Light Rail Progress (Houston: construction, university, moving)

[AjaxMalone]

I've been to METRO's website and seen what they have posted, but I do not know if the light rail construction is still continuing at the same pace (or if it is at all) because of the recent findings with the company. Does anyone know more about this, because I think Houston really needs to get moving on mass transport.

Thank you.

[travelguy_73]

From what I can tell, they are only doing basic work on the rail lines, looks to be mostly infrastructure. I haven't seen any real progress (on the East End line) in quite some time.

[robertrulez]

Yup, Metro really needs to get its **** together. The university line was scheduled to be done next year but we probably won't be seeing it until 10 years from now.

[AjaxMalone]

Ya, I'm thinking maybe they should just scrap it all and make a transportation system that actually makes sense. Something above grade and has commuter rail.

[SouthernBoy205]

Is money the main factor of the slow progress?

[AjaxMalone]

Originally Posted by A&M Bulldawg

Is money the main factor of the slow progress?

I believe so.

[astrohip]

Originally Posted by A&M Bulldawg

Is money the main factor of the slow progress?

No, it's LACK of money. The feds cut us off, due to our idiotic bid process*. We were dependent on fed money for 90% of construction costs. Without government largess, it ain't being built.

So for now... no light rail is being built.


* Idiotic, why you ask? The feds have a rule that says all mass transit systems must be 100% USA made. We interpreted that to mean it could be made in a foreign country, as long as a US subsidiary sold it to us. No one else read the rule that way--not the feds, not any other transit authorities. So when the feds found out what we had done, they turned off the money instantly. We've spent 40 million dollars already (of our own money) that will never be recovered, due to this fiasco.

[SouthernBoy205]

That's too bad. Maybe, money won't be an issue in the future.

[DarkWolf]

So when are all these lines supposed to be completed?

[behtypa]

Originally Posted by astrohip

No, it's LACK of money. The feds cut us off, due to our idiotic bid process*. We were dependent on fed money for 90% of construction costs. Without government largess, it ain't being built.

So for now... no light rail is being built.


* Idiotic, why you ask? The feds have a rule that says all mass transit systems must be 100% USA made. We interpreted that to mean it could be made in a foreign country, as long as a US subsidiary sold it to us. No one else read the rule that way--not the feds, not any other transit authorities. So when the feds found out what we had done, they turned off the money instantly. We've spent 40 million dollars already (of our own money) that will never be recovered, due to this fiasco.

Well, at least the feds stood up to their policy. In this economy every (million) dollar counts.