city of Houston has the right to take away METRO's money, that doesn't mean they should. If the city needs more money, don't take it away from a source that's been approved by voters. Just create a new tax and have citizens vote on that.

[LTAWACS]

Wasn't METRO's sales tax approved by voters? If that's the case, then taking 25% of that isn't what voters wanted, is it? Although it's obvious that the city of Houston has the right to take away METRO's money, that doesn't mean they should. If the city needs more money, don't take it away from a source that's been approved by voters. Just create a new tax and have citizens vote on that.

To do so would make the council look like even bigger buffoons than what they appear to be now.

[TheNiche]

Wasn't METRO's sales tax approved by voters? If that's the case, then taking 25% of that isn't what voters wanted, is it? Although it's obvious that the city of Houston has the right to take away METRO's money, that doesn't mean they should. If the city needs more money, don't take it away from a source that's been approved by voters. Just create a new tax and have citizens vote on that.

Yep, I think so, but Pleak nailed it. The issue with shifting funds between agencies is so endemic throughout the state that voters can never be completely sure that what they've voted to allow their money to be used for is what their money will actually be used for. Major reforms are needed to encourage inter-agency financial transparency, but 'big government' 'tax-and-spend' Republicans like Rick Perry would never allow it.

This is also why I opposed the City's drainage fee. It's basically just a pass-through mechanism to maintain the status quo while funding unsexy pension obligations...without officials having to pass a property tax increase.

[samagon]

Yep, I think so, but Pleak nailed it. The issue with shifting funds between agencies is so endemic throughout the state that voters can never be completely sure that what they've voted to allow their money to be used for is what their money will actually be used for. Major reforms are needed to encourage inter-agency financial transparency, but 'big government' 'tax-and-spend' Republicans like Rick Perry would never allow it.

This is also why I opposed the City's drainage fee. It's basically just a pass-through mechanism to maintain the status quo while funding unsexy pension obligations...without officials having to pass a property tax increase.

and the worst part of the whole 'drainage fee' is it's not a tax, so I can't deduct from income tax

[LTAWACS]

Just don't pay it. Or pay a reduced amount.

[WestGrayGuy]

Question regarding the Southeast and East End Line.... Both terminate at Smith St downtown. Will these eventually be extended? And, if so, where? I can not find any info on master plans anywhere.

Thanks!

[TheNiche]

Although there was some discussion long ago regarding the opportunity to extend from the Smith Street station to the Northwest Transit Center, those plans were revised away. It may happen in the distant future, but not on any sort of time horizon for which you should consider it as being impactful.

[samagon]

expect the westward expansion of this line to be happening around phase 23, which should be around year 2178.

[WestGrayGuy]

I was thinking this would be an ideal line to run down Washington Avenue. Oh well.

[JamesL]

http://www.ridemetro.org/METROVision/PDFs/InnerKaty_Screenline-111910.pdf

[urban909]

I was thinking this would be an ideal line to run down Washington Avenue. Oh well.

You might find this interesting:

http://www.sn22.org/...Pres_042710.pdf

[WestGrayGuy]

You might find this interesting:

http://www.sn22.org/...Pres_042710.pdf

Yes. Quite interesting. Like the trench idea and bringing back streetcars.

[samagon]

http://www.ridemetro...line-111910.pdf

that poor yale bridge will eventually have to support light rail in addition to 18 wheelers?

[JJxvi]

Heh. I'm not sure that alignment is feasible with the highway improvements, but I'm sure they would have used the railroad trestle bridge just West of the "yale deathtrap bridge" to cross the bayou there.

[RedScare]

that poor yale bridge will eventually have to support light rail in addition to 18 wheelers?

School buses full of children plunging into a ravine...bad

Streetcars full of hip pedestrians shopping at locally owned stores plunging into a ravine...not bad.

Apparently.

[woolie]

You might find this interesting: http://www.sn22.org/...Pres_042710.pdf

railporn.... ahhh....

[ricco67]

for the two of you interested in the purple line, here is the newest video.

[mfastx]

Very cool to see the progress. Huge construction projects are so fun to follow, lol.

Appreciate you taking the time to shoot and upload this.

[sevfiv]

Neat - thanks for making and posting the video(s)!

[asubrt]

Good news, it looks like UH and Metro watched your video and realized they were being silly and decided to resolve their disagreement.

http://www.chron.com...ute-3751395.php

Construction of a light-rail line that would cross University of Houston property can continue now that UH and Metro officials settled differences that threatened to delay the project.

Under the deal, the routes and stops will not change, but Metro has agreed to provide an alternative access road to ease potential problems along Wheeler.

[mfastx]

Good to hear. That whole thing was so silly anyway.

[IHB2]

Good to hear. That whole thing was so silly anyway.

"Metro has agreed to provide an alternative access road to ease potential problems along Wheeler."

Designed and construction underway and it took UH to inform METRO there would be mobility problems along Wheeler with the design?

I guess building "an alternative access road" won't torpedo the budget so METRO can keep its PR dept fully staffed.

[mfastx]

"Metro has agreed to provide an alternative access road to ease potential problems along Wheeler."

Designed and construction underway and it took UH to inform METRO there would be mobility problems along Wheeler with the design?

I guess building "an alternative access road" won't torpedo the budget so METRO can keep its PR dept fully staffed.

If UH thought there would be "mobility problems" then they had years to determine that and negotiate with METRO. I remember looking at engineering drawings of the line around UH years before construction started.

And I thought that UH didn't want this because of a loss of parking spaces? So now all of the sudden they're okay with losing those parking spaces now that they have an extra driveway? Seems weird.

[samagon]

so long as the kids can get in and start looking for parking, that's the important thing, if they spend all their time trying to get in the entrance, that's no bueno.

isn't the university taking steps to try and have more kids live on campus anyway, thus negating their need for vehicular transportation?

[Houston19514]

It seems fair to credit (blame) UH for this problem at least as much as Metro. Metro worked with UH for years on the station placement, etc., and as mentioned above, the plans have been out there for all to see for years.

[TheNiche]

Good to hear. That whole thing was so silly anyway.

It was silly that METRO had not reached out to UH to finalize an agreement in the design process, before breaking ground.

It was $1.5 million dollars of silliness, plus legal costs and whatever delays may have been incurred. I'm not sure that I'd call it a win for UH, though. They should've gotten more out of it IMO.

[TheNiche]

so long as the kids can get in and start looking for parking, that's the important thing, if they spend all their time trying to get in the entrance, that's no bueno.

isn't the university taking steps to try and have more kids live on campus anyway, thus negating their need for vehicular transportation?

Well let's see, there aren't any full-sized grocery stores within walking distance of the dorms, and the closest one that comes even close is the Southeast Line will be Phoenicia at Discovery Green. For lower prices and a better selection, they could transfer to the Red Line and take it to Randall's Midtown or Fiesta Midtown, but they'd best not be purchasing anything frozen.

Unfortunately, the neighborhood around UH still isn't very student-friendly. And a lot of UH students have off-campus jobs, too. The students living in dorms have always had parking lots assigned to them. I doubt that that will change.

[kylejack]

Well let's see, there aren't any full-sized grocery stores within walking distance of the dorms, and the closest one that comes even close is the Southeast Line will be Phoenicia at Discovery Green. For lower prices and a better selection, they could transfer to the Red Line and take it to Randall's Midtown or Fiesta Midtown, but they'd best not be purchasing anything frozen.

Kroger on Cullen?

[mfastx]

It was silly that METRO had not reached out to UH to finalize an agreement in the design process, before breaking ground.

UH had years to make their issues known. UH and METRO had negotiated about the rail long before this. METRO did reach out to UH. UH just out of nowhere came up with this mid-construction. Don't see how you can blame this on METRO.

It was $1.5 million dollars of silliness, plus legal costs and whatever delays may have been incurred. I'm not sure that I'd call it a win for UH, though. They should've gotten more out of it IMO.

That's right. The whole thing was ridiculous.

I think they should have made their issues known in the first place. Considering the fact that they randomly brought this up mid-construction, they shouldn't have gotten diddly squat for it.