Houston Light Rail extension (Katy, Cool: mover, houses, neighborhood)

[irishlover]

Does anyone have a map of or a link to a map showing the currently planned extensions to Houston's light rail? I've looked on the metro's website but I can't seem to locate it. Does anyone believe the light rail will ever come as far west as Katy?

[jfre81]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3501/...06946680_o.jpg

Here's a map. The one on METRO's website is an unnecessarily large PDF file. Don't bother.

I wouldn't expect rail to the outer suburbs anytime in the next 20-25 years. They missed that train, so to speak, by expanding I-10 over an old rail line that could've been used for commuter rail.

[modster]

I could have sworn that leaving space on the Katy Freeway expansion for rail was proposed, but the people out there didn't want it. I'm not 100% sure on that though, maybe someone can find a link or something on it.

[irishlover]

Originally Posted by jfre81

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3501/...06946680_o.jpg

Here's a map. The one on METRO's website is an unnecessarily large PDF file. Don't bother.

I wouldn't expect rail to the outer suburbs anytime in the next 20-25 years. They missed that train, so to speak, by expanding I-10 over an old rail line that could've been used for commuter rail.

Cool, thanks! No plans for an Intercontinental or Hobby airport run either? I guess intercontinental is a long way from downtown.

[jfre81]

Originally Posted by modster

I could have sworn that leaving space on the Katy Freeway expansion for rail was proposed, but the people out there didn't want it.

They surely wanted it once gas hit $4/gallon last year.

Basically irishlover, the big thing holding it back is this ridiculous idea that rail is going to give criminals access to where they live that the freeways don't already afford them. They don't understand that a highway is the most efficient bad guy mover mankind has ever devised.

[Oildog]

Same issues in other cities...rail isnt built or expanded because the worry that the only people on the rail will be thugs hopping a ride to suburbia to loot and pillage their pristine neighborhood.

[irishlover]

Originally Posted by Oildog

Same issues in other cities...rail isnt built or expanded because the worry that the only people on the rail will be thugs hopping a ride to suburbia to loot and pillage their pristine neighborhood.

Wow, I'd never even thought of the light rail in that regard. Seriously? Wouldn't someone "pillaging" suburbia look strange carrying flat screen tvs and other loot back on the train?

Well, oil is on its way back up. Maybe when gas his $5/gallon at the end of next year priorities will change.

[jfre81]

Originally Posted by irishlover

Wow, I'd never even thought of the light rail in that regard. Seriously? Wouldn't someone "pillaging" suburbia look strange carrying flat screen tvs and other loot back on the train?

You're using logic there. Apparently that's hard to come by for some folks out there. Burglars don't even travel on rail in the movies ffs. They depict them driving around in big vans marked "Joe's Plumbing" or something like that.

They think that people who are going to break into their houses and steal their stuff are above breaking into a road vehicle and stealing it to get to them. Or something.

[modster]

I found something in an old Houston Press article about the objections to having rail out there:

Houston News - The Katy: Railing On - page 1

[tstone]

Hmm, after riding a Metro bus for downtown jury duty (and then back midday), I fail to see much need for SE-suburban rail for awhile, monetarily speaking. The density is simply not there, and the current bus system seems to work well. During the morning rush I drove 10 mins to the Fuqua park & ride, waited for 5 minutes, and was downtown in 15 more minutes. The only time I can beat that with a car is 10:30 AM or on weekends.

BTW, the buses were clean, quiet, smooth, modern and the really tall ones are actually kinda fun to ride. I didn't see any thugs, skeezers, whatever you want to call them, not even at 2 PM. If I had a job downtown I would definitely use this system daily, like a good # of people around here do.

I'm not sure which suburbs people collectively think rail will bring this element over; this nonsense isn't in my area. I'm sure groups of individuals exist elsewhere, those same types swayed by those cheesy Brinks TV ads. But for the most part, this sounds like the usual conservative bashing. Instead of looking at it like a business, it's easier to simply blame the scared suburbanites. I guess some people will always feel the need to be prejudiced against some group, and it's not cool to target blacks or homosexuals anymore.