Split transit (Houston, Katy, West: employment, transfer to, universities)

[ParaguaneroSwag]

I recently checked out the new Uptown Silver Line BRT. And it’s very nice. But my concern is it’s not doing much as is. The current priority Metro has now is to build a BRT line along the Katy Freeway that will finally connect the “two transit systems”. Connecting Uptown to Downtown (and thus TMC, UH, Rice, TSU, Museum District etc) are going to do wonders. And I look forward to that day. But in the meantime, isn’t it a bit odd to have two unconnected transit systems?

[LocalPlanner]

Actually I believe METRO's next major high-capacity transit project is the "Inner Katy" corridor connection Downtown and the NWTC, thereby linking to the Uptown line.

Also please understand that for the Uptown community, the most important function of the Silver Line (at least initially) was to hook into the Park & Ride commuter bus network, not to hook into the urban high-capacity transit lines. The proponents wanted the Silver Line because they feared (probably rightly so) that the major Uptown office buildings would become less competitive with outlying suburban office properties, or even Energy Corridor and Westchase office properties, because the workers who live in the outer suburbs would find the commute too onerous given the pre-COVID traffic congestion on the Loop and other freeways. Now the Silver Line allows someone in the 290, I-10, and US 59 corridors to use the excellent commuter bus service and make a quick transfer to the Silver Line to get to work. Previously, they had to wait for the much less frequent 33 bus (I think that was the number) that sat in the local traffic.

[ParaguaneroSwag]

Originally Posted by LocalPlanner

Actually I believe METRO's next major high-capacity transit project is the "Inner Katy" corridor connection Downtown and the NWTC, thereby linking to the Uptown line.

Also please understand that for the Uptown community, the most important function of the Silver Line (at least initially) was to hook into the Park & Ride commuter bus network, not to hook into the urban high-capacity transit lines. The proponents wanted the Silver Line because they feared (probably rightly so) that the major Uptown office buildings would become less competitive with outlying suburban office properties, or even Energy Corridor and Westchase office properties, because the workers who live in the outer suburbs would find the commute too onerous given the pre-COVID traffic congestion on the Loop and other freeways. Now the Silver Line allows someone in the 290, I-10, and US 59 corridors to use the excellent commuter bus service and make a quick transfer to the Silver Line to get to work. Previously, they had to wait for the much less frequent 33 bus (I think that was the number) that sat in the local traffic.

This is the one I was talking about in my second sentence. That’s going to do wonders once complete. But it’s just a bit odd having a two transit systems that don’t cross

[bu2]

Originally Posted by ParaguaneroSwag

This is the one I was talking about in my second sentence. That’s going to do wonders once complete. But it’s just a bit odd having a two transit systems that don’t cross

Well it was supposed to be light rail and connect to the Westpark light rail line. But John Culberson killed that. The Galleria people got tired of waiting. Also Culberson & friends got the state to make it difficult to do light rail along 610N.

[Ghost Town]

Originally Posted by LocalPlanner

the most important function of the Silver Line (at least initially) was to hook into the Park & Ride commuter bus network, not to hook into the urban high-capacity transit lines. The proponents wanted the Silver Line because they feared (probably rightly so) that the major Uptown office buildings would become less competitive with outlying suburban office properties, or even Energy Corridor and Westchase office properties, because the workers who live in the outer suburbs would find the commute too onerous given the pre-COVID traffic congestion on the Loop and other freeways. Now the Silver Line allows someone in the 290, I-10, and US 59 corridors to use the excellent commuter bus service and make a quick transfer to the Silver Line to get to work. Previously, they had to wait for the much less frequent 33 bus (I think that was the number) that sat in the local traffic.

Silver line is the yellow one on the map? I didn't even know that it exists.

[ParaguaneroSwag]

Originally Posted by Ghost Town

Silver line is the yellow one on the map? I didn't even know that it exists.

Opened a few months back

[LocalPlanner]

Originally Posted by ParaguaneroSwag

This is the one I was talking about in my second sentence. That’s going to do wonders once complete. But it’s just a bit odd having a two transit systems that don’t cross

Whoops sloppy reading on my part.

[ParaguaneroSwag]

Originally Posted by LocalPlanner

Whoops sloppy reading on my part.

I think that project alone is a giant leap forward in Houston as a whole. Being able to be downtown or TMC or Rice/UH/TSU etc and take the metro Uptown is finally a solid transit system. It’s not the finish line by any means but it’s the real starting line.

[Spade]

It’s a shame the university line wasn’t built. I think that would have been the most important line for the system there. An east-west route connecting downtown (kind of as it didn’t go directly through downtown) to uptown going through the universities. Would have had a good connection to two major employment centers and would also in general have the entire system serve the major employment centers. I honestly think the ridership would have higher than the red line.

[hbcu]

That one line not being there defines the rail system - it’s useless as a while until that line is built