METRORail University Line

[TheNiche]

I'll take the wager on delay. Seldom has more study gone into a rail allignment. All sides were heard, and METRO made their decision. Eminent domain is a non-issue. It has passed court scrutiny too many times to count. I don't see a delay or a successful suit. Frankly, only the City of Houston can derail this thing, and I got no negative vibes from them at all.

Interesting to see the number of politicians in FAVOR of the line. Even Kay Bailey Hutchison

[The Voice of University Oaks]

Wow. METRO now thinks they'll have the money to build LRT instead of convertible BRT on the Southeast, East, North and Uptown lines?

Not only is extra expense incurred by building LRT instead of BRT (more expensive vehicles, catenary systems, etc.) but now METRO will have to lay rails in places they weren't going to put rails before, such as downtown. Under BRT, they simply would have restriped the curb lanes along Capitol and Rusk as "diamond" lanes. Also, the BRT option didn't include a bridge over the UP tracks that cross Harrisburg. Now they're going to have to build a bridge there (because FTA and FRA regulations do not allow new light rail to cross freight rail at grade).

It sounds from Sallee's article that METRO has massaged their ridership numbers and is going to roll the dice at the FTA New Starts craps table to get these lines built as LRT instead of BRT. This quote is an interesting tidbit:

"We now feel we can pass federal muster (to obtain 50 percent funding) by going to light rail on all five lines at once," board chairman David Wolff said. "We can't help but believe that people will be thrilled by it."

Essentially, METRO thinks that building all lines as rail will eliminate the transfers that would be required between LRT and BRT and therefore increase ridership. They also seem to have factored in a construction economy of scale by building all lines at the same time. Whether the FTA buys it, of course, is a different story.

I'm sorry that the eastern leg of the University Line won't go all the way to Eastwood, but given the extra cost and the flood-prone nature of the I-45 underpass, I can understand the decision. Not that it matters; the University Line is going to be tied up in litigation for so long, and Culberson is going to be doing everything in his power to stop its construction, that I am not at all optimistic that it is going to be built anytime soon. We shall see.

Metro is in negotiations of buying 70 LRT cars for the new lines from a different manufacturer, and if the deal is good enough, they will buy the additional cars to replace the ones that are currently used on the Main street line.

METRO's relationship with Siemens has really gone south.

[MetroMogul]

Yes, yes, yes! Finally this Metro administration proves their worth. Hopefully once all the dust settles around this decision they can start ramping up bus service again.

[Houston19514]

2012.

I'm pretty sure that the University Line is supposed to open by (or in) 2012. The other 4 are supposed to open by (or in) 2011.

[The Voice of University Oaks]

METRO has just put up an updated map of the alignment:

http://www.metrosolutions.org/posted/1068/...1807.178951.pdf

[Ethanra]

CH, 13 said after construction starts, Metro will start talking about Phase III. The mayor also was vey excited about the decision and mention "Its about time". This thing is happening with out delay. Little AftonAg's threats do not mean a thing. Sure I'll bet their will be a lawsuit(s), their is always lawsuits about everything but this one will not cause a delay. Didn't the last lawsuit get thrown out of court?

[Jax]

The only thing it's missing is a northern East-West connection. Maybe the next expansion might include something like an East-West line along the bayou, or Dallas, or something like that...

Edited October 18, 2007 by Jax

[KinkaidAlum]

Terrific news. I can't wait for all the lines to open!

[RedScare]

the University Line is going to be tied up in litigation for so long, and Culberson is going to be doing everything in his power to stop its construction, that I am not at all optimistic that it is going to be built anytime soon. We shall see.

Just out of curiosity, what basis do you see for a lawsuit? The previous lawsuit was tossed. There are no constitutional issues with eminent domain. The only real argument is that some people do not want it on Richmond. That is not sound legal reasoning. METRO even went the extra mile to appease Culberson (not a legal requirement), and studied a proposed allignment that was deficient on its face.

Without something big, I do not see a judge issuing injunctions. Are you aware of something or see something I am missing?

[Highway6]

The only thing it's missing is a northern East-West connection. Maybe the next expansion might include something like an East-West line along the bayou, or Dallas, or something like that...

Phase III calls for the Inner-Katy line.... it mostly goes along Washington and connects downtown directly to the NWTC

[The Voice of University Oaks]

Just out of curiosity, what basis do you see for a lawsuit? The previous lawsuit was tossed.

The motion that was tossed was Andy Taylor's "fishing expedition" wherein he wanted to depose METRO board and staff under oath. That was rejected by the courts, so he turned around and filed a conventional lawsuit against METRO. That lawsuit is still pending.

The basis of the lawsuit, as I understand it, is that Richmond was not the alignment approved in the 2003 referendum.

[RedScare]

That's what I thought. Legally, I am not concerned about that argument whatsoever. As we say in the legal biz, "That dog won't hunt."

Thanks for the quick reply.

[ricco67]

I don't know if this was mentioned in the posts previously to this (it was difficult to catch up on two days reading), but has anyone read the Culberson letters and Metro's Response in the metro article?

I thought it was a very interesting exchange.

Edited October 19, 2007 by ricco67

[roadrunner]

This is incredible. Now all we need is some confirmation on the ongoing rumors/proposals of commuter rail.

[IHB2]

Is Culberson still opposed to it even though it won't be going through the Afton Oaks neighborhood?

yes but it doesn't matter b/c he know longer sits on the Transportation Subcommittee, so he can't directly affect the fed $$ (although he still can't be treated rudely b/c he is a sitting Rep and the U LIne ain't the end of politics in this area).

but now the negotiating really begins along the U Line before the FEIS is finalized next year. you HAIF guys would love to see the drawings I've seen lately concerning the options for how the track might look when it crosses the SW Fwy at Cummins. the eminent domain possibilities range from not much to extensive.

I'll just say that any $$ amount METRO has offered for completing this line is going to be 15-20% lower than the final bill to taxpayers once mitigation is factored in.

[Chris]

I think the whole proposal for the new line is great. I don't see any problem with it's routes.

[ssullivan]

Wow, the map with all of the light rail, proposed commuter rail, and existing park and rid bus service makes it look like Houston may just have a real transit system in a few years.

I'm sure there will be lawsuits, but there were lawsuits when the Main St. line was under construction, and Metro won those. This time, there's been far more study, a vote by the citizens, and years of planning. I'd think that any lawsuits at this point would stand a far slimmer chance of stopping the project that the suit(s) filed during the construction of the existing light rail line.

As for the LRVs, is Metro unhappy with the Siemens LRVs they currently have? I haven't seen anything about reliability issues, and compared to what I've seen in other cities, ours seem a lot nicer. I think it would be kind of a waste to dispose of the existing fleet after just a few years of service.

[musicman]

I think the whole proposal for the new line is great. I don't see any problem with it's routes.

looks like there are some neighborhood residents that don't agree.

[T 2 THA C]

METRO has just put up an updated map of the alignment:

http://www.metrosolutions.org/posted/1068/...1807.178951.pdf

On this map it still shows it going to Eastwood any chance the Chronicle got this one wrong?

[HtownWxBoy]

Good News! I am glad to see it will all be Light Rail.

[urban909]

Well, now that this little tidbit of news it out now as far as all lines being LRT instead of BRT:

Metro is in negotiations of buying 70 LRT cars for the new lines from a different manufacturer, and if the deal is good enough, they will buy the additional cars to replace the ones that are currently used on the Main street line.

The only thing it's missing is a northern East-West connection. Maybe the next expansion might include something like an East-West line along the bayou, or Dallas, or something like that...

i take it the purple lines on the map are LRT extensions, and seeing there are some limited stops (i.e. katy) will the new LRT's be able to reach speeds higher than 65 or is that even needed?

[Houston19514]

On this map it still shows it going to Eastwood any chance the Chronicle got this one wrong?

On any given day, on any given story, there is at least a 90% chance that the Chron got something wrong. And, yes, they seem to have gotten this wrong or written their story so poorly that it appears they got it wrong. Christof has a good explanation. (He makes his own share of factual errors from time to time, but given the choice between Rad Sallee and Christof, I'll put my money on Christof having this one right.)

FWIW, I think Metro hit it out of the park with these decisions yesterday. Very exciting days ahead for Houston.

Edited October 19, 2007 by Houston19514

[musicman]

On this map it still shows it going to Eastwood any chance the Chronicle got this one wrong?

sounds like eventually yes....but at the moment, seems like money is an issue.

Metro officials said they would have liked to continue to Eastwood Transit Center, as several speakers today urged them to do. Wolff said Metro hopes to eventually complete that link, which would pick up Park & Ride bus riders from the Clear Lake area and Pearland, and East End residents.

"We don't think we quite have the money now," Wolff said. The added length, including a Gulf Freeway underpass, would have raised the cost by $60 million and generated about 2,600 more daily riders, he said.

map

Edited October 19, 2007 by musicman

[Trae]

How exactly will they be doing the line transfers?

I think this is where a color-coordinated system would work best for Metro. That way, they could have the Uptown (Pink on the map), run with the University (Orange) Line from Eastwood Transit Center until their split just after 610. That way, someone over on the East side can board that train that says Uptown (Pink) all the way to Uptown without having to get off and transfer. Same thing with the Southeast (Green) and East End (Purple) Lines. Also, the Main Street and North Lines should all just be called the Red Line.

*Trae waits for musicman to call him out*

Edited October 19, 2007 by Trae

[wakester]

i take it the purple lines on the map are LRT extensions, and seeing there are some limited stops (i.e. katy) will the new LRT's be able to reach speeds higher than 65 or is that even needed?

The purple lines are the existing P & R commuter buses. The dash lines are commuter rail and the LRT (Yea!) Uptown line extension to the commuter rail.

[MetroMogul]

Very exciting times for Houston. It seems like Metro will return to the golden age it enjoyed in the 90's when it had a solid and diverse fleet of reliable buses led by the late RTS class and a huge expansion of bus service (most of which repealed by this administration abut I can forgive them now). I can't wait for Phase III talks to get started so our Rail Empire can stretch even further.

[musicman]

I think this is where a color-coordinated system would work best for Metro. That way, they could have the Uptown (Pink on the map), run with the University (Orange) Line from Eastwood Transit Center until their split just after 610. That way, someone over on the East side can board that train that says Uptown (Pink) all the way to Uptown without having to get off and transfer. Same thing with the Southeast (Green) and East End (Purple) Lines. Also, the Main Street and North Lines should all just be called the Red Line.

*Trae waits for musicman to call him out*

LOL. while in theory your idea is ideal, implementation would be impossible with METRO's proposed design. the last engineering drawings i saw for east side line had the tracks perpendicular to the downtown one.

you have to also consider IF red line has 6 min frequency, then you would be adding more trains on top of that. just not likely. would create a traffic nightmare.

Edited October 19, 2007 by musicman

[crunchtastic]

Very exciting times for Houston. It seems like Metro will return to the golden age it enjoyed in the 90's when it had a solid and diverse fleet of reliable buses led by the late RTS class and a huge expansion of bus service (most of which repealed by this administration abut I can forgive them now). I can't wait for Phase III talks to get started so our Rail Empire can stretch even further.

It is very exciting. I was young, but can remember rail proposals shot down back in Kathy Whitmire's days. It is completely cool to look at the map on the front page of the Chron, and to live smack in the middle--walking distance at that-- of not one, but 3 rail lines. Woot!

[htownswami]

Great News for Houston!!

Do we know if the intermodal facility is also slated for 2012 completion?

[musicman]

Do we know if the intermodal facility is also slated for 2012 completion?

With the U.P. track sharing problem....it will be interesting.