Tag Archives: Metro

Parker reaffirms commitment to light rail

Posted on March 17, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

This is what I want to see. [Mayor Annise] Parker’s letter regarding this week’s Metro board meeting was sent on the eve of her trip to Washington, where she said she would reassure U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood that her … Continue reading →

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Metro asks consultant to investigate Wilson allegations

Posted on March 16, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see if there’s anything to the hype. A consultant with expertise in identifying business fraud will investigate allegations that Metro’s chief executive used public funds in an inappropriate relationship with his assistant, the agency announced today. David Wolff, the … Continue reading →

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The Hempstead line

Posted on March 16, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s another story about progress on a proposed commuter rail line, this one out US 290. A study to determine ridership on the line, which would go as far west as Hempstead, will be done. The Houston-based engineering firm Klotz … Continue reading →

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More on Metro’s finances

Posted on March 15, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron takes a closer look at Metro’s finances and the recently expressed doubts about their ability to pay for the University and Uptown lines. Mayor Annise Parker said last week that she wasn’t convinced the Metropolitan Transit Authority would … Continue reading →

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Sneak peek at new light rail stations

Posted on March 13, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

With all the allegations of naughty emails and debates over whether or not the two U lines will get built, it may be hard to remember that we do have three light rail lines in the works. We’re still a … Continue reading →

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Got evidence?

Posted on March 12, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

If you saw Wednesday night’s rather sensational coverage of the allegations that Metro CEO Frank Wilson had an “improper” relationship with an employee, you would have come away with the impression that things were about to go all Chuck Rosenthal … Continue reading →

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Galveston County transportation district

Posted on March 12, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Well, at least somebody is moving forward with rail plans. The creation of a Galveston County urban and rural transit district would potentially pull together all 13 municipalities in the county, providing a single voice to negotiate with Houston Metro, … Continue reading →

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Parker expresses doubt about University and Uptown lines

Posted on March 11, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

This is not the sort of thing I want to see. Mayor Annise Parker cast doubt Wednesday on whether the Metropolitan Transit Authority has the money to pay for two planned light-rail lines that proponents say are critical to the … Continue reading →

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Metro CEO accused of inappropriate relationship with employee

Posted on March 10, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Well, at least we now have some idea of what Lloyd Kelley has been looking for. The president and CEO of the Metropolitan Transit Authority was accused in open court Wednesday of having an improper relationship with a female employee … Continue reading →

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Interview with David Wolff

Posted on March 9, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

David Wolff has been the Chair of the Metro Board since 2004. He will be stepping down as soon as Mayor Parker names a replacement for him. With all that’s been going on regarding Metro in the news lately, I … Continue reading →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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