Category Archives: Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

News flash: Travel times on the newly-expanded Katy Freeway have improved. The expansion of 23 miles of roadway along the Katy was completed in October. The $2.8 billion project took five years to complete and added 18 lanes between the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

As expected. Harris County Commissioners Court on Tuesday approved an agreement to build and maintain a segment of the Grand Parkway connecting the Katy Freeway and U.S. 290, but questions over what would happen if the county ultimately decided the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Approving the construction contract with Parsons is a big step forward for the long-awaited light rail expansion in Houston. But there’s still a lot more to be done. The Metropolitan Transit Authority will look to the Federal Transit Administration for … Continue reading → Continue reading →

The following is a press release from a coalition of activists, including the Sierra Club, Environment Texas, Independent Texans, Houston Tomorrow, and the CTC: Representatives of a broad coalition of quality of life, political reform, and environmental groups and citizens … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Fort Bend County Commissioner Richard Morrison writes about the recently-greenlighted Grand Parkway Segment E and the possibility that stimulus funds could be used to fund what will become a toll road. If Segment E is funded from the stimulus money … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Good. The Metropolitan Transit Authority board of directors on Wednesday unanimously approved a $1.46 billion contract for four new light rail lines, which would add 20 miles to its lone seven-mile line along Main Street. Under the contract, which came … Continue reading → Continue reading →

The good news: Metro is set to vote on the contract to build the next light rail lines. The bad news is that they’re doing is amid headlines like Metro refuses to discuss rail contract details before vote. The Metropolitan … Continue reading → Continue reading →

As expected. Harris County Commissioners Court on Tuesday approved an agreement to build and maintain a segment of the Grand Parkway connecting the Katy Freeway and U.S. 290, but questions over what would happen if the county ultimately decided the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

We know that Metro is hoping for some stimulus money to help build light rail lines. Galveston is also hoping for some rail-related stimulus funds. A commuter rail line between Galveston and Houston has been on the drawing board for … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Mean Green Cougar Red has a good discussion of what bus rapid transit (BRT) is and isn’t, and what its pros and cons are. The two main points: 1. The definition of “true” BRT is important. A lot of bus … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Rats. Metro’s board Chairman David Wolff has called off [today]’s vote on a contract with the agency’s rail builder in favor of a special board meeting next month. The Metropolitan Transit Authority has been in negotiations with Parsons Transportation Group … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Finally. After two years of negotiations with two firms, the Metropolitan Transit Authority may be close to reaching a deal with a contractor to build and operate its next four light rail lines. “We’re in final negotiations,” said George Smalley, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Andrew continues the ongoing discussion of transit options in Houston with a look at multiway boulevards. Basically, a multiway is an urban thoroughfare combining express through lanes in the middle with local access lanes on the sides. These local lanes … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Ready or not, here they come. League City council members gave the green light Tuesday to red light cameras at five intersections throughout the city. The cameras will capture drivers who run red lights at intersections at: FM 518 and … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Well, that didn’t last long. After just six months, the Texas Medical Center has pulled the plug on subsidized express bus service to and from Fort Bend County. Fort Bend County Commissioners Court members approved an agreement with the Houston … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Some good comments and followup to my earlier post about traffic in the inner core. I want to address Cory’s questions regarding BRT. The short answer is that I have no particular objection to BRT – it’s a perfectly fine … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Andrew Burleson points out an ugly fact. Has anyone else noticed that traffic on I-10 is still not great? I have a ‘reverse’ commute on I-10 every day. Before the expansion traffic was fine inside the loop outbound in the … Continue reading → Continue reading →