Christof says that the Houston-Galveston commuter rail study that’s currently in progress has a rather limited vision.
Commuter Rail Alternative provides service along the Galveston Houston & Henderson (GH&H) Railroad between Galveston and Houston. The GH&H is a freight rail line that runs parallel with SH 3 and IH 45 for almost the entire corridor. This Rail Alternative will be studied for its suitability to provide commuter rail service and efficiently address the corridor’s mobility problems. Current freight operations along the majority of this corridor are from six to eight trains per day. This alternative would include the exclusive use of this rail alignment for three hours in the AM peak and three hours in the PM peak, providing two-way commuter service from Downtown Houston to Galveston and the 11 cities along the corridor.
Surely we could at least consider the possibility of something bigger than that, and try to get a handle on what it would entail. Maybe the ridership wouldn’t be there, or maybe it would be too expensive to do anything more ambitious, but how will we know if we don’t run the numbers? As Christof notes, the term “commuter rail” covers a wide range of possibilities. Let’s see what that would mean in this context and make a truly informed decision. And if you want to be a part of that process, there are a few public meetings you can attend:
Tuesday, January 12th, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
La Marque Community Meeting Room
1109-B Bayou Road
La Marque, TX, 77568Wednesday, January 13th, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
University of Houston-Clear Lake,
Bayou Building, Atrium II
2700 Bay Area Blvd
Houston, TX 77058Thursday, January 14th, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Cleveland-Ripley House Neighborhood Center
720 Fairmont Parkway
Pasadena, Texas 77504
Be there if you can.