New Developments/Projects in Houston (Dallas, The Woodlands: stations, commute, metro)

[Spade]

Originally Posted by Darbro

When all the rail lines finally open do you expect bus ridership to take a big drop or just a slight one?

That depends if Houston decides to feed the buses to the rail lines like they do in Washington DC. The problem is that what Houston is building is a streetcar/tram moreso than a true light (metro) rail. Just a notch above the bus but far below a rapid transit system. They won't travel much faster than you are on a bus. But they are still more efficient than the bus.

[HtownLove]

Originally Posted by Darbro

When all the rail lines finally open do you expect bus ridership to take a big drop or just a slight one?

a slight drop.

The rails are gonna replace bus routes, but the bus system is pushing further into the burbs so it will be picking up new ones.

[SouthernBoy205]

Construction Underway on Avenue R Development in Houston | Multi-Housing News Online

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[Chicago3rd]

Originally Posted by HtownLove

a slight drop.

The rails are gonna replace bus routes, but the bus system is pushing further into the burbs so it will be picking up new ones.

They need to have more routes in the city and the routes need to run more often. This is the only way to encourage denser growth and a viable transportation system. Houston's system is NOT viable at this time.

[dv1033]

Originally Posted by Spade

That depends if Houston decides to feed the buses to the rail lines like they do in Washington DC. The problem is that what Houston is building is a streetcar/tram moreso than a true light (metro) rail. Just a notch above the bus but far below a rapid transit system. They won't travel much faster than you are on a bus. But they are still more efficient than the bus.

The capacity of the light rail far exceeds a bus, especially during peak hours when they double up.

[dv1033]

Originally Posted by Chicago3rd

They need to have more routes in the city and the routes need to run more often. This is the only way to encourage denser growth and a viable transportation system. Houston's system is NOT viable at this time.

It's really the age old chicken vs the egg question. Personally I think with the multifamily boom going on inside the loop (~8,700 units under construction), biking, walking, and public transit will become viable alternatives.

But yes, I can't imagine being at the mercy of METRO unless I lived and worked near downtown and the med center.

[NYer75]

My find said the bus she catches to go home after work from Downtown to the Westpark/US 59 area stops running at 7Pm. I said "WHAT?!...7PM?".

Really Houston...you stop service at 7PM in the city?

People know this and AVOID taking public transit if they can. METRO needs a revamp.

[Darbro]

Originally Posted by Spade

That depends if Houston decides to feed the buses to the rail lines like they do in Washington DC. The problem is that what Houston is building is a streetcar/tram moreso than a true light (metro) rail. Just a notch above the bus but far below a rapid transit system. They won't travel much faster than you are on a bus. But they are still more efficient than the bus.

Ok. Would you say the lines in the Dallas area are any better than what Houston has? Some people have said that Dallas' rail system is superior but Houston has better ridership.

[Darbro]

Originally Posted by HtownLove

a slight drop.

The rails are gonna replace bus routes, but the bus system is pushing further into the burbs so it will be picking up new ones.

Ok cool.

[Spade]

Originally Posted by Darbro

Ok. Would you say the lines in the Dallas area are any better than what Houston has? Some people have said that Dallas' rail system is superior but Houston has better ridership.

Nope, not really much better if it is at all. For DART, if they actually put the stations in dense population areas and in areas with high attraction instead of plotting them in the middle of nowhere, they would have higher ridership. I like DART, but they could have done better. I do believe DART will pass 100,000 when the Orange Lines is completely done in a couple of years connecting Downtown Dallas to DFW airport. Dallas needs more TOD's, better advertising, and stricter rules for parking. Houston will have superior ridership. It's an urban transit system. It's just slow running low floor cars and runs in the street for the majority of it's system making it basically a tram or streetcar.