Light Rail Progress (Houston, Galveston, Richmond: to buy, contractors, shops)

[Trae713]

Originally Posted by astrohip

It's the FEDS that are cutting the money (maybe). What does this have to do with our state?

It's the Republicans from our state lobbying for our state metro areas to get cuts in Federal funding for mass transit (doesn't matter if they had already been approved years prior it seems).

[blkgiraffe]

Screw the East End Line!

[stoneclaw]

Dang poor Houston. Seems like it can't seem to catch a break for anything for its mass transit. More roadblocks and hurdles keep getting put in the way.

Things just keep getting worse for Houston

[mikey713]

man i do hope the Universtiy line gets built. i would use it all day every day.

[astrohip]

Big story in this week's Houston Business Journal...

Houston off track with light rail

Don’t get me wrong, I love the idea of light rail.

I picture myself sitting in a futuristic, high-speed bullet train, zipping from my home in northwest Houston to my office in the Galleria area.

There I am, all eco-friendly and cheerful after avoiding the uber-stressful highway commute. I look so fresh and organized, having spent my 45-to-60-minute train ride catching up on e-mails and editing stories. Maybe I even blogged on the way to work.

But that’s all a pipe dream, or a rail dream, as far as I can tell.

I’m no engineer, but I don’t see how one of the country’s most sprawling cities could feasibly afford to build and manage an effective light rail system, the key word being “effective.” Yet, plans to expand Houston’s light rail are moving ahead, perhaps without enough common sense fueling them.

President Obama’s proposed 2012 budget includes funding for two stalled Houston rail lines, which are on the U.S. Department of Transportation’s list to receive $200 million in federal funding.

The new lines, neither of which would address the region’s commuting issues, would be the long-awaited second phase of Metro’s foray into light rail. The experiment began in 2004, with the 7.5-mile, $300 million Main Street line that runs from south of Reliant Park to the University of Houston-Downtown. Metro’s website says it plans to build a total of 73 miles of light rail in Houston by the year 2025.

If it cost $300 million to build not quite eight miles, I’m a concerned taxpayer.

But more than that, Houston’s spread-out-and-make-yourself-at-home attitude makes light rail not a feasible option for this booming metropolis. Our refusal to be tamed by zoning and our sprawling nature has created a city too vast to support light rail.

We could add to that what I am told is a Texas obsession for automobiles — you can have my car keys when you pry them from my cold, dead hands — but, coming from Michigan, I’m hardly one to talk about a passion for autos.

Former Houston mayoral candidate Peter Brown, now chairman of Mayor Annise Parker’s International Trade & Development Council, told me Houston absolutely can and should have light rail extending into the suburbs. It’s necessary to attract young professionals, many of whom want to live car-free and commute easily to their jobs.

I believe that such people do exist, and I wish them well in New York. Or maybe Chicago.

All poor Houston has to offer young professionals is a less-glamorous cocktail of low-cost living, low taxes, world-class cultural amenities and job growth.

Brown and others who support light rail — and he tells me it’s the majority of Houstonians, according to studies — likely are passionate visionaries who want Houston to remain a high-growth mecca of capitalism for generations to come. I commend that. But, like my mom told me growing up, be thankful for what you have.

I may not be taking that leisurely train ride into work each morning, but I appreciate a cost of living that allow me to take the family to museums and the zoo on the weekend. I enjoy the great restaurants this city has to offer. I take full advantage of all the wonderful shops.

I hope the city isn’t willing to sacrifice that.

[Spade]

This is why Houston should take care of the inner city (mostly inner loop plus galleria) and then worry about the outer areas later. I never hear any of these critics offer an alternative to the light rail other than get more buses. People do not like buses. There is a psychological stigma against buses in this country. So what should Houston do? Just stay on status quo and rely on their cars. As Houston increases in density, they are going to wish they invested in transit options other than paving the entire country side for roads.

Houston is building a true urban transit system (moreso than Dallas with DART). I think they should keep going.

[SouthernBoy205]

Originally Posted by Spade

This is why Houston should take care of the inner city (mostly inner loop plus galleria) and then worry about the outer areas later. I never hear any of these critics offer an alternative to the light rail other than get more buses. People do not like buses. There is a psychological stigma against buses in this country. So what should Houston do? Just stay on status quo and rely on their cars. As Houston increases in density, they are going to wish they invested in transit options other than paving the entire country side for roads.

Houston is building a true urban transit system (moreso than Dallas with DART). I think they should keep going.

I agree!

[Houston Native]

Originally Posted by Spade

As Houston increases in density, they are going to wish they invested in transit options other than paving the entire country side for roads.

How much has Houston's inner loop density increased? Overall it seems to be going the opposite direction. Even the percentage of workers in Downtown is falling since Houston has so many business centers.

[TDAlmighty]

Houston Native -- Scarface713 will jump in any second now and tell you how the inner loop continues to densify. "The inner loop has gone from 450K to 600+ since 2000" he will say (although I do not know the source of these numbers).

But take a closer look at the official census numbers and I tend to agree with you. The city of Houston grew "officially" by 7.5% from 2000 to 2010. But Harris County at 20.3%, Fort Bend County at 65.1%, Montgomery Country at 55.1%, Brazoria County at 29.5%, and Galveston County at 16.5% all grew faster than the city of Houston.
Census 2010 News | U.S. Census Bureau Delivers Texas' 2010 Census Population Totals, Including First Look at Race and Hispanic Origin Data for Legislative Redistricting

There are obviously pro-densifyers and anti-densifyers. One thing is clear--at least to me--however, the current vision for the light rail works better if the inner loop continues to densify. Every time I hear about a new corporate campus in the burbs it makes me say "Great for Houston!!...but I wish they could do something more central." I know it is not the company's responsibility to do so, but one could wish...

[DANNYY]

Originally Posted by Houston Native

How much has Houston's inner loop density increased? Overall it seems to be going the opposite direction. Even the percentage of workers in Downtown is falling since Houston has so many business centers.

Yes and almost all of those "business centers" are inside the Inner Loop of Houston besides West Chase Business District, Memorial City, & Energy Corridor.

Lets see:
- Texas Medical Center: Check (Inside the Inner Loop)
- Downtown Houston: Check (Inside the Inner Loop)
- Neartown Houston: Check (Inside the Inner Loop)
- Midtown Houston: Check (Inside the Inner Loop)
- Uptown Houston: Check (Inside the Inner Loop for 55% of it)
- Greenway Plaza: Check (Inside the Inner Loop)