Tag Archives: Metro

Interview with John Breeding

Posted on March 8, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Last week, I noted that several business owners along Post Oak had gotten together with one of the local anti-Metro agitators to complain about what was going on with the Uptown Line and make claims about working to stop it … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Criminal probe of Metro document shredding begins

Posted on March 7, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I can’t wait to see how this turns out. The Harris County District Attorney’s Office has begun a criminal investigation into allegations that the Metropolitan Transit Authority improperly destroyed public documents, a prosecutor confirmed Friday. The statement by Terese Buess, … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Uptown agitation

Posted on March 4, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: A bunch of business owners along a proposed light rail corridor are upset with Metro. Business owners along Post Oak Boulevard met for about two hours Thursday in an effort learn about … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Kelley claims Metro is holding out

Posted on February 28, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

So now the Metro document shredding case gets more interesting. Documents supplied by the Metropolitan Transit Authority in response to Houston attorney and former City Controller Lloyd Kelley’s open records request were incomplete and “sanitized,” Kelley said Friday. “I know … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Kelley claims Metro is holding out

Please don’t shred the documents

Posted on February 26, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

This isn’t good. At a crucial moment in the development of its light rail system, Metro confronted accusations Wednesday that it shredded documents sought in an open-records request, then fired two attorneys who objected to its handling of the request. … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Mayor and Metro spar over fares

Posted on February 21, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Soon-to-be-former Metro Chair David Wolff has sent a letter to Mayor Parker in response to her recent comments about possibly reducing fares as a way of increasing ridership. Eliminating fares on Metro buses and trains, as Mayor Annise Parker recently … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

More FTA funds for North and Southeast lines

Posted on February 13, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

From Houston Tomorrow: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) released its recommendations for the President’s FY2011 Budget, which include $75 million each for Houston’s North (pdf) andSoutheast Light Rail Lines (pdf), continuing the funding that began in the previous year. The Metropolitan Transit … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on More FTA funds for North and Southeast lines

Bikes on trains action alert

Posted on February 10, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Via email from Peter Wang: Thursday, February 11, 2:00 pm Support Bikes on Trains at the Houston Transportation Committee Meeting. If you ride in Houston, please attend this important meeting! Houston-area cyclists- This Thursday, February 11, the Houston City Council … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

The Mayor on Metro

Posted on February 9, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, one of Mayor Annise Parker’s transition teams is looking at Metro. We won’t get their report till the end of the month, but here’s a peek at some of the things they’re thinking about. Parker has signaled … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Expanding Metro

Posted on January 29, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Soon-to-be-former Metro Chair David Wolff riffs off of a Chron editorial that lamented the lack of connectivity between Metro and some new bus routes in Harris County and makes the case for expanding Metro’s service area. The first steps toward … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Expanding Metro

University Line FEIS filed

Posted on January 25, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Again via Swamplot, here’s another Examiner story about the current state of light rail construction, in this case the University line. The light rail alignment for Metro’s University route will require the acquisition of about 23 acres of land, much … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Uptown line update

Posted on January 24, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The River Oaks Examiner takes a look at what Metro is planning to do to prepare for the Uptown line. [A] Metropolitan Transit Authority street reclassification plan, dated March 13, 2009, [shows] total land needed for the project beyond the … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Uptown line update

Department of Transportation makes it easier to do transit projects

Posted on January 19, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Good news. In a dramatic change from existing policy, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today proposed that new funding guidelines for major transit projects be based on livability issues such as economic development opportunities and environmental benefits, in addition to … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Department of Transportation makes it easier to do transit projects

Metro does historic preservation

Posted on December 31, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I was sent this press release about Metro workers getting some interesting training as they prepare to build the new light rail lines, and thought it was worth sharing. ‘Hardhat and blue collar’ was the dress code for training classes … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

FTA gives preliminary engineering approval to University line

Posted on December 18, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Hot dog! The Federal Transit Administration notified Metro on Monday that the line has been approved to move into the Preliminary Engineering phase of the Transit Administration’s matching-funds program. Two other light rail lines, the North and Southeast corridors, are … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on FTA gives preliminary engineering approval to University line

A preview of the Uptown line

Posted on December 16, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Swamplot has a preview of the Uptown line as currently envisioned by Metro. The main focus of the Examiner story that Swamplot cites is the potential effect on vehicular traffic. Following the construction of the Uptown light rail line, Post … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Chron slaps Culberson again for Metro meddling

Posted on December 13, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

It’s an old story. Metro gets some good news relating to the University line. Rep. John Culberson tries again to halt the project. The Chronicle calls him out on it. Not that there’s anything wrong with that last part. It’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Chron slaps Culberson again for Metro meddling

A few words with David Wolff

Posted on December 11, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron talks to David Wolff, the soon-to-be-former Chair of Metro, about the state of the agency. Q: Why has it taken six years to build new light rail lines when the Main Street line was built so quickly? A: … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on A few words with David Wolff

Culberson sticks his nose in

Posted on December 10, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Last week, when we heard that the Federal Transit Authority had notified Metro that they would be cleared to begin preliminary engineering of the University Line project if no member of the local Congressional delegation objected by today, I figured … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

University Line takes a step forward on funding

Posted on December 4, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Finally! The light rail route known as the “University Line” is close to clearing the first major hurdle for obtaining federal funding. The Federal Transit Authority notified Metro this week that the project has entered a 10-day congressional notification period. … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Metro and the sales tax

Posted on November 23, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Metro chair David Wolff would like to see the portion of the sales tax revenue that gets diverted from its coffers to Harris County and the smaller cities go back to Metro. Wolff believes METRO can build significantly more if … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Bikes in the Mayor’s race

Posted on October 20, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Local bicycle activist Peter Wang contacted the four Mayoral campaigns to ask what their position is on getting METRO to install bike hangers in the light rail vehicles and allow bicycles in the vehicles during rush hours. Here’s how they … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Emmett on commuter rail

Posted on October 18, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

County Judge Ed Emmett’s op ed piece is one part an argument for commuter rail, and one part an argument for who should be in charge of it. I suppose the fact that he’s making that case is a good … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Emmett on commuter rail

Interview with Gene Locke

Posted on October 12, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

And we come to the end of the campaign interview season for 2009 with a conversation with each of the three leading contenders for Mayor. First up is Gene Locke, a native of East Texas and longtime resident of Houston … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Don’t let politics get in the way of commuter rail

Posted on October 8, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

For once, we have a broad consensus about the need to build rail lines. Let’s please not let turf war pissing matches be an even bigger obstacle to getting them built than old-fashioned opposition ever was. Three agencies are actively … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Mayorals on mobility

Posted on October 6, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Carolyn Feibel discusses the Mayoral candidates’ plans for transportation and mobility. Two candidates, City Controller Annise Parker and Councilman Peter Brown, disagree on what Metro’s main focus should be. While supporting light rail, Parker said buses should remain the “heart” … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Metro passes civil rights review

Posted on October 3, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Good. The Federal Transit Administration told the Metropolitan Transit Authority in a letter last week that the civil rights review, which began in February, is complete. In July, the FTA informed Metro that it was deficient on two out of … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Metro passes civil rights review

Wolff speaks about Metro

Posted on September 28, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s Metro board chair David Wolff giving a state of the system address in the op-ed pages. I suppose it’s a counter, if not a response to Bill King’s piece from two weeks ago; it offers a defense of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Wolff speaks about Metro

New light rail line begins service in Dallas

Posted on September 19, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I so look forward to the day when this story can be written for Houston. When the trains begin running today on the opening segment of DART’s new Green Line, the transit agency will unveil the longest expansion of light … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Metro should get a bigger piece of the pie

Posted on September 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

This article is about Metro’s budget for the next year and its proposal to add a nickel to the bus and rail fares. What really interests me is this bit: Metro receives a 1-cent sales tax, but must set aside … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Metro should get a bigger piece of the pie

Pick a fare

Posted on September 13, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I was going to say something about Bill King’s latest treatise on Metro’s fare structure, but Greg sums it up pretty succinctly, so I’ll just refer you to him. I look forward to the next entry in this series, “Let’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

What about the train stations?

Posted on September 12, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

With all the talk about commuter rail and high-speed rail these days, it’s important to remember that those trains have to stop someplace so passengers can get on and off, ideally with a connection to a light rail line nearby. … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Ten transportation opportunities for the next mayor

Posted on September 10, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Christof has a list of ten transportation opportunities for the next mayor, having to do with trains, roads, parking, infrastructure, and other matters, that I hope all of the candidates read. I encourage you to read it as well.

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Ten transportation opportunities for the next mayor

Eastwood art deco facade saved

Posted on September 4, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The art deco facade on the Sterling Laundry & Cleaning Co. on Harrisburg in Eastwood, which had been marked for demolition as part of the construction of the Harrisburg line, has been saved. From the inbox: Vice Mayor Pro Tem … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Eastwood art deco facade saved