Texas Medical Center in HOU poised to overtake Downtown Dallas in 5-6 years (Houston: garden, pine)

[binkyman]

Originally Posted by Trae713

Dart is built the way it is because the suburbs demanded rail. Instead of going through developed corridors, it was built in abandoned railways with the hope of TODs developing around some stations. It's a lot of miles, but the ridership is low for the amount it has. Not enough crosstown routes. That's really what its missing the most. All the lines converging in Downtown Dallas doesn't make sense. The ridership in Houston will be even closer to dart once the three lines undr construction now are complete. There is much more ridership potential in Houston due to the layout, but we have done republican congressmen and had an incompetent metro under Frank Wilson.

Loop Twelve in Dallas is actually a little bit larger taking in a bit more area than Interstate 610 around Houston.

Okay, just consider that within Loop 12 there is Love Field, White Rock Lake, the Great Urban Forest, the Trinity River Corridors, a huge warehouse district, and so on.

In other words, within loop 12, there really isn't a lot of area to put train stations like there is within Loop 610 in Houston.

In my opinion, the focus of Dart should center around three stations as the starting point of what will ultimately make the system successful, their attentions being on two potential subways in the Uptown area, one finished in the CityPlace development and the other finished to the extent of having its shell dug out at Knox-Henderson, and the last of the three being the unique subterranean station at what has become an ideal TOD at Mockingbird station. Taken together, the area I've isolated exists in a vacuum between downtown to the south and the Northpark commercial shopping district to the north. In other words, people living here could honestly do so without having to drive a car. Ultimately, after the city gets its nose out of it, this area seems to be the principle one where retail is going to reform in central Dallas after that business long ago dissolved in downtown Dallas. See, you keep looking at downtown when thinking about Dart. In central Dallas, what is prime is a fluid and yet undetermined consideration. It is always on the move. Shoot, the LoMac area is now spilling west over into Victory Park and then further into the Design District, spilling north into Maple Avenue and beyond, and spilling northeast into West Village / CityPlace area.

But as retail is king in Dallas, one way or the other, it is going to reform in the West Village/CityPlace area. So, this area is going to become the most prime and, as a result, the new center of the city.

Look for Harwood and the Hunt sister to buy in this area. When they do, you will know that they have thrown in the towel. I'm not saying that their developments aren't in prime areas, but they just can't get any significant retail started anywhere in their vicinity for the life of them.

Dart needs to focus on finishing that subway station at Knox Henderson.

[binkyman]

duplicate post

[TexasTallest]

Originally Posted by binkyman

Dart needs to focus on finishing that subway station at Knox Henderson.

is that still happening? last i heard the project was shelved indefinitely (due to funding) and DART didnt have any plans to build a station there anymore.

[First24]

Originally Posted by TexasTallest

i dont get it. Dallas is using light rail as if it were commuter rail, and street cars as if they were light rail. the street car system seems reasonable, but spending billions to have a slow light rail train go for tens of miles all the way out into the suburbs seems like a huge waste of money when commuter rail could of done the job quickerand cheaper.

Expense depends on the amount of existing heavy rail line available. If DART would have had to refurbish or build rail lines from scratch it would have cost $100s of millions (if not $billions) more and taken years longer to construct. Commuter rail also creates more traffic congestion. Then there's the fight with the NIMBY's. People who do not want heavy rail near their neighborhoods due to the additional traffic congestion and noise.

Light rail is less intrusive on street traffic, quieter, less expensive and faster to build. You can also build it to anywhere you want.

Besides, DART already incorporates commuter lines into it's LRT system. The DCTA (A-train) and the TRE.

[binkyman]

Originally Posted by TexasTallest

is that still happening? last i heard the project was shelved indefinitely (due to funding) and DART didnt have any plans to build a station there anymore.

The expense would be the putting of a limit of four hours a day available to finish the work on the subway. But it is still there. Lots of development in the area would certainly push the subway along to completion. I think it should be top priority number one for DART. Those three stations together that I mentioned would certainly help DART.

[binkyman]

Originally Posted by Scout_972

Expense depends on the amount of existing heavy rail line available. If DART would have had to refurbish or build rail lines from scratch it would have cost $100s of millions (if not $billions) more and taken years longer to construct. Commuter rail also creates more traffic congestion. Then there's the fight with the NIMBY's. People who do not want heavy rail near their neighborhoods due to the additional traffic congestion and noise.

Light rail is less intrusive on street traffic, quieter, less expensive and faster to build. You can also build it to anywhere you want.

Besides, DART already incorporates commuter lines into it's LRT system. The DCTA (A-train) and the TRE.

Won't a DART Light Rail line, Amtrak, TRE, and a Trolley Line all meet up at Union Station?

[Metro Matt]

Originally Posted by TexasTallest

very cool. its a shame Houston and Dallas ditched their street car systems back in the day.. glad they are finally starting to come back.

does Dallas use its downtown underground tunnel system much? i know they have been ignoring it recently and there were even talks of shutting it down to bring foot traffic up to street level. while im all for increased foot traffic at street level, the underground system is a great alternative for getting around when the weather is too hot or nasty. i wish Houston would do more to integrate the underground retail and tunnel system with the street level activity. lots of people dont even know it exists. maybe convert one of the giant surface lot blocks into a sunken park/outdoor area with shops and restaurants below the street around the bottom edges with entrances going into the tunnel system. just an idea ive had..

Its coming back in Galveston too. A new intermodal terminal was approved recently on The Island. Hurricane Ike shut down the last line completely.

I just wish there was commuter rail connecting Galveston Island to Houston like back in the day. This would be a boost for tourism between both cities. Maybe one day in my lifetime it will happen.

[jmonroy1973]

LOL!! Entertaining!

[Dallaz]

Originally Posted by jmonroy1973

LOL!! Entertaining!

So, I guess you're not going to contribute to the thread.....

[jmonroy1973]

It is a moot point. Dallasites think the world of your little town and will never be convinced despite all the data available in the contrary. http://ronenews92fm.files.wordpress....cal-center.png
The tallest buildings in Houston's TMC are not 10-12 story buildings but 25 - 30 story towers.
http://blog.chron.com/medblog/files/...e-_Nov2009.jpg
This pic is missing the 30 story Hermann professional building.
How's that for contribution.

JM