Why doesn't Houston consider building the rail system underground? Subway? (Dallas: moving, oil)
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Reason? Because nobody (virtually) gives a rat's rectum for an el or a subway. We want to drive our SUV's, Land Yachts, Urban Assault Vehicles, Porches, BMWs and trucks to work. End of story. "If you build it, they won't come"... just like the metro rail in place now.
Just sayin'...
Ronnie
Unfortunate mindset. Though the public and ridership says otherwise.
Reason? Because nobody (virtually) gives a rat's rectum for an el or a subway. We want to drive our SUV's, Land Yachts, Urban Assault Vehicles, Porches, BMWs and trucks to work. End of story. "If you build it, they won't come"... just like the metro rail in place now.
Just sayin'...
Location: Austin, TX/Chicago, IL/Houston, TX/Washington, DC
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It's not true, most Houstonian's are getting fed up with the traffic situation and would love to see an expansion for the LRT system. (Thank god they are!!) In 2012 when 4/5 of the lines open up (all except North Line, which has been delayed a little bit to 2013) more people would be using the LRT in Houston.
North Line is supposed to connect to the airport. That would be very convenient.
As for a subway system, it's unnecessary, it's not a competition across the country where having a subway means you live in a superior city. Houston doesn't really need one because it has a lot of land to work around that. Plus the cost, do you really want to be wasting extra money in times like this?
It's possible, anything is, and a subway system would be pretty nifty, but it's not necessary. We're not NYC and we're not DC, we're Houston. And after the LRT expansion hits 87.3 miles (2020) expansion, they'll start on the commuter rail for Houston.
Reason? Because nobody (virtually) gives a rat's rectum for an el or a subway. We want to drive our SUV's, Land Yachts, Urban Assault Vehicles, Porches, BMWs and trucks to work. End of story. "If you build it, they won't come"... just like the metro rail in place now.
Just sayin'...
Ronnie
Are those actually crash test dummies I see on the train? They must swap them out for METRO employees disguised as real people when I use it.
It's not true, most Houstonian's are getting fed up with the traffic situation and would love to see an expansion for the LRT system. (Thank god they are!!) In 2012 when 4/5 of the lines open up (all except North Line, which has been delayed a little bit to 2013) more people would be using the LRT in Houston.
North Line is supposed to connect to the airport. That would be very convenient.
As for a subway system, it's unnecessary, it's not a competition across the country where having a subway means you live in a superior city. Houston doesn't really need one because it has a lot of land to work around that. Plus the cost, do you really want to be wasting extra money in times like this?
It's possible, anything is, and a subway system would be pretty nifty, but it's not necessary. We're not NYC and we're not DC, we're Houston. And after the LRT expansion hits 87.3 miles (2020) expansion, they'll start on the commuter rail for Houston.
Nice, huh? I thought it was.
They are going to start on commuter rail WAY before that. For example, the 290 expansion. Commuter rail is apart of that project and the 290 expansion is soon going to be underway. Also, the Southwest Commuter Rail line will only take like 18 months to complete (whenever they start it).
Location: Austin, TX/Chicago, IL/Houston, TX/Washington, DC
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Reputation: 4047
Quote:
Originally Posted by Scarface713
They are going to start on commuter rail WAY before that. For example, the 290 expansion. Commuter rail is apart of that project and the 290 expansion is soon going to be underway. Also, the Southwest Commuter Rail line will only take like 18 months to complete (whenever they start it).
I'm glad out state as a whole is taking public transportation seriously.
San Antonio though, really needs to pick up it's game. I know they have some things in the work, but they need to hurry it on up.
So, they can build a tunnel under the English Channel and run a high speed train through it, but our water table is too high?
Isn't New York City on the coast as well?
I say this is a weak argument.
New york is built on schist, a type of granite.
New York's subway also doesn't run in parts of the city that are built on reclaimed land,like Battery Park.
Houston does not have schist.
The Chunnel was a multi-billion pound project that built twin tubes in line under a body of water.
This, I'm sure you'll agree is radically different than digging multiple tunnels and an entire underground network in an area that is in some areas at or below sea level.
Can you name a city that has substantial underground train system that also at or beneath sea=level?
I can't.
The most likely reasons that Houston has not built an underground train system are the high costs of such a project and subtle (or not so subtle) pressure from the oil companies that make up it's largest set employers.
A subway could be done here, but at great cost, relative to other methods. Elevated rail is going to be the way to go, and yes, there will be some street level rail too. Deal with it.
As for the oil companies, I really don't think they're the ones blocking anything. I probably mentioned it earlier in this thread, but Calgary has >30 miles of light rail and its economy is no less dependent on oil and gas than Houston's.
Politicians like John Culberson and Tom DeLay have done more to block the progress of mass transit in Houston than any oil company.
A subway could be done here, but at great cost, relative to other methods. Elevated rail is going to be the way to go, and yes, there will be some street level rail too. Deal with it.
As for the oil companies, I really don't think they're the ones blocking anything. I probably mentioned it earlier in this thread, but Calgary has >30 miles of light rail and its economy is no less dependent on oil and gas than Houston's.
Politicians like John Culberson and Tom DeLay have done more to block the progress of mass transit in Houston than any oil company.
But, if Houston had attracted by "cool" companies (IT/tech), like you see in Dallas or San Fran, do you think rail would have been in the forefront earlier? I think so. You can't deny that having all of those oil companies here have been put into our culture (driving and buying gas). Luckily, it appears that the Greater Houston Partnership is working on attracting IT/tech/retail companies nowadays. Also, it appears people are moving away from driving everywhere and taking full advantage of mass transit. The problem really is just expanding it more. For example, why can't Metro get on the ball with more Quickline routes? The Bellaire route has been a success. Let's get one going on Westheimer and Gessner now.
But, if Houston had attracted by "cool" companies (IT/tech), like you see in Dallas or San Fran, do you think rail would have been in the forefront earlier? I think so. You can't deny that having all of those oil companies here have been put into our culture (driving and buying gas). Luckily, it appears that the Greater Houston Partnership is working on attracting IT/tech/retail companies nowadays. Also, it appears people are moving away from driving everywhere and taking full advantage of mass transit. The problem really is just expanding it more. For example, why can't Metro get on the ball with more Quickline routes? The Bellaire route has been a success. Let's get one going on Westheimer and Gessner now.
I would appreciate this so much haha. Also having elevated rail would be the best. I have been saying it for a while now on here, in this thread actually. Also I think the question is, why can't metro get on the ball period haha?
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