VelvetJ

713 to 214, I'm with you. I find it AMAZING so many people can't seem to understand the point you are making, and that this criticism is coming because you DO care about Houston. Although I do like this new plan, the fact remains, a fairly large number of people went to the polls and were promised something specific NOW after jumping through all sorts of hoops to get it, only to have the rug pulled from under them. Also, not to mention it was more of a blackmailing situation than a compromise. Either do as they say or the city gets nothing. You know, sorta like "build my team a new stadium or we will leave and Houston will get nothing". This is the same type of situation except in this case, there were 2 wolves dressed as sheep, and Houstonians don't even recognize it, therefor will not hold them accountable. Bill White is taking responsibility but some of us know he was put between a rock and a hard place and really had no choice if the city was to get any funding at all. Sad.

Redscare, I think you missed my point. The last sentence of my first paragraph was really the key. Anyway, I wonder what gas prices will look like in 5 years and if we will wonder if the money for rail is worth it? Also, I would just like to say that I am really getting a kick out of what's happening with rail. When I first moved to Houston in 89' and Kathy Whitmire was pushing for rail, I said then, rail in Houston is inevitible and the longer this city waits, the more expensive it's going to be. I shook my head as they were removing the rail tracks along the Soutwest Freeway and out Westpark and replaced with a toll road. I shook my head as they were removing the tracks along the Katy Freeway in the late 90's. I shook my head when it was revealed where the precise location of Minute Maid Field would be and to now see a multimodule facility in the recently revised METRO proposal north of Downtown. And I shook my head as recently as a couple of years ago when Commuter rail on the existing tracks along 290 and another freeway (I forget) was shot out of the water because it was deemed too expensive. Simply a hoot I tell ya'.

713 to 214, it's people like you Houston needs so badly in a powerful decision making position. Houston seems to be swinging more and more into one direction and it is causing the city to loose it's edge and retard it to a degree. That loss of "edge" can be seen everywhere, from architectural designs, to the attitude towards the city's citizens. We like to brag about our glorious past but in today's Houston, the Astrodome would not have been built, the ship channel would not be a reality, Pennzoil Place would more than likely be in Downtown Atlanta, and NASA and Bush Intercontinental would be in other places. We used to be known to set the bar, now it seems we are always a step behind. I actually like the routes of this new plan better, however I am not thrilled that those that were promised rail are not getting it when they were told. I am also EXTREMELY fearful those BRT routes that are scheduled to eventually get rail won't do so for another 15-20 years. I hope I am proven wrong. And those that do not believe this was a Delay and Culberson, "Do as I say or get nothing" situation should wake up a bit. IMO, this had less to do with the Feds and more with Delay and Culberson personally not being happy with the amount of light rail in the initial plan we voted for.

So far, I am being sold on the tunnel idea.

Max, so it was a mistake to have so much rail where they built it? Also, what were the factors involved in the drop off in ridership? How much rail has opened in the past 2-3 years, and how much is basically set in stone to be added? How high is demand for it in areas that do not currently have it? It was not my intent to so much put Dallas on the "perfect rail" pedestal as much as I was trying to make a point about the perceptions of rail in two very similar cities.

That is taking it a bit far. They should not be applauded for something they were put in office to do, which was help Houston as much as they could. If anything we should be saying, it's a shame about the role they played in it all taking so long.

And there lies your problem, which is the point I think 713 to 214 was trying to make. "The alternative is to do nothing". The issue is, we all know the TRUE reason that is even a alternative at all. It is because of Delay and Culberson, and not so much the Feds. I am glad Houston is at least doing something, however IMO, 713 to 214 is exactly right. There were other factors at work here. I'm sure it was a situation of Delay and Culberson basically saying, "do as we say, or we will make sure Houston doesn't get ANYTHING from the Feds". *side note*- Once again, I know it's been discussed before, but what was the reason Delay gave for supporting federal money to go to rail in Dallas but authored legislation to block it in Houston? Again, in his eyes, why was rail such a great idea for Dallas and not Houston?

The more I think about it, the more I think this could be a Gold Mine for Tillman Fertitta.......HEY TILLMAN, DO YOU READ THIS SITE??????? I can totally see the old Billy Blues facility with the Giant Saxaphone, turned into a heavily themed Pappas Bar B Q, with a giant patio that jets out toward the sidewalk. Some of his Chefs could actually have giant Bar B Q pits outside on the patio so the patrons can watch them prepare Bar B Q, while they listen to the live band. He can convert the old T-Town club into a family type entertainment center. I know Dave and Busters is already there, but Tillman's could include things D&B's don't have like a giant Rock Climbing Wall, a Giant Water Fall, indoor Go Cart Racing, and Laser Tag. That shuttered Denny's, which already has that great design and great silver exterior could be turned into a 1950's themed restaurant with a full size restored 1950's pink T-Bird placed somewhere. They could sell Hot Dogs, Burgers, Malts, etc. The waitresses could be in poodle skirts and have hairstyles from the 50's. The remainder of the closed facilities along that portion of Richmond could be turned into some form of other restaurants, but the key is making them accessible by foot in terms of making it easy to walk from facility to facility. Also like I mentioned before, make sure each place has a patio ( that can be converted from Air conditioned to open air) to give pedestrians a more welcoming feel when walking. And of course the streets would be smooth, clean and Lanscaped. Plus, with the new east/west rail line, it's possible the "Restaurants on Richmond" Corridor could one day see rail pass through it, making it easy to park at a parking facility a mile or so away and ride the rail down to the Restaurants. Or even better, ride a train from the northside to the Corridor without having to drive. Families could just make a nice full evening out of the entire event. *note- Before anyone shoot me down, I'm just typing the first things that are popping into my head.

Hey can someone answer my question about the numbers on the Sugarland commuter rail? With the completion of the 90A Super Road, the opening of the new Ft. Bend toll road, and the completion of the most congested portion of the the Southwest Freeway through Stafford, Missouri City and on to Sugarland, what are any opinions on commuter rail going down 90A so soon. I am most excited about the light rail east west line going to the Galleria and the commuter line going up 290. The only freeway in Houston that needed commuter worse than 290 was of course the Katy Freeway. I am so happy for those that use 290 because that Freeway's traffic is INSANE. Congrats to them. Now, that article stated all of this could be done in 7 years if we get the funding. How soon after the 7 years would Houstonians be able to go to the polls to approve expansion of the rest of the plan in terms of taking commuter out the Gulf Freeway, and possibly converting some of the guided buses to LRV? Lastly, for some reason, I totally see this making room for a High Speed Maglev type train from Intercontinental Airport to the new Transportation Module north of Downtown in the eventual future. *note- I also hope this new Transportation Hub has some creativitiy in it's design. I know we are limited in funds but I sure pray Houston's ONLY objective is simply not to get what is cheapest. I hope the design has some form of artistic intergrity instead of a gigantic beige box. And please add some form of art that represents our city, like statues or something of a Astronaut, a Oil Well, the AstroDome, our Skyline, and a Cowboy. I don't know.....just something that has a little excitement to it.

Ok, so my next question is what will the commuter line numbers look like going to Sugarland? I live on the far Southwest side, and as some of you know, 90A is at the midpoint of being transformed to one of those Super Roads where one will not have to stop for traffic lights from 610 South all the way to possibly Murphy Road in Stafford, if not further. Basically like a freeway, it will be a nonstop drive right down the path of the commuter rail. 290, I can totally see adding Commuter Rail RIGHT NOW, but my feelings aren't so clear on 90A, considering this Super Road will be done soon, plus the construction on the Ft. Bend portion of the Southwest Freeway through Stafford and the most congested portion of Sugarland has been completed (thanks to Mr. Delay ). Any thoughts anyone?

Yeah, just from the initial read, I am not thrilled about the guideway buses. But I have never been on one, so can anyone tell me what the experience is like and how effective they are? Can someone post pics of any guided buses?

kjb434, With all due respect, sometimes it seems like you are in a totally different reality than the rest of the citizens. The average Houstonian couldn't give a rats tail that Gas prices are way below inflation. The only thing we see is we are paying more for gas than we ever have and the prices continue and are going to continue to increase. Regarding traffic not being that bad, well I agree with you to a degree, however tell that to the studies that show Houstonians biggest concern in our city is traffic. I also think at times sprawl and suburbs are villified more than they should be. However kjb434, there are indeed negative fallouts from a place sprawling to the degree Houston has, and we can't cover our eyes to the negatives of it soley based upon what people want. For example, we should not fill all of our bayous in with soil, simply because somone WANTS to do so so they can build on them. There would be negative consequences to making such a move. Short term benefits can cause long term problems, and the same holds true for extreme uncontrolled sprawl. This is not to try to start a debate but I want to know what the gigantic difference between Dallas and Houston is? Why is it that those in Dallas could not see how unnecessary light and commuter rail is for a city as sprawled as the two right now but Houston can? What makes Houston and Dallas SO different to the point where it is a good idea to delay rail as long as possible in Houston but continuously expand it like MAD in Dallas? Why do Houstonians view rail so much differently than Dallasites now? I chose Dallas because the two cities are different but have more in common than not. Why is significant rail RIGHT NOW and in the IMMEDIATE future, such a great idea for Dallas but not for Houston? Lastly, I think before studying commuter rail in Houston the following link to the Trinity Railway Express in Dallas should be observed. Notice the schedule and how there are 'breaks' in the schedule during off-peak hours. Why can't the same be done in Houston? We must not forget that there is a purpose to commuter and light rail besides making a profit. Link

I like the restaurant Row idea a lot. If they could repave the street and each restaurant that agrees to open there create a somewhat cohesive atmosphere by including tons of Al Fresco type of develoments whether they are single or two story, add a couple of decrative fountains in a few of the medians, and heavily theme a few of the restaurants. But absolutely no clubs. Leave those to Downtown. I personally don't see Restaurant Row becoming a hangout for thugs.

WaterWorld is 15 acres, and AstroWorld is 75 acres (which is pretty small for a Theme Park). And it actually may be smaller at this point since the city has reduced the size of Southern Star Ampitheater, and took half of the employee parking lot.

I really hope this happens and are priced reasonably instead of all of the high end that is going up in Houston right now. I also like the design, although I would have seen this more in the Uptown Area, or Westchase Area before near the Museum district. Either way, I hope it's built.

So as oil prices increase, oil supply reaches it's peak, deadlines loom closer to improve our air quality, and flooding progressively worsens city wide every year, the only thing Houston can feasibly see in the immediate future is aggressive plans for more roads and toll roads? And someone actually stated here that after leaving a meeting with the Harris County Infrastructure head, he sees commuter rail probably 25-30 years away?!?!?! Question....how many out there think if somehow magically a rail line suddenly appeared along 290, ridership would stay the same as it currently is for Metro Buses along the park and ride routes? One myth I think Houstonians have to get over is that, riding a Metro bus from Intercontinental Airport would not be the same experience as riding the train from the airport. Riding a train from Katy Mills to Downtown would not be the same experience as riding the Metro Bus. There is a HUGE difference in bus and train experiences in urban areas. That difference alone would attract riders. Houston's traffic is at it's worst when,.......during rush hour. A significant amount of that traffic is from people comming in from the suburbs or outlying areas. Some critics say people won't give up their cars because they have other things to do. Most of those people go straight to their employment centers, and at the end of the day go straight back to their part of town, doing most of their shopping, dry cleaning, picking up the kids from day care, and stopping for dinner at a restaurant near their homes. So they will fight 30 miles of congestion on the freeway, only to shop at Randall's close to their homes. So most of the traffic nightmares are a result of people going straight to work and going straight back to their parts of town. Correct? The problem is too many cars on the freeway at once during the same times everyday. So a large part of the answer is getting some of those cars off of the freeways during rush hour. How do we do this? Create an attractive alternative to driving. In this case, I see that as a cheap, fast, smooth, comfortable, barrier free ( not at the mercy of the automobile or traffic lights) easily accessible option. More rail from Katy, The Woodlands, Clear Lake, Sugarland, and Tomball, but the key is sooner not later. Disturbing as I find it, I know there are residents in Katy that if given the option would choose having a toll road for their commutes everyday into town over a commuter rail line along with the current Katy freeway expansion. I just hope they and all of Houston won't learn to regret not paying enough attention or realizing the importance of non-automobile related transportation and infrastructure opportunities soon enough. Will our children curse us for lack of vision?

Ok, although it doesn't have the soul of the Original Ninfa's, most people I take to Pappasito's tend to be impressed. Are your friends from outside of Texas?

Hi Bas, Your best bet is to investigate the above advice from kjb434. It would be a pretty good commute for the both of you, plus the area is fairly nice. You wouldn't have far to drive going downtown, and your wife would be driving against traffic on 45 or 290 and shouldn't have traffic issues most days.

^ Danax, I agree completely. I am not against park space at all. I say add more park space because as you mentioned those areas that are booming have not added any greenspace to my knowlege. I suppose I went a little left field because Houston actually has a reputation for having inadequate park space, which I have found to be unfair simply because in most cases all things aren't considered. For example, there is actually a park near my home that is very popular, however, there is a elementary school with a jogging/walking track and playground equipment that is open to the neighborhood 24/7, that is just as popular as the park but those sort of things aren't considered either. I'm willing to bet that if most Houstonians were asked they would be satisfied with Houston's park space.

The latest buildings that are being added to the buckhead skyline have gotten me jealous. IMO, with the exception of Enron II, none of Houston's recent buildings built, going up, or proposed, can even touch these new buildings in Buckhead. All of the excuses that are given for the bland, uninspiring architectural choices for Houston as of late hold no water for me. What is going on in Atlanta that inspires such gems?

I agree with kjb434, besides how many times have you heard the average Houstonian complain that there isn't enough park space near their home, or complain that they can't find a available park because it is too crowded? Also, Houston and many cities in the south have what I call the X factor in terms of areas that aren't considered parks. There are tons of open fields all over the city where you can find people playing football, soccer, or softball. There are tons of natural wooded areas where kids explore where there are man-made trails to enjoy. Plus are the trails and greenspace along our bayous considered in that park space survey? Not to mention that Houston is a city that is full of subdivisions and single family homes that have nieghborhood pools and clubhouses that aren't part of the city. Also, in many of these single family homes, there is enough yard where many kids and families can do what they would normally do at a park. Can the same be said for the average citizen of San Francisco or New York, or Chicago? Houston having a lack of park space is something I never quite understood or agreed with.

I wonder why Houston was eliminated in the first round? *secret thought*- I'm just glad we didn't loose to Atlanta .

Vox and ssullivan, you both are absolutely correct, but I'm afraid the issue may be the general public doesn't know that information and unfortunately may view this request as a "complete failure of rail in Houston and are just asking for more of our tax money".

I'mma hoppin' and a prayin' Houston get the Superbowl once again, but I think the NFL would really love to see the Georia Dome upgraded. Plus Atlanta will have completed quite a number of major tourist friendly projects in the almost immediate vicinity of the Dome. I'm pulling for Houston, but I don't know.

Although the building is far from my ideal for Allen Parkway, I have to admit it has grown on me. Allen Parkway is one of our premier streets in all of Houston, and yes, I would have liked a more clean classy style for it instead of the typical Houston "jumble of any and everything", but hey what are we going to do? Regarding the criticism on this board of recent architecture, give me a break? We all are aware of the fact that people have varied tastes and preferences, but let's be real here..... some of the stuff that has been going up in Houston over the past few years could have been done with a little more thought into the designs. The attitude of " Oh let's just be greatful the Mercer is up because at least it's not a empty field anymore" is a attitude I do NOT share. Where was the overall criticism of Enron II, where was the overall criticism of the recent new rendering of the proposed Kirby Condo, where was the overall criticism of the new addition to the Galleria? There was no widespread criticism on these sites on those projects because there was no need for it. I look at the architectural designs of most of the things that are going up in Atlanta right now and the designs of the things that are proposed, and it makes me even more critical of the designs that have been chosen for Houston as of late. But at the end of the day, as it has been said already, we are just arm-chair architects who are having fun, so what's the big deal?