West Houston Association Issues Brief

University Corridor DEIS materials now 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."
 

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
 

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