Some one Posted December 24, 2023 Share Posted December 24, 2023 (edited) 33 minutes ago, BEES?! said: Where are you reading about these studies? That's really interesting to hear about a University BRT expansion, but it makes sense, since the current plan is to go all the way to Westchase. Trying to ascertain things from Ft Bend Transit is tough, because their online presence isn't very good. They (Ft Bend) have talked about a P&R in Cinco Ranch area on Westpark/1093, though, but that was a couple of years ago. From the GCRD Website. https://www.gcrd.net/post/westpark-corridor-map Quote GCRD’s study would provide an extension to METRO’s in-process analysis for a BRT transportation spine from northeast Houston through the University area of the University of Houston and Texas Southern University, and the Rice University Ion complex (where it crossed the Main Street Red Line light rail system), through the Uptown District to the west side of Houston where it would end at Wilcrest. GCRD would examine the continuation of the BRT into Fort Bend County to at least Fulshear. https://www.gcrd.net/post/us-90a-alternatives-analysis Quote In the spring of 2021, the GCRD approached H-GAC about conducting a study to assess the technological and economic feasibility of establishing and operating efficient transit service along this corridor. With the assumption that commuter rail is not a viable technology option for this corridor, and with the understanding that recent legislation allows GCRD to consider technologies other than commuter rail, this study seeks to explore a basic commuter system using modal options including light rail transit and bus rapid transit that could have dramatic benefits to mobility within the region. The goal of this study is to generate feasible and reasonable transit alternative(s) for this corridor that the GCRD can advance into more detailed study and analysis, with an eye towards implementation. Edited December 24, 2023 by Some one 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEES?! Posted December 24, 2023 Share Posted December 24, 2023 Cool, thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texan Posted December 29, 2023 Share Posted December 29, 2023 Would there be anything preventing Harris County from funneling toll road revenue into transit projects? Similar to how they're funneling toll road revenue into trails? https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/money-from-harris-county-toll-roads-to-fund-trails/285-37209ee8-333e-424e-81fb-86c1717ce24a 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CREguy13 Posted December 30, 2023 Share Posted December 30, 2023 On 12/21/2023 at 7:56 PM, BeerNut said: Needs housing and retail. I think it's safe to assume both will follow in time. This can't get built quick enough, the amount of workers that don't have a parking spot downtown that may opt for this option will be interesting to follow. Should really increase weekly ridership immediately. 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeerNut Posted December 30, 2023 Share Posted December 30, 2023 2 hours ago, CREguy13 said: I think it's safe to assume both will follow in time. This can't get built quick enough, the amount of workers that don't have a parking spot downtown that may opt for this option will be interesting to follow. Should really increase weekly ridership immediately. Why not integrate housing and retail into a transit center now? Seems like a missed opportunity for additional revenue to be used for transit. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CREguy13 Posted December 30, 2023 Share Posted December 30, 2023 6 hours ago, BeerNut said: Why not integrate housing and retail into a transit center now? Seems like a missed opportunity for additional revenue to be used for transit. It's a good question. Metro may not have thought that far ahead, or talked to local real estate relationships and were advised against including it in the RFP, or something else entirely... Personally, I'm not sure the immediate area is currently attractive enough and lacks required metrics to warrant the investment. That could change a few years from now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IWantTransit555 Posted December 31, 2023 Share Posted December 31, 2023 All these suburban proposals should be commuter rail IMO. 6 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_cuevas713 Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 (edited) On 12/30/2023 at 8:27 PM, IWantTransit555 said: All these suburban proposals should be commuter rail IMO. I wonder how the city getting more power over funds will affect this. I could see it becoming commuter rail for sure. I think they just want to see what options make the most sense but commuter rail seems to be priority. Edited January 2 by j_cuevas713 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houston19514 Posted January 5 Share Posted January 5 The plans for the new Northline Transit Center include potential retail onsite. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
004n063 Posted January 8 Share Posted January 8 Preface: this is just for thinking and discussion - no news or information whatsoever. Does the Red Line have too many stops through Downtown? I think if I could make any non-alignment changes to the line, I would discontinue stoppage at the Bell and Main Street Square stops. Central Station and Preston are also too close together, but it's not a big deal if it's just one pair, especially when both are high-value stops. The stop spacing for the rest of the line makes a lot of sense to me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rechlin Posted January 8 Share Posted January 8 That would make the gap between Central Station Main and Downtown Transit Center too large. There have been a few times the train has had to stop and turn around at Downtown Transit Center because of an issue on the tracks in downtown, and then I have to walk all the way from there to Central Station, and that's a pretty hot and sweaty walk. I realize the maximum walk would only be half that distance if Main Street Square and Bell were removed, but that's still a long way. I agree that Central Station Main is too close to both Preston and Main Street Square, but remember, that station didn't originally exist. It was only added about a decade ago for the transfers to the Green and Purple lines. But it's important as a transfer station so I can understand why they did it. Ideally maybe a single station could go in the middle to replace both Preston and Main Street Square but I can't see how the cost of that could possibly be justified. That said, the train usually only has the doors open for 15-20 seconds at the stops, so even after adding overhead due to possibly missing lights as a result and slowdown/speedup time, each additional stop doesn't add even a minute of travel time. It usually takes 10-11 minutes between Central Station Main and Wheeler for me (improved from the 11-13 minutes it used to take until they fixed some of the signaling perhaps 5 years ago) which is pretty reasonable. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
004n063 Posted January 8 Share Posted January 8 9 hours ago, rechlin said: That would make the gap between Central Station Main and Downtown Transit Center too large. There have been a few times the train has had to stop and turn around at Downtown Transit Center because of an issue on the tracks in downtown, and then I have to walk all the way from there to Central Station, and that's a pretty hot and sweaty walk. I realize the maximum walk would only be half that distance if Main Street Square and Bell were removed, but that's still a long way. I agree that Central Station Main is too close to both Preston and Main Street Square, but remember, that station didn't originally exist. It was only added about a decade ago for the transfers to the Green and Purple lines. But it's important as a transfer station so I can understand why they did it. Ideally maybe a single station could go in the middle to replace both Preston and Main Street Square but I can't see how the cost of that could possibly be justified. That said, the train usually only has the doors open for 15-20 seconds at the stops, so even after adding overhead due to possibly missing lights as a result and slowdown/speedup time, each additional stop doesn't add even a minute of travel time. It usually takes 10-11 minutes between Central Station Main and Wheeler for me (improved from the 11-13 minutes it used to take until they fixed some of the signaling perhaps 5 years ago) which is pretty reasonable. That's a good point about Central. And yes, it's still faster than walking even through the downtown section. I think the downtown segment is really meant to be a classic tram (i.e. a walking accelerator through a dense part of the city) whereas the rest of the line is more rapid transit. I really don't have any major issues with the line - in fact, I think it's one of the best tram lines in the US. I think if south Downtown development would ever catch up with north Downtown I'd have no complaints. The Boston commuter rail lines have some optional stops, where they only stop if there's a passenger request (like a local bus). Maybe that's what Bell should be? (Though the stops that really need to either be eliminated or made optional are the Ambassador Way and Guilford stops on the Silver Line, but that's a separate conversation.) 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EastwoodEnvoy Posted January 8 Share Posted January 8 3 hours ago, 004n063 said: (Though the stops that really need to either be eliminated or made optional are the Ambassador Way and Guilford stops on the Silver Line, but that's a separate conversation.) Not to thread derail (pun intended), but as someone who has yet to ride the Silver Line, I just looked it up and these two stops are 0.2 miles apart -- wild!! You could eliminate both stops and still have just a 15 minute walk between the Westheimer and San Felipe stops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
004n063 Posted January 8 Share Posted January 8 6 hours ago, EastwoodEnvoy said: Not to thread derail (pun intended), but as someone who has yet to ride the Silver Line, I just looked it up and these two stops are 0.2 miles apart -- wild!! You could eliminate both stops and still have just a 15 minute walk between the Westheimer and San Felipe stops. Which is fine for a local bus or a classic tram. But I think anything calling itself "rapid" transit should have at least half a mile between stops. The 1.2 miles between the Uptown Park stop and the Westheimer stop - which include stops at Four Oaks (redundant), San Felipe (necessary), Ambassador Way (redundant), and Guilford (redundant) stops - take about as long as the 2.5 miles from NWTC to Uptown Park (1 stop). I think in a city with summers like ours, any viable transit is going to need to be able to seriously minimize walking. But that's why I think those stops should be on request. Or maybe run express service in nice weather and local in super hot or otherwise inclement weather. I know this all seems very nitpicky, but the thing is, I think it is actually important to the health (fiscal, cultural, economic) of a city that it maximize the number of actual pedestrians, not just provide transit alternatives with car-like doorstep service. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_cuevas713 Posted January 9 Share Posted January 9 There was a murder on the Red Line yesterday. Metro needs to step it up and have Metro Police at all stations at all times Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houston19514 Posted January 9 Share Posted January 9 (edited) 13 hours ago, j_cuevas713 said: There was a murder on the Red Line yesterday. Metro needs to step it up and have Metro Police at all stations at all times Agreed, it seems Metro needs to step up the Police presence, but I'm not sure how much police at stations will deter crime ON the train... (FWIW, the entire city of Houston needs to step up police presence; hopefully the new Mayor will follow through on that promise ASAP.) Here's the story. What is not clear (and this is not a criticism of the story; it would be difficult for anyone to know this unless they find the perp), is whether the fighting men knew each other. https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/police/2024/01/09/473913/houston-police-offering-5k-for-information-of-man-suspected-in-deadly-metro-stabbing/ Edited January 9 by Houston19514 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_cuevas713 Posted January 10 Share Posted January 10 On 1/9/2024 at 12:10 PM, Houston19514 said: Agreed, it seems Metro needs to step up the Police presence, but I'm not sure how much police at stations will deter crime ON the train... (FWIW, the entire city of Houston needs to step up police presence; hopefully the new Mayor will follow through on that promise ASAP.) Here's the story. What is not clear (and this is not a criticism of the story; it would be difficult for anyone to know this unless they find the perp), is whether the fighting men knew each other. https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/police/2024/01/09/473913/houston-police-offering-5k-for-information-of-man-suspected-in-deadly-metro-stabbing/ Well first it prevents people who aren't paying a fare from getting on to begin with. I'm not saying the killer didn't pay but I'll bet anything he didn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hindesky Posted January 11 Share Posted January 11 (edited) METRO police confirmed with Eyewitness News that the manhunt for a murder suspect has come to an end after he was found at a church in The Heights on Wednesday. https://abc13.com/houston-metro-stabbing-murder-suspect-captured-at-church-heights-stand-off/14308659/ Edited February 13 by editor Edited for copyright reasons. Do not copy and paste. Summarize and link. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highrise Tower Posted March 3 Share Posted March 3 The METRORail Red Line in Downtown from above. Reminds me of TMC Helix Park! 6 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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