Mass Transit gains momentum in Houston Area Survey

[urbanactivist]

http://www.chron.com/news/houston-te...530.php#page-2

(excerpt)

By Jeannie Kever

Updated 11:29 p.m., Sunday, April 22, 2012


Just more than half of people - 51 percent - said they would choose a smaller home within walking distance of workplaces and shops, rather than a single-family home with a big yard, which required driving almost everywhere they wanted to go.

That was up from 39 percent in 2010, the last time the question was asked.

Klineberg attributed the increase to exasperation with traffic, new and refurbished residential buildings downtown, in Midtown and east of downtown and the action in and around Discovery Green. But it also could reflect revamped suburban developments in Sugar Land, The Woodlands and elsewhere that combine homes, shops and entertainment, he said.

People in Harris County and in the surrounding counties offered support for mass transit, including a majority who said they would prefer the current diversion of transit taxes for street, drainage and landscaping projects be spent instead on transit.

"That is completely consistent with what we are seeing," said Gilbert Garcia, chairman of the Metropolitan Transit Authority board. "Everyone wants more service. We know people want to see their tax dollars spent on mobility and transit."

[AviationGuy]

Originally Posted by urbanactivist

http://www.chron.com/news/houston-te...530.php#page-2

(excerpt)

Good trend, and not surprising. At some point people have to conclude that they've had enough of being constantly stuck in traffic.

Regarding landscaping of roadway medians, it would be interesting to find out how much of that is financed by businesses. Some may already be. Businesses have been making a killing in Houston and many can afford to finance landscaping projects, which do enhance the quality of life.

[LMich]

While a nice and general way to measure people's openess to doing things, I do think that we know that there is usually nothing short of a gulf between what people say they will do if given the option, and what they actually end up doing.

So, definitely a good trend and something that can be built upon, but that's kind of the point: it has to actually be put into some kind of action with actual tangible policy changes. Here's to hoping the recession actually changed minds.

[mello]

Originally Posted by LMich

Here's to hoping the recession actually changed minds.

I don't think it is the recession changing minds in this case L, it is the boom that Houston is experiencing causing more population/job growth and the traffic congestion that comes with it. Houston is hardly in a recession, remember we are in an economy of metro areas not nations.

[Double L]

Originally Posted by AviationGuy

Good trend, and not surprising. At some point people have to conclude that they've had enough of being constantly stuck in traffic.

Regarding landscaping of roadway medians, it would be interesting to find out how much of that is financed by businesses. Some may already be. Businesses have been making a killing in Houston and many can afford to finance landscaping projects, which do enhance the quality of life.

Houstons traffic is not that bad. We have very big ten lane highways. There is only traffic in rush hour or when there is construction. Houston has a program called safeclear that gets cars towed off the highway directly after accidents. That is not the reason people are moving to the inner loop. I think people want to be in the center of things in order to not have to drive such long distances coupled with the extra investment local governments are putting into the central core. Which leads me to my next point, LMich, people ARE taking action and moving back into town and voting for more mass transit and investing tax dollars and donations in core city infrastructure.

[Ch.G, Ch.G]

Just to be clear, the figure given in the excerpt applies only to Harris County residents and not the entire metro. Of course, Harris County contains, like, two-thirds of the metro population, so it's still a pretty big deal.

Originally Posted by Double L

Houstons traffic is not that bad. We have very big ten lane highways. There is only traffic in rush hour or when there is construction.

But a lot of places only have bad traffic during rush hour.

Houston's population growth has been astronomical. (Get it?) I'm sure its highway infrastructure is great, but I doubt that people in Harris County haven't felt the effects of tens of thousands of new drivers on the roads each year.

[LMich]

Originally Posted by Double L

Which leads me to my next point, LMich, people ARE taking action and moving back into town and voting for more mass transit and investing tax dollars and donations in core city infrastructure.

I'm very hopeful about the public's rediscovery of more sustainable ways to live all across this country. That said, I've yet to be convinced that enough people are making the changes necessary for it to matter on net, and particularly in those metropolitan areas that exploded with growth over the last decade. The city propers of Atlanta, Dallas and Houston, just as an examples of those type of fast-growth metro areas, grew 0.8%, 0.8%, and 7.5% respectively. Obviously, Houston's city proper rate is much better, but much less than what was expected and less surprising given the sheer expanse of Houston's city proper. And, more worrisome is that in many cases the weak growth (and in the case of Atlanta and Dallas, barely there) happened along the undeveloped fringes of these cities save their immediate downtowns

I'm hopeful, but there still isn't enough evidence to be optimistic.

[Double L]

I agree with both you guys.

[pm91]

Hell, I'll ask it, any glimmer of hope Metro will move up dates for the University and Uptown Lines? Still a little baffled as to why they are making two lines to the Southeast simultaneously. If anything, the biggest payoff would be the Northwest and potentially relieve 290 of SOME traffic and may get an expansion; I mean it is the new Katy Freeway . I've been going to school in bodunk Lubbock for three years now and when I went home over winter break... sweet jesus driving around town had never been so frustrating and stressful. I know we gained over a million people, but damn what the hell happened the past three years?!
I was actually just reading on the website last night (mind you it was a study break and i may have been deliriously tired as i still am now.. gotta love finals!) and looking at the progress of the three lines being constructed I dont quite understand why wait for those to be completed before starting on the University and Uptown Lines. Those lines will have the highest amount of ridership and tourist destinations which would serve as the window to visitors what Houston is really like. So tired of some of my friends from elsewhere in Texas saying Houston sucks, I immediately ask if they got off the freeway, and usually the answer is no.

[Reverberation]

Originally Posted by pm91

Hell, I'll ask it, any glimmer of hope Metro will move up dates for the University and Uptown Lines? Still a little baffled as to why they are making two lines to the Southeast simultaneously. If anything, the biggest payoff would be the Northwest and potentially relieve 290 of SOME traffic and may get an expansion; I mean it is the new Katy Freeway . I've been going to school in bodunk Lubbock for three years now and when I went home over winter break... sweet jesus driving around town had never been so frustrating and stressful. I know we gained over a million people, but damn what the hell happened the past three years?!
I was actually just reading on the website last night (mind you it was a study break and i may have been deliriously tired as i still am now.. gotta love finals!) and looking at the progress of the three lines being constructed I dont quite understand why wait for those to be completed before starting on the University and Uptown Lines. Those lines will have the highest amount of ridership and tourist destinations which would serve as the window to visitors what Houston is really like. So tired of some of my friends from elsewhere in Texas saying Houston sucks, I immediately ask if they got off the freeway, and usually the answer is no.

The FTA is supposedly subsidizing half the cost of the North and Southeast lines. Metro is planning to build the East End and Uptown lines using its own revenues, but it will need federal funding for the University Line.

I agree that as far as employment centers are concerned, they need the University and Uptown lines first. However, since the FTA is involved, you can count on politics over what actually makes sense to potential riders.

[Chicago3rd]

With more and more infill happening...people visiting friends or just seeing condos/apts/homes so close to everyday destinations I think the tide changes and people start thinking...wouldn't it be nice to have more time (not having a long drive) and be able to just walk out the door to eat out...shop or enjoy some entertainment.

Maybe the recession did have something to do with it too.....living centrally will allow a person easier access to more areas of employment....and not have to worry about crossing the city to get to their jobs....or new jobs.

[The Jerk]

Good. The more Texans on board the better for America! I like my commute reading a kindle.

[Rizzo]

Mass transit is bound to become more popular everywhere. I'm already hearing from baby boomer folks that they are concerned about their mobility in the future. The car offered them that freedom, but as it becomes more difficult to drive how will they get around? Trust me, if having nice things was a McMansion and a luxury SUV, they'll be demanding TOD and nicer buses and hopefully rail. I feel like the baby boomers will have much higher expectations than the previous generation.

[KB0679]

I wonder if seeing the success of light rail in Dallas has influenced Houstonians' perception of and desire for mass transit.

[AviationGuy]

Originally Posted by KB0679

I wonder if seeing the success of light rail in Dallas has influenced Houstonians' perception of and desire for mass transit.

I couldn't hurt. Also, from what I understand, the existing light rail line from downtown to the med center and Reliant areas has been very successful, which could be part of it as well. The naysayers were wrong, and it's time to move forward (way past time, actually).

[urbanactivist]

I think there's a convergence of things helping to change the opinions of Houstonians. And I have to disagree with an earlier comment... Houston's traffic goes from meh, to bad to DEATH TRAP depending on which corridor you drive. 610 west and 290 are about as bad as daily traffic gets anywhere in the US.

FYI... Just as significant as rail expansion, traffic is about to be exponentially WORSE in Houston. The 290 expansion is set to start this year, bur TxDot has scrapped plans to make Hempstead a tollway beforehand. NW Houston will be a parking lot for a couple of years. If there was ever a time for commuter rail, it's now. People will be begging for it!

[AviationGuy]

Originally Posted by urbanactivist

I think there's a convergence of things helping to change the opinions of Houstonians. And I have to disagree with an earlier comment... Houston's traffic goes from meh, to bad to DEATH TRAP depending on which corridor you drive. 610 west and 290 are about as bad as daily traffic gets anywhere in the US.

FYI... Just as significant as rail expansion, traffic is about to be exponentially WORSE in Houston. The 290 expansion is set to start this year, bur TxDot has scrapped plans to make Hempstead a tollway beforehand. NW Houston will be a parking lot for a couple of years. If there was ever a time for commuter rail, it's now. People will be begging for it!

I can only imagine what it must have been like when I-10 was rebuilt and expanded.

Glad to see you take issue with the other forumer who said traffic isn't so bad in Houston. The freeway/toll rd infrastructure is impressive but is never sufficient. Must have been talking about Houston, MN.