US 281 Super-street is funded! (Houston, Dallas: subdivision, moving, trains)

[dvlpr]

Originally Posted by dendox

dvlpr - serious question - how would a commuter rail system similar to DART in Dallas work here? Seems it could start with a run out towards I-10 or 281 (probably more people livling out I-10 - so probably a better place to start) - then with a fork that goes to the other road when the first is complete and then another going out 35 or 90?

Seems like DART has only gotten more popular as time goes on witht he commuter parking lots requiring expansion because som many people want to ride it for their morning and evening commutes.

I believe they have a lot more people that live in the suburbs than we do which may make it a bit more viable - but will the ole "if you build it they will come notion" work in this regard?

I think it's appropriate to start light rail where it has the greatest likelihood of success. In my mind, that's inside 410, and servicing the neighborhoods within 5 miles of downtown. It also means starting small (in terms of $$$) - probably with streetcars/trolleys instead of commuter rail. Once good ridership is "established", it should expand to serve the outlying areas (as money become available). I would actually argue for a line to service the neighborhoods on the far NW side of town - out 90 & 151. That part of the city has historically been (by a pretty good margin) the fastest growing part of SA.

I think DART has been an incredible success thus far - I would have never predicted that ridership would be as high as it's been in Richardson, Plano, etc. I think it shows that suburban folks will get out of their cars if given a convenient and viable alternative. But I also think it's important to note that many of Collin County commuters were dealing with much longer commute times than people in suburban SA (thereby having a greater incentive to change their behavior).

Frankly, though, commuter rail isn't the solution to the auto traffic that plagues places like 281/1604 and Culebra/1604. Commuter rail would be nice, but it would be much better if we designed neighborhoods where kids could walk/bike to school, parents/families could walk to shops/restaurants/athletic fields, etc. Generally speaking, that's impossible in most suburban subdivisions. The problem isn't what we're driving, or where we're driving; it's that we're driving everywhere for everything.

[bulv2sat]

What a mess, she does not travel that road and has no business arguing it, she is looking for political voice! get the hell back to California and let us be. you can get on your soap box there adn we would not care

Originally Posted by banker

I just looked at this supper street and it looks terrible. This is a waste of money as these insane turn lanes will just be torn up when 281 is finally turned into a limited access highway. It seems like it would be a better use of money in the long term to work on building over passes at Evans, Stone Oak, etc so that you could use those bridges when 281 is finally turned into a limited access highway.

This is just more government waste. Thank god I don't live up 281...that will just make these intersections horrible.

[bulv2sat]

[FONT=Verdana]The Idiot Teri Hall gets few old farts to sing Double taxation, they have no clue!!!!!!!!!! We spend 1.5 gallons in traffic, and waste an hour a day. Because she cares about environment study? She should have fought Pulte home! You idiots if there is a toll way it would be better for all 70% of us would get on it and save the 4.00 a gallon gas and pay .8 to zoom through it. Leaving 2 lane service roads to old fart and Teri hall that travel after 10 am and can have the road to them. Every single person who uses the road pays for it; all the heavy duty trucks out Mexican workers drive would be taxed as we are. FAIR. use it and pay for it, instead of us paying higher tax (triple Tax) where 2/3 of the users every day are people who do not live here and just use and abuse our reads and the 100% cash money they made does not pay for roads or repairs, just goes back to Mexico...they do leave something on the road, all their taco wrappers. Maybe they should vote for Teri hall to be their mayor and leader. Since all the state officials are corrupt according to Teri hall. She rants about nothing she is full of hot air and has no clue what she is doing, the idiots who give her money to sue over environment study to block improvements and highway connection between 1604 and 281 should be educated. She is a little greedy arrogant idiot who has no business talking about something that does not affect her, she needs to pack her **** and go back to California. We travel this road daily, doctors, lawyers, business people...like people in Dallas and Houston; they will tell you that Toll ways are the best things for everyone... PAY for it only if you USE IT. So you idiots out there, explain to me how this is double taxation????????[/FONT]

[bulv2sat]

Why on earth dont they make it 4 lanes from marshall to 1604, there is room now all they need is a 1.8 Million dollars in resurface and paint. and 28 million for two brighes over evans and stone oak would solve the problem, but i guess Teri hall would not like that either

[RGJ]

I don't feel sorry for those that complain about commuting times when they moved out to the Bulverde/Spring Branch area to more than likely escape city taxes. Boo hoo!

[dendox]

RGJ - you know there are people who moved out that way (me included) who didn't care about escaping city taxes, right?

[Bo]

Originally Posted by bulv2sat

She should have fought Pulte home!

Talk about a lost cause! Developers win out over planning almost every time around here.

[FreeConsultant]

This may have some positive views for people that don't know any better. How can anyone see 3 or 4 more sets of traffic lights better than before? as an improvement? are you blind ? they didn't even increase the number of lanes, with all the property that is left unused on both sides of the "superstreet", this could be an 6 or 8 lane Super-Highway, going north and South, not a "stupidstreet", ooops.
as my name says, I'll re-desing this for free, since I live around this area, and have been for over 6 years now, they have been making promises for fixing this issue for over many years. All they are doing right now is wasting taxpayers millions of dolars, on a street that now has more traffic lights than a christmas tree. they call that an improvement, i think this is punishment, because the toll road didn't pass.
A mono-rail system right down the middle of the freeway would also be great, lets make san antonio a futuristic city.
from downtown a monorail going N. S. E. W. for starters, we will have people employed here for years to come.

[stoneoak]

We've had our doubts whether the superstreet will actually work, but I drove northbound 281 near Sonterra at 5:20 p.m. yesterday and traffic was moving with absolutely no backup there. It was at a standstill near the airport, but moving along with ease north of 1604, where that whole bottleneck usually starts by 4 p.m.

It was such a glorious site, kind of like the parting of the red sea. Huh, maybe it will work.

[713 to 210]

FreeConsultant - The state is unable to build a highway or tollway at this time thanks to an environmental lobby who forced a 3rd environmental study prior to construction. There was a highway plan approved that was put on the shelf when construction was ready to start 2 years ago.

Also, the Super Street is not about "adding lights," please look into this further and you'll understand the full concept. Adding lights isn't the piece that decreases traffic, it's the removal of half the light cycles that will get traffic moving. Please become informed so we can have an intelligent dialogue.