METRORail Uptown Line

[ricco67]

I don't think it is unreasonable that they aren't going to start the line for another year, the schedule is actually dependent on the construction schedule for the Richmond line.

[CALMSP]

Is it true that part of the line will tunnel into a subway around the uptown park area?

one would hope so. that area is so congested, I just can't imagine how congested it would be if they put light rail at street level. Once you put in BLVD place, forget it. I'll travel on sundays at 8am only over there.

[desirous]

the richmond line will divert onto the westpark tollway at cummins and the post oak line will connect to the westpark/richmond line at the intersection of westpark and post oak.... only reason westpark tollway is referenced.

The Westpark Tollway ends at Post Oak.

[lockmat]

one would hope so. that area is so congested, I just can't imagine how congested it would be if they put light rail at street level. Once you put in BLVD place, forget it. I'll travel on sundays at 8am only over there.

Isn't post oak/westheimer just as bad? they goin underground there too?

[swtsig]

The Westpark Tollway ends at Post Oak.

no it doesn't.

oh yeah, they plan on elevating the line over 59 and also over the southern pacific RR tracks near 59 and 610.

[Highway6]

the richmond line will divert onto the westpark tollway at cummins and the post oak line will connect to the westpark/richmond line at the intersection of westpark and post oak.... only reason westpark tollway is referenced.

The westpark tollway does end at Post Oak.

The part of the university line that swings over 59 on cummins over to Westpark has nothing to do with the Westpark Tollway.

The Westpark Tollway is referenced for the Uptown line becasue if it keeps chugging south on Post Oak, its going to intersect where the tollway spits out onto Post Oak. This intersection of Post Oak, Tollway Exit, 59, and Westpark street will have to be addressed when designing the connection from the Uptown line to the University line.

Edited July 23, 2008 by Highway6

[swtsig]

ok, so now we're just stating semantics... westpark tollway/street/whatever. the rail continues on westpark.

[Highway6]

ok, so now we're just stating semantics... westpark tollway/street/whatever. the rail continues on westpark.

It's not semantics.

For you to miss the fact that Westpark road and Westpark Tollway exit are not only not the same thing, but two different roads that will have to be crossed by the rail at this intersection is not just semantics.

Claiming the tollway keeps going on inside the loop is a sure way to confuse people... or yourself.

[ricco67]

It's not semantics.

For you to miss the fact that Westpark road and Westpark Tollway exit are not only not the same thing, but two different roads that will have to be crossed by the rail at this intersection is not just semantics.

Claiming the tollway keeps going on inside the loop is a sure way to confuse people... or yourself.

Okay, let's find some middle ground:

The Westpark Tollway Ends/begins within 40 years of Post Oak @ 610.

Westpark Road's most eastern point is at Kirby, just north of 59 and south of Bissonnet and continues on west, of which the ELEVATED portion is a toll road while the street level is free and has cross traffic.

[Trae]

Okay, let's find some middle ground:

The Westpark Tollway Ends/begins within 40 years of Post Oak @ 610.

Westpark Road's most eastern point is at Kirby, just north of 59 and south of Bissonnet and continues on west, of which the ELEVATED portion is a toll road while the street level is free and has cross traffic.

You're not helping.

[The Voice of University Oaks]

The story is that the Uptown Houston District - the organization that paid for the chrome arches and the folks who put on the annual Uptown Holiday Lighting event every Thanksgiving night - are planning to contribute money for the design of stations, pavings and other amenities for the rail line. I don't know how much, but I imagine it would be substantial.

[Jeebus]

You're not helping.

He meant yards. Stop being so cynical today.

[rsb320]

Okay, let's find some middle ground:

The Westpark Tollway Ends/begins within 40 years of Post Oak @ 610.

Westpark Road's most eastern point is at Kirby, just north of 59 and south of Bissonnet and continues on west, of which the ELEVATED portion is a toll road while the street level is free and has cross traffic.

Geez. Talk about confusing! Westpark Road dead ends into River Oaks Chrysler on Kirby. This is SOUTH of 59 and NORTH of Bissonnett.

The tollway entrance/exit is located between the loop and South Rice Ave. I'm not sure I would consider the new connector from Post Oak to Westpark as Post Oak. I would consider this stretch to be 610 feeder road. However, considering that the south bound 610 feeder through Bellaire was actually Post Oak before the loop was installed, I guess either is correct. Note that South Post Oak picks up after the south loop.

[Trae]

He meant yards. Stop being so cynical today.

How am I being so cynical today? And I wasn't being serious. He knows that.

[roadrunner]

And when do we get the first renderings for the line?

I think this link is the closest thing we have now.

http://www.uptown-houston.com/about/vision...essibility.html

They should stick "The Galleria" onto the Westheimer station.

The Galleria looks like it will be served by the Alabam station more than the Westheimer station.

[Trae]

Let's hope Uptown looks like that in the next ten years.

[ProHouston]

those aren't the actual station names, only where the stations will be relative to what's there now... the station names from north to south:

uptown park station

san felipe station

ambassador way station

guilford court station

westheimer station

richmond station

EDIT: there's also a Northwest Transit Center Station at the 610/I-10 intersection... my bad.

That Guilford Court station is a waste. They should stick with Ambassador's Way and Westheimer. One of the worst things about light rail is when they stop too often.

[Pumapayam]

I think this link is the closest thing we have now.

The Galleria looks like it will be served by the Alabam station more than the Westheimer station.

Yeah, that's been up on the page for a while now.

Edited July 24, 2008 by Pumapayam

[Highway6]

i read somewhere that this time around, Metro would try to have less places where tracks share ROW with left-turn lanes.

There are 9 current curb cuts on Post Oak between Westheimer and San Felipe.

I wonder how much the ROW will be increased by to not only fit the 2 tracks in the median, but if the above is true, to also have dedicated left turn lanes.

Map.

[wernicke]

Yea... seems like adding lanes and rail will mess up all the bases of those chrome archways right?

[desirous]

Yea... seems like adding lanes and rail will mess up all the bases of those chrome archways right?

If the plant trees in the median, yes. Given the current median's width, they'll have to stagger the stations to avoid building two platforms on the same block.

[totheskies]

Subway is the best option. I hope METRO reconsiders instead of taking the cheap way out.

[TheNiche]

Subway is the best option. I hope METRO reconsiders instead of taking the cheap way out.

It'd be way too expensive for METRO to consider it seriously. Some form of tax increment financing would've been the far better option, but I think that they're already too far along to really explore that.

[tierwestah]

I thought Trae or someone mentioned a portion of the Uptown Line would go into a subway along post oak by Uptown Park?

Wernickie is right, adding rail would definitely uglify the asthetic attempt of the chrome archways and street sign overhangs.

[Trae]

That's what RedScare said earlier in the thread (first page).

[Highway6]

I thought Trae or someone mentioned a portion of the Uptown Line would go into a subway along post oak by Uptown Park?

I wouldn't call it a 'subway' exactly.

The rail will be going from the middle of Post Oak to the middle of 610. To do so at this fairly busy intersection, it has 2 options - it needs to bridge over the S-bound feeder and S-bound 610, or tunnel under the same to come up in the middle of the loop.

Though i haven't looked at it in a while and things may have changed, I believe the 03-04 alternative analysis called for the tunnel option.

i dont know how or if this affects the Uptown Park area station.

[Trae]

The alternative analysis called for it to come up at Post Oak just before I-10 though and not rip up the middle of 610.

[Highway6]

The alternative analysis called for it to come up at Post Oak just before I-10 though and not rip up the middle of 610.

yah.. that was one of the alternatives studied.. but it was not the alternative chosen

That strategy, coming up Post Oak and feeder the entire way, was Option #1 in the Alternative Analysis.

Option #2 was in the middle of the 610 from Post Oak to halfway between Memorial and Woodway ( and it does say "underground portal to travel below the 610 main lanes" )

Option #2A was similar to 2, but different in how it left the NWTC and crossed I-10.

After the alternatives were weighed, it was Option #2 that was chosen.. not the Post Oak all the way option.

Edited August 8, 2008 by Highway6

[Trae]

We'll see what TxDot says about ripping up a newly constructed 610.

[Highway6]

We'll see what TxDot says about ripping up a newly constructed 610.

that is irrelevant to both what the Analysis in question called for and what is still the current plan.