More feedback to Metro about the eastern portion of the Universities line, whose route may include Wheeler Avenue through the Texas Southern University campus.
Dozens gathered around aerial maps at the Third Ward Multi-Service Center, which outlined the proposed paths of its University corridor rail line. Many were focused upon the plan to build a rail line from Wheeler to Scott, which requires reopening a portion of Wheeler on TSU’s campus that was closed in 1984 and converted to a pedestrian mall, now known as “Tiger Walk.”
“Wheeler was closed because students kept getting hit by cars,” explained Gabrielle Green-del Bosque, a TSU student. “Students would have to cross the rail line to get to classes and I’m not too thrilled to have to wait on a train.”
[…]
“The train line will destroy the sense of community that the closure of the street has generated inside the campus,” TSU’s acting president Bobby L. Wilson wrote in a letter to Metro President and CEO Frank Wilson. He also cited safety, noise and interference of ongoing campuswide renovation and landscaping projects as other reasons for the opposition.
The issues being raised are perfectly valid, and all viable alternatives should be given full consideration. I’m not quite sure what Ms. Green-del Bosque means by “having to wait on the train”. This isn’t a mile-long freight train we’re talking about, it’s a compact light rail train. I’ve sat at the crossing at Greenbriar and Braeswood many a time, and we’re talking 30 seconds or so, the duration of a red light. Of all the possible objections, I’d file that one way down the list.
Minister Robert Muhammad, of the Nation of Islam’s southwest region and a TSU graduate, said a rail line would be beneficial to the Third Ward neighborhood, but he favors Alabama or Elgin as alternate routes rather than cutting through his alma mater.
“It would be disruptive going down the heart of the campus,” he said.
But, he clarified, residents are willing to compromise rather than miss out on the economic boon light rail would bring to the community.
Metro can’t ask for more than that from the community. Let’s hope what gets proposed is ultimately acceptable to the majority. There’s another open house on the Universities line tonight from 5 to 8 PM at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 5501 South Main Street.
Meanwhile, the pro-Richmond forces are preparing to take their voice to City Hall this afternoon. From a RichmondRail.org press release:
We invited Houstonians to speak out for Rail on Richmond. In less than 4 weeks more than 1000 citizens have signed our petition declaring their support for neighborhood friendly rail on Richmond.
We promised to make their voices heard. We are going to City Council on Tuesday with petitions in hand.
Houston City Council Pop-Off Session
Tuesday, July 25, 2006 at 2:00 pm
City Hall, 901 Bagby @ Walker
I look forward to hearing what kind of reception they got.
Finally, Blue Bayou has a nice long riff on the Richmond controversy. Check it out.
I’m not quite sure what Ms. Green-del Bosque means by “having to wait on the train”. This isn’t a mile-long freight train we’re talking about, it’s a compact light rail train. I’ve sat at the crossing at Greenbriar and Braeswood many a time, and we’re talking 30 seconds or so, the duration of a red light.
Well, undergraduates are not always the most articulate, but surely we thirtysomething bloggers can understand her concern over having to deal with a very quiet light rail train cutting her campus in two. In fact, I bet Rice students would express similar concerns if the light rail proposal bisected their campus!
But it doesn’t. I wonder why not, if it’s such a good idea in general…
As a former Rice undergrad and current Rice grad student, I wouldn’t object to a rail line running through campus, as long no buildings were damaged or torn down and the main quad remained intact. In fact, I think it would be really cool. It’s not on anyone’s agenda, though.