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WEST HOUSTON ASSOCIATION
info@westhouston.org
Memorial City Plaza II
820 Gessner Suite 1310
Houston, Texas 77024
v 713 461 9378
f 713 461 3065
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West Houston Association
Issues
METRO Solutions Phase Two
Implementation Plan
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Metro West Houston Bus Routes
(Data Supplied by Metro)
Click on a route for schedule, map and fare
information.
Metro Opens Cypress Park Ride Lot
(Metro Cypress
P&R Facility Info) (Link to Metro)
University Corridor DEIS materials available online (Link
to Metro)
(From Metro Solutions) During the recent (Aug. 13, 14, and
27) public meetings, the following materials were distributed or displayed
to help the public navigate the complex Draft Environmental Impact Statement
(DEIS): (All Links to Metro Site)
-
Brochure summarizing the DEIS findings
- Display
boards
- Slide show
presentation
- Comment form. For
your convenience, you may
comment online or fill out this
PDF file, print it, and send it via U.S. Mail to the address noted on
the form no later than September 17, 2007.
Also online are photos of the Public Hearing. They are on
the
Write On METRO blog posted earlier this week on this subject. Feel free
to post your comments there, too. Keep in mind that the comments posted on
the blog are not for the official DEIS record.
WHA Board Addresses University Line Issue in Letter to
Congressman Culberson
Text of Letter to
Congressman Culberson:
"The Board of Directors of the West Houston Association
has a history of interest and involvement in the planning and support for
transportation projects that impact the West Houston Region. Therefore, we
have considered the recent proposals by METRO for light rail in the
University Corridor. While the line that is the subject of the current
debate is not within our sphere of interest, we are confident the outcome of
this matter will dictate whether or not West Houston will, in the future,
have a another major transit line extending into the western suburbs of the
West Houston Region, supplementing the I-10 High Occupancy Transit Lanes
(HOT).
The Board believes that the most financially competitive, technically
competent alignment that maximizes ridership potential will best serve the
greater Houston community and should be chosen by METRO. The needs of the
overall community should come before the desires and interests of a small
group of residents and businesses. While their interests should be
considered, these individual interests must not dictate progress for the
community as a whole.
Recent history informs us that to provide greater mobility for the largest
number of people, some will unfortunately not be pleased with the solution.
In the short term, a few most affected by a particular decision will find
progress for the overall community will not be in alignment with their
individual desires. However, that does not, and should not, mean that we
cannot have progress if that project meets or exceeds our collective demands
for mobility, efficiency and quality, and the greater good is served.
Examples of the greater good being served are found in practically every
major public infrastructure project— Interstate 10 reconstruction, Bayport
Terminal, and Intercontinental Airport expansion are recent examples. As you
know so well, in each case every effort was made to minimize negative
impacts, however there were those in close proximity to these projects who
were and remain opposed, no matter the rationale. Our region is going to
grow by 4,000,000 persons over the next 30 years with the majority of them
locating in the western half of the region. We will face these problems
repeatedly, but in the end, those charged with leadership must make the
decision that is the right decision for the region.
The future of an efficient transportation system in West Houston must
involve transit as well as a full complement of freeways, tollways and major
thoroughfares. To meet this goal, we believe the long-term future of West
Houston is best served if we preserve the option for transit in the
Richmond/Westpark Corridor west to northern Fort Bend County. Choosing a
less than optimum alignment in the existing University line may not only
foreclose a future link to West Houston, it may well jeopardize funding for
the entire University line.
We appreciate your leadership on mobility issues and particularly on the
Interstate 10 project. We believe difficult bold decisions and leadership
can and will continue to make a difference as the Houston region plans and
implements future mobility projects."
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HP / Cypress Park & Ride launches successfully - with
construction underway at permanent site
(From Metro Solutions) Starting this Tuesday, September 4, 2007, not only
will our 217 Cypress Park & Ride customers park in the new garage, but due
to increasing demand, they will also enjoy the convenience of an added trip
between 6 and 6:30 a.m. (click on the image to view a PDF file of the new
brochure and schedule).
Today, (Friday, Aug. 31) is the last day the
Hewlett-Packard (HP) temporary lot is used by METRO, so we wnat to say
"thanks" to HP for allowing us to use it.
Parking at the new garage will be free of charge to METRO
customers with a Q Card showing a minimum balance of $3.50. Please note
there will be no deduction from the Q Card as customers enter the garage.
Instead, an attendant will verify that the card has the minimum balance on
it.
We opted to use the Q Card to verify our fare-paying
customers because we will soon be converting the entire fare system to the Q
Card. Many of our 217 Cypress already had a Q Card and this week more than
275 Q Cards were sold at the temporary HP lot.
METRO staff will continue to be available (as they were
this week at the temporary H-P lot) to provide information and answer
questions. To ask questions or buy a Q Card at the new Cypress facility,
look for the METRO Explorer Bus
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METRO's New 2005 Regional Transit
Implementation
In June, 2005, Metro
announced an implementation strategy for its 2003 METRO Solutions plan. "The program calls
for $1.3 billion in high quality guideway rapid transit. Fifty-five
percent (55%), or slightly over $700 million, is committed to rapid transit rail
services and the balance of the approximately $575 million will be allocated to
rapid transit bus systems." METRO will seek 50% federal funding for
Phase 2. As part of the financing program, METRO will receive federal
credit for $335 million of local funds spent for the Main Street LRT.
The plan calls for
laying rail for eventual use to the north and east of downtown but implementing
service over those routes with bus rapid transit vehicles (BRT). According
to METRO, when ridership warrants, the lines will be converted to rail.
According to Metro President Frank Wilson, the lines to the north and south could
not compete as LRT against proposals from other cities for federal funding.
The plan calls for
an accelerated east/west line from east Houston to the Uptown/Galleria area
crossing the existing Main Street light rail line in the vicinity of Mid-Town.
This line will be planned both for LRT and BRT with implementation of BRT
necessitated if it can not compete for federal funds as LRT with proposals from
other cities.
WEST HOUSTON
SERVICES
The West Houston Area
will be served by a commuter rail line in the US 290 corridor (along with a new
toll facility in the Hempstead corridor by TxDOT/HCTRA--see
WHA's US 290 Update Center); high-occupancy toll lanes on the new Interstate
10 West by HCTRA/TxDOT (see the WHA Interstate 10
Update Center); and a new north-south Signature Bus/Suburban Bus Rapid
Transit route on Gessner from US 290 to the Southwest Freeway.
METRO's News Release on the
Implementation Plan
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METRO 2005
Implementation Plan.
Click smaller thumbnail for larger view.
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