Tag Archives: University line

What next for Metro now that peace with Culberson has broken out?

Posted on May 20, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

We’ve all had a chance to read over and digest the agreement Metro struck with Rep. John Culberson now. It looked good to me up front (though not to everyone – more on that in a bit), but as always … Continue reading →

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Metro and Culberson announce the terms of their agreement

Posted on May 19, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Gotta say, this all sounds pretty good. First, Congressman Culberson supports METRO’s proposed legislation pending in the State Legislature that expands the size of the METRO Board, increases the eligible length of Board member service and allows the existing board … Continue reading →

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Metro reaches detente with Culberson

Posted on May 16, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Holy cow! Metro and U.S. Rep. John Culberson have called a truce in their war over a planned light rail line on Richmond Avenue, suggesting an end to an impasse that has stymied local transit development. Culberson, a Republican from … Continue reading →

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Metro writes off old light rail studies

Posted on March 28, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

What might have been. Houston transit officials Thursday wrote off $104 million wasted on multiple studies related to the controversial University and Uptown light rail projects that ultimately stalled due to a lack of funding and fierce opposition from the … Continue reading →

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Uptown BRT lurches forward

Posted on February 1, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

One staggering step at a time. After some uncertainty, fears about rail development in Uptown appear less likely to delay a planned express bus project along Post Oak. Metropolitan Transit Authority’s board meets Thursday morning, and is scheduled to discuss … Continue reading →

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Commuter rail status

Posted on July 27, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

There’s still a push for commuter rail in Houston. With freight trains on Houston area tracks teeming with cargo, supporters of commuter rail to the suburbs are focusing on three spots where they can potentially build their own lines for … Continue reading →

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The Dallas and Houston rail experiences

Posted on July 7, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

It’s useful to compare, but mostly as an academic exercise. The new Dallas Area Rapid Transit line links riders to the region’s major airport. Houston’s new Purple and Green lines, years in the making, come up far short of what’s … Continue reading →

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Culberson versus Poe on University line funding

Posted on June 11, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Unfortunately, Culberson has won again. In a repeat of last year, Rep. John Culberson, R-Houston, and Rep. Ted Poe, R-Humble, took their dispute over the Metropolitan Transit Agency’s University Line to the floor of the House on Monday. Culberson, as … Continue reading →

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Culberson’s attempt to kill the Universities Line about to come up for a vote

Posted on June 7, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

From Houston Tomorrow: US Representative John Culberson has pushed an amendment through to the floor of the US House of Representatives to specifically deny Houston federal funding for rail transit in two corridors, according to the text of the bill … Continue reading →

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Uptown BRT update

Posted on April 14, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

From Swamplot: HERE ARE SOME of the purty watercolor renderings the Uptown District has been presenting of what Post Oak Blvd. will look like after the addition of 2 dedicated bus lanes down its middle. The proposed changes to the … Continue reading →

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Culberson says he’s killed the University Line

Posted on January 30, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

And maybe he has, though it wasn’t going anywhere at this time anyway. Residents and business owners along Richmond Avenue are breathing a sigh of relief — at least for now — as U.S. Rep. John Culberson has had his … Continue reading →

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End of year B-Cycle report

Posted on January 8, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

B-Cycle has been in Houston for nine months, having launched in early April. So far, it’s done pretty well. The B-Cycle system’s 29th station was christened earlier this month in front of Clayton Homes. Officials said they hoped to provide … Continue reading →

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On riding the North Line

Posted on December 30, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Can we wait until we’ve had at least one non-holiday work week before we start talking about North Line ridership numbers? Thanks. The changes brought by the rail line, an extension of the Main Street Line now known as the … Continue reading →

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What can we do to get the Universities Line going?

Posted on December 23, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This story is about the opening of the North Line, but it’s also about where Metro goes from here. The opening of the lines won’t spell the end of the construction. To complete the final mile of the East Line, … Continue reading →

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More on Rep. Poe and the University line

Posted on August 2, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the Chron story on Rep. Ted Poe’s surprising-to-me support of building the University Line. Rep. Ted Poe, R-Humble, whose district shifted earlier this year to include portions of the area where the planned University Line would run along Richmond … Continue reading →

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Rep. Poe supports rail on Richmond

Posted on August 1, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

He supports something, anyway, and that’s a step forward. After seeking input from Houstonians, Congressman Ted Poe has spoken out in favor of building “something” in the University transit corridor. A statement outlining his position was released on Facebook yesterday: … Continue reading →

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The University Corridor

Posted on July 18, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Sorry for the late notice about this. Every year Houston combs its plan for future road building and improvements and makes changes. Generally, it’s relatively minor stuff that reflects putting on paper something that is going to happen anyway. […] … Continue reading →

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The Uptown plan is as much about HOV as it is BRT

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe more. Most discussion of the Uptown Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone’s plan, which goes before City Council this week, has been about a proposal to annex Memorial Park into the zone and spend $100 million restoring the drought-stricken park. The … Continue reading →

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If only it were that easy to get our act together

Posted on May 5, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Outgoing Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has some blunt words for Houston about light rail. U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood likes Houston’s light rail that’s up and running but warns that regional transit officials have squandered opportunities the past decade by … Continue reading →

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Metro’s bus strategy

Posted on March 28, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

We know that the 2012 Metro referendum was intended to help Metro boost ridership by improving and expanding its bus service. Metro Board member Christof Spieler explains what that means. First, in many cases, transit doesn’t go to the right … Continue reading →

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Tell Rep. Culberson how you feel about rail on Richmond

Posted on March 18, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

From RichmondRail.org: We’ve learned recently that US Congressman John Culberson is soliciting input regarding the planned METRO rail line on Richmond Avenue. While the Congressman has directed his request to property owners and occupants on Richmond Ave., rail transit on … Continue reading →

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Uptown BRT

Posted on February 10, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting news from Swamplot. The driving force of a project that Uptown Houston District has proposed to the city to transform Post Oak Blvd.? Big beautiful buses. With both residential and commercial developments like Skanska’s 20-story office building popping up … Continue reading →

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Time for another report on how much traffic sucks

Posted on February 9, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

We love this sort of thing, don’t we? Houston commuters continue to endure some of the worst traffic delays in the country, according to the 2012 Urban Mobility Report released Tuesday by the Texas A&M Transportation Commission. Area drivers wasted … Continue reading →

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Greanias officially resigns, interim Metro CEO named

Posted on December 22, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

George Greanias may have stepped down as CEO of Metro, but he’ll still be around for awhile, as Metro searches for his successor. Metropolitan Transit Authority board members on Thursday accepted Greanias’ resignation, named an interim replacement and approved a … Continue reading →

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Don’t write off the University line

Posted on December 14, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Metro certainly hasn’t, judging by what they’re saying. “Dallas has almost 100 miles of light rail,” Metro board chairman Gilbert Garcia told a business luncheon Tuesday. “Certainly we can get to The Galleria.” What hasn’t been figured out, yet, is … Continue reading →

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Buses and trains, not buses or trains

Posted on November 15, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I have a lot of emotion about this, but I’m still working through how to express it. Metropolitan Transit Authority officials say the agency is on firmer financial footing than it has been in years. They plan to add shelters … Continue reading →

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Closing arguments for the Metro referendum

Posted on November 4, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

One way or another, this argument will be settled on Tuesday. What happens after that is still anyone’s guess. The referendum on Tuesday’s ballot asks whether to continue spending some public transit sales tax money on streets and bridges. Opponents … Continue reading →

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More back and forth on the Metro referendum

Posted on October 10, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Metro Board Chair Gilbert Garcia explains the referendum for those who say they don’t understand it. The referendum is as easy as 1-2-3. If approved, it will: 1. Continue the road-building program. 2. Expand Metro’s bus system. 3. Pay down … Continue reading →

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What comes after the Metro referendum

Posted on October 5, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I hope you found my series of interviews on the Metro referendum to be useful. I think there’s plenty in those four interviews to bolster your support of or opposition to the referendum. The referendum question is simple – do … Continue reading →

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Interview with Sue Lovell

Posted on October 3, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Former Council member Sue Lovell was not directly involved in the current Metro referendum, but as the past Chair of the Transportation Committee on Council under Mayor Bill White, she was instrumental in the creation and adoption of the city’s … Continue reading →

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Will voters understand the Metro referendum?

Posted on September 25, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

That’s the question that people on both sides of the issue are asking themselves. “You have some people who will read it and maybe they don’t like Metro and so they’re going to vote against it, without realizing that by … Continue reading →

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Whither the University Line?

Posted on September 11, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Is the University Line in doubt? Some people think so. Over the last decade, METRO spent $71 million of your dollars to build a rail line. But the agency recently took that project off the table for at least another … Continue reading →

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Here come the GMP proposals

Posted on July 27, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

At Metro’s board meeting yesterday, trustees presented their proposed ballot referenda for the General Mobility Program. “I’m anxious to see the outcome just like everybody else,” said Chairman Gilbert Garcia, before anyone offered their specifics. As it turned out, city-appointee … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: An opponent for Culberson

Posted on July 22, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron gets around to another race it ignored in May, the Democratic primary in CD07. The winner of the Democratic primary runoff for Texas’ U.S. House 7th District will face quite a battle against incumbent Rep. John Culberson on … Continue reading →

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