Tag Archives: light rail

Garcia writes about the New Metro

Posted on January 5, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Metro Board Chair Gilbert Garcia wrote an op-ed for the Sunday Chron that outlined what Metro did in 2010 and plans to do in 2011. If you’ve already listened to my interview with Garcia and Board member Christof Spieler, what … Continue reading →

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NPR on LRT

Posted on January 3, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Nice story on NPR about the expansion of light rail around the country. Pretty much everywhere you look in large urban areas, there’s light rail, construction of light rail, or plans for light rail. Couple of points from the story … Continue reading →

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A message from Metro

Posted on December 26, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Spotted by me at the Smithlands light rail station: I believe this subject came up in my interview with Gilbert Garcia and Christoph Spieler but figured it deserved its own mention regardless. Expect the Board to explore further changes to … Continue reading →

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Metro reaches settlement with CAF

Posted on December 17, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Fresh from the inbox: The Metropolitan Transit Authority announced today that it has reached a settlement with CAF USA, Inc. (a subsidiary of the Spanish Firm Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles, S.A.) over two disputed contracts for the construction of … Continue reading →

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Moving on at Metro

Posted on December 15, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Frank Wilson is gone at Metro, and others are following him out the door. “A number of the senior appointees that Frank Wilson brought in are no longer here,” said George Greanias, Wilson’s successor, but he did not describe it … Continue reading →

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You need more than more miles to get more riders

Posted on December 15, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The new 28-mile Green Line in Dallas has begun full service, and it is expected to add about 30,000 daily boardings, bringing DART’s total rail ridership to about 90,000 per day. That’s for 72 miles of rail lines, which is … Continue reading →

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The Bill King alternative to light rail

Posted on November 19, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

In case you missed it, Bill King wrote a column lat week that was based on an email exchange he had with me awhile back in which he laid out his alternate vision for what Metro ought to be doing. … Continue reading →

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Metro to try mediation with CAF

Posted on October 23, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Whatever works. The Metropolitan Transit Authority plans to negotiate the cancellation of a $331 million contract with a Spanish rail car manufacturer through mediation, local transit bosses said Wednesday. That is why, despite the agency’s announced intention to cancel the … Continue reading →

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Feds reject CAF’s review request

Posted on October 6, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I smell a lawsuit coming. Federal officials on Friday rejected a Metro contractor’s bid to preserve its $330 million deal to supply rail cars, setting the stage for possible litigation over the soon-to-be-canceled contract. Dorval R. Carter Jr., the chief … Continue reading →

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Metro takes a step forward on advertising

Posted on October 3, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

For its 2011 fiscal year budget, Metro is taking a tentative step forward on allowing ads to be placed on its buses. Metro is considering placing ads on buses to generate revenue (page 37). George Greanias, president and chief executive … Continue reading →

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How Metro nearly cost itself $900 million

Posted on September 21, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

It’s an impressive feat, for some sense of the word. In the first months of the procurement process, documents show, [former Metro CEO Frank] Wilson intended to use local rather than federal funds to buy the light-rail vehicles, possibly in … Continue reading →

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CAF asks FTA to reconsider

Posted on September 21, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Don’t know how much good this will do them, but I guess it can’t hurt to try. Metro’s rail car contractor formally asked federal officials Friday to reconsider their decision that the company’s $330 million contract must be canceled in … Continue reading →

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Metro responds to FTA, and CAF responds to Metro

Posted on September 13, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Over the weekend, Metro posted a letter from CEO George Greanias to the FTA in response to the findings of the FTA from their investigation into Buy America compliance. Basically, Metro says they agree with the FTA’s findings, have issued … Continue reading →

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Add another year to the construction schedule

Posted on September 9, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Metro may have dodged a bullet with the FTA, but they’re still going to feel the effect of the federal agency’s decision in the Buy America case. The Metropolitan Transit Authority today retracted its acting president’s statement that the agency … Continue reading →

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FTA gives Metro a second chance

Posted on September 8, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

That sound you hear is a bullet whizzing past Metro’s ear Metro violated federal laws in making a deal with a Spanish company to purchase 103 rail cars, and must re-bid the purchase in order to qualify for a $900 … Continue reading →

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More on Metro’s finances

Posted on August 31, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron reports on Metro’s current financial situation. I think you can largely sum this up as follows: “Clearly, Metro is burning through its cash,” said Steven Craig, a University of Houston economics professor specializing in public finance. Craig said … Continue reading →

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Metro’s cash crunch

Posted on August 26, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

From last week, a story about how times are tough at Metro. Facing a $49 million budget shortfall this fiscal year, the Metropolitan Transit Authority has begun to slow construction on two light rail lines and may embrace more drastic … Continue reading →

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Commuter rail along US 90A

Posted on August 26, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s an update on a piece of the 2003 Metro Solutions referendum that has been largely quiescent till now, the proposed commuter rail line from the Fannin South station to Fort Bend County. Though efforts soon stalled after a 2003 … Continue reading →

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DART reverses course, will keep building

Posted on August 19, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Back in June, Dallas Area Rapid Transit presented a 20-year financial plan that said it could no longer afford to build several new light rail lines that it had intended to do. Now it’s got an updated projection that says … Continue reading →

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Metro gets record of decision for University line

Posted on July 31, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Very good news. Metro has received word that final approval has been given concerning the environmental review process for the University light-rail line. “Houston clearly needs the University Line as an East-West transit artery,” said George Greanias, action president and … Continue reading →

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Metro finance update

Posted on July 23, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

What’s going on with Metro these days? Although leaders of the region’s transit agency are confident that they will secure $900 million in federal funding to build more light rail lines in Houston, they have begun discussing fare increases and … Continue reading →

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Metro lets more bikes on the trains

Posted on July 20, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve mentioned the efforts by BikeHouston and other activists to expand bicycle access to light rail trains. This past week, they scored a victory on that front. Bikes are still barred during peak travel hours in the morning and afternoon, … Continue reading →

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Austin ponders its urban rail future

Posted on July 1, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

As with so many things these days, how to pay for it is a big issue. The Austin City Council, looking at a daunting $1.3 billion tab to build a proposed urban rail system, voted Thursday to spend $100,000 for … Continue reading →

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Another setback for DART

Posted on June 30, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

More bad news from Dallas. Dallas Area Rapid Transit can’t afford to build light-rail service to D/FW International Airport by 2013 as it has long said it would, the agency’s chief financial officer said Tuesday. The news comes as a … Continue reading →

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Midtown development

Posted on June 9, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Sunday Chron had a look at some new development coming to Main Street near the Ensemble/HCC station. In it was this observation about what had previously been built in the area: When the Main Street light rail line opened … Continue reading →

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Inducing demand: Not just for misguided highway projects in the exurbs

Posted on June 3, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

This article about the construction of the North Line demonstrates that development follows transit projects, too. One of the biggest real estate projects in the area is the former FedEx site on Irvington. It was conceived in 2002 to address … Continue reading →

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More “Buy America” complications

Posted on May 25, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

From the “It’s always something with Metro” department: The Federal Transit Administration plans to deny the Metropolitan Transit Authority’s request for a waiver from Buy America rules in connection with [a $15.8 million radio equipment] radio purchase from Motorola, FTA … Continue reading →

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Streetcars on Washington Avenue?

Posted on May 21, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Some big things may be coming to Washington Avenue. Super Neighborhood 22 — a council of civic clubs in the Washington Ave. corridor — will hold a meeting May 24 to discuss its proposed master plan for transportation in the … Continue reading →

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Metro responds to FTA letter about “Buy America”

Posted on May 16, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, Metro had received a letter from the FTA that challenged its compliance with the FTA’s “Buy America” requirement due to Metro’s agreement to buy two prototype light rail cars that would be built in Spain. Metro has … Continue reading →

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Meet George Greanias

Posted on May 14, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, former City Controller and member of Mayor Parker’s transition team George Greanias has taken over, at least on an interim basis, as the CEO of Metro. Houston Tomorrow has a brief intro to Greanias, including a pointer … Continue reading →

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Wilson resigns

Posted on May 8, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

He’s out. Frank J. Wilson relinquished the leadership of the Metropolitan Transit Authority on Friday, leaving Metro’s reconstituted board and an acting chief executive with the task of completing the light rail system Wilson was hired to build six years … Continue reading →

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Was it worth it for two prototypes?

Posted on May 7, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I’m really at a loss to understand how the previous Metro board could have put $900 million at risk to make it easier for their manufacturer to build two prototype light rail cars. Eight days after federal officials rejected the … Continue reading →

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More on Wilson’s departure

Posted on May 6, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

More evidence that Metro CEO Frank Wilson is about to be history: The Metro board has a replacement in mind. The board is expected to name George Greanias, a former city councilman and controller who co-chaired Mayor Annise Parker’s Metro … Continue reading →

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“Committed” to rail

Posted on May 5, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Well, it’s better than not being commited. U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said today that his agency is continuing a review of the Metropolitan Transit Authority’s light rail funding application, but he declined to say when the $900 … Continue reading →

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