Study finds Houston won't curb its driving desires

[Slick Vik]

Houston area drivers kept sitting in traffic over the last dozen years as commuters in other metro areas sharply reduced their automobile use, according to a new analysis.

 

Among the nation's 100 largest metro areas, Houston ranked 94th in driving decline. More than nine of every 10 workers take a private vehicle to work.

 

But as the number of automobile commuters dropped by more than 2 percentage points in cities like Phoenix and Atlanta - metros not known as bastions of bus and rail development or friendly, year-round weather - places like Houston and Oklahoma City posted fractional dips.

 

"I think there is still a desire at the higher levels of government here to move cars and to prioritize that over other modes of transportation," said Kevin McNally.

 

"A lot of it is about land use patterns," he said of Houston's car preference. "If it takes you 10 miles to get to a store to get milk, you don't have much of a choice but to do a whole lot of driving."

 

 

http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/transportation/article/Study-finds-Houston-won-t-curb-its-driving-desires-5038750.php?cmpid=btfpm

 

Clinging to the automobiles, even though the rest of the nation is making progress.

 

Edited December 6, 2013 by Slick Vik

[arche_757]

Who did the study?

[august948]

Suppose this has something to do with our status as a top economy and our unwillingness to reduce our standard of living?

 

Still, considering we added 1.5 million people to the Houston area in those 11 years that's still a lot fewer drivers than could have been on the road.  Also, the study is of commutes and doesn't seem to factor the length of the commute.  A 10 minute drive of a few miles is very different than a 60 mile/1+ hour slog.

Edited December 7, 2013 by august948

[Slick Vik]

Suppose this has something to do with our status as a top economy and our unwillingness to reduce our standard of living?

Still, considering we added 1.5 million people to the Houston area in those 11 years that's still a lot fewer drivers than could have been on the road. Also, the study is of commutes and doesn't seem to factor the length of the commute. A 10 minute drive of a few miles is very different than a 60 mile/1+ hour slog.

Riding public transportation is a reduction of standard in living?

[august948]

Riding public transportation is a reduction of standard in living?

 

Yes, for vast majority of people in Houston it is.

 

[barracuda]

Riding public transportation is a reduction of standard in living?

 

It is because we don't have a mass transit system that is faster or more convenient for most people. Waking up earlier, waiting in the elements, and taking multiple buses is less desirable than walking to your car and driving directly to your destination. 

 

That said, I've been to more compact cities with good mass transit that I would consider an upgrade, at least for me personally since I'm not afraid of walking. 

[IronTiger]

It is because we don't have a mass transit system that is faster or more convenient for most people

And before a "We need to spend $X billion to make public transit better", no mass transit will effectively completely cover all parts of a city.

[Slick Vik]

And before a "We need to spend $X billion to make public transit better", no mass transit will effectively completely cover all parts of a city.

That's not the goal, the goal to start with at least is to cover certain corridors that have high ridership at high frequency. The recent consultants metro hired recommended 90% ridership 10% coverage.

[august948]

That's not the goal, the goal to start with at least is to cover certain corridors that have high ridership at high frequency. The recent consultants metro hired recommended 90% ridership 10% coverage.

 

10% coverage?  You mean cut off service for folks who don't have other means of transportation unless they live close to one of the high-ridership corridors?  That's certainly not going to encourage less driving.

 

[Slick Vik]

10% coverage? You mean cut off service for folks who don't have other means of transportation unless they live close to one of the high-ridership corridors? That's certainly not going to encourage less driving.

According to the consultants it would cut service to 2% of people.

[ig2ba]

Could Metro's vastly reduced service (and ridership) of in-city bus routes in favor of light rail during this time period have something to do with it? In terms of net ridership, the Red Line has essentially just replaced lost bus riders and has added few net transit riders.

 

And then, oh yeah, the Houston area grew between 2000 and 2011, so the per capita transit ridership went down.

[ig2ba]

That's not the goal, the goal to start with at least is to cover certain corridors that have high ridership at high frequency. The recent consultants metro hired recommended 90% ridership 10% coverage.

 

Could you clarify what he meant by "recommended 90% ridership 10% coverage"? It sounds like a slogan and does not make sense to me. 90% of people doing their trips by transit? Or 90% close to transit? Or something else? I can't even begin to guess what 10% coverage means.

 

Thanks.

[arche_757]

Who sponsored this study?  The Chronicle?  A known Transit expert?  Who?  What?

[august948]

Who sponsored this study?  The Chronicle?  A known Transit expert?  Who?  What?

 

U.S. PIRG  http://www.uspirg.org/page/usp/about-us

 

The US PIRG Mission Statement

 

"Our Mission

U.S. PIRG, the federation of state Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs), stands up to powerful special interests on behalf of the American public, working to win concrete results for our health and our well-being. With a strong network of researchers, advocates, organizers and students in state capitals across the country, we take on the special interests on issues such as product safety, public health, political corruption, tax and budget reform and consumer protection, where these interests stand in the way of reform and progress."

 

[IronTiger]

So it's an unknown public interest group doing the study. A quick look reveals some of the PIRGs promote public transportation as one of their agendas. Biased much? 

[H-Town Man]

So it's an unknown public interest group doing the study. A quick look reveals some of the PIRGs promote public transportation as one of their agendas. Biased much?

Bias toward public transit doesn't explain why their study shows that cities with similar economic health like Dallas and Austin are learning alternatives to the car while Houston is still stuck in the same old mindset. Kind of embarrassing, frankly.

[LTAWACS]

Houstonians likely would love to drive less. It's those bloody suburbanites (katie, wood lands, etc) who love to drive everywhere! Why else would they live in a place where it takes a 42 minute drive just to get a loaf of bread?

[august948]

Houstonians likely would love to drive less. It's those bloody suburbanites (katie, wood lands, etc) who love to drive everywhere! Why else would they live in a place where it takes a 42 minute drive just to get a loaf of bread?

There are 4 HEB's within 6 miles of the center of Katy and 5 within 6 miles of the center of The Woodlands. Didn't bother to look up the number of Krogers, Randalls, Whole Foods, Aldis, etc. I'm sure it's plenty. More like a 10 minute drive to get a loaf of bread.

[gmac]

Houstonians likely would love to drive less. It's those bloody suburbanites (katie, wood lands, etc) who love to drive everywhere! Why else would they live in a place where it takes a 42 minute drive just to get a loaf of bread?

 

I'm assuming this is tongue-in-cheek since it's much easier and quicker to get a loaf of bread in the suburbs than it is in town.

 

I grew up riding trains and subways and buses to school and work. It's a lifestyle change that takes away a lot of flexibility and involves its own difficulties and inconveniences. If Metro could conjure up a system that picks me up within a block of my house and drops me off within a block of my destination (wherever it may be), I would be all for investing billions. Otherwise, I'll keep my car.

 

[IronTiger]

I'm assuming this is tongue-in-cheek since it's much easier and quicker to get a loaf of bread in the suburbs than it is in town.

The ol' Poe's Law at work--though to be fair, The Woodlands initially didn't have any grocery stores nearby (boutiques and ice rink yes, but groceries no, go figure), but that hasn't been true for at least two and a half decades.

[Slick Vik]

There are 4 HEB's within 6 miles of the center of Katy and 5 within 6 miles of the center of The Woodlands. Didn't bother to look up the number of Krogers, Randalls, Whole Foods, Aldis, etc. I'm sure it's plenty. More like a 10 minute drive to get a loaf of bread.

For the most part you have to drive to go anywhere except your neighborhood park in the suburbs

[cloud713]

Could Metro's vastly reduced service (and ridership) of in-city bus routes in favor of light rail during this time period have something to do with it? In terms of net ridership, the Red Line has essentially just replaced lost bus riders and has added few net transit riders.

And then, oh yeah, the Houston area grew between 2000 and 2011, so the per capita transit ridership went down.

Is the last statement just for light rail or all mass transit? Because the chronicle reported that 8 out of 10 homes bought are outside of the loop, whereas all the light rail is inside of 610.. If we had commuter or heavy rail extending out to/past the beltway to pick up suburbanites we would have a much higher ridership than currently, and most likely would have increased overall. Suburbanites tend to avoid busses while urbanites are more likely to embrace mass transit.. Until the inner city becomes the more appealing place to live, or we throw billions at a commuter rail system and build out the light rail to plan then Houston will remain a car-centric city. Fortunately the inner city is gentrifying and becoming a more appealing place to live, work and play.

Now if only we could get a top golf and public sports complex built on top of the George r brown for the local urbanites and start bringing other entertainment venues into the core of the city we could really turn the downtown and surrounding areas into a destination.

Also, the recession slowed down/cancelled many projects near the light rail line, which are finally coming back and seeing the light of day, bringing additional ridership to the rail system.

Edited December 28, 2013 by cloud713

[Ross]

For the most part you have to drive to go anywhere except your neighborhood park in the suburbs

 

I drive pretty much everywhere I go, and I live inside the Loop. I am not walking from Kroger to my house with 8 bags of groceries, nor am I going to walk almost 2 miles to Berryhill for dinner. Most of the areas inside the Loop are actually suburbs built close to town, when Houston wasn't as large as it is now.

 

[august948]

I drive pretty much everywhere I go, and I live inside the Loop. I am not walking from Kroger to my house with 8 bags of groceries, nor am I going to walk almost 2 miles to Berryhill for dinner. Most of the areas inside the Loop are actually suburbs built close to town, when Houston wasn't as large as it is now.

Slick has a bit of a problem comprehending that not everyone can or wants to live like he does.

[Slick Vik]

I drive pretty much everywhere I go, and I live inside the Loop. I am not walking from Kroger to my house with 8 bags of groceries, nor am I going to walk almost 2 miles to Berryhill for dinner. Most of the areas inside the Loop are actually suburbs built close to town, when Houston wasn't as large as it is now.

That's your choice. You've also mentioned the red line is a major inconvenience, so I take this for what it is.

Slick has a bit of a problem comprehending that not everyone can or wants to live like he does.

I'm also one of the people who has lived in suburbs and the heart of the city, so I can make a fair analysis.

[august948]

Is the last statement just for light rail or all mass transit? Because the chronicle reported that 8 out of 10 homes bought are outside of the loop, whereas all the light rail is inside of 610.. If we had commuter or heavy rail extending out to/past the beltway to pick up suburbanites we would have a much higher ridership than currently, and most likely would have increased overall. Suburbanites tend to avoid busses while urbanites are more likely to embrace mass transit.. Until the inner city becomes the more appealing place to live, or we throw billions at a commuter rail system and build out the light rail to plan then Houston will remain a car-centric city. Fortunately the inner city is gentrifying and becoming a more appealing place to live, work and play.

Now if only we could get a top golf and public sports complex built on top of the George r brown for the local urbanites and start bringing other entertainment venues into the core of the city we could really turn the downtown and surrounding areas into a destination.

Also, the recession slowed down/cancelled many projects near the light rail line, which are finally coming back and seeing the light of day, bringing additional ridership to the rail system.

 

Even if you put in commuter rail and build out the light rail system as originally planned, Houston will remain a car-centric city.  It's not possible to come even close to serving the population of the greater Houston area with rail.

 

[august948]

I'm also one of the people who has lived in suburbs and the heart of the city, so I can make a fair analysis.

 

As evidenced by your wholehearted belief that the suburbs are a malignant creation of the US Government and GM and will collapse and be abandoned in the near future.

 

[Slick Vik]

As evidenced by your wholehearted belief that the suburbs are a malignant creation of the US Government and GM and will collapse and be abandoned in the near future.

The suburbs are a creation, that's a fact. And a tremendous drain on resources as well.

[august948]

The suburbs are a creation, that's a fact. And a tremendous drain on resources as well.

 

Suburbs are a creation in the same way a city or a town is a creation.  Suburbs are just the outskirts of a city.  As evidenced by the fact that this is a Latin term, suburbs have existed since antiquity.

 

[Ross]

The suburbs are a creation, that's a fact. And a tremendous drain on resources as well.

 

Do you think that if there had been restrictions after WWII, Long Island would not be developed now?

 

The Heights, Timbergrove, Montrose, Cherryhurst, etc were all suburbs when they were developed.

 

Do you think Houston would be a better place if there was nothing outside the Loop besides farmland?