Houston Could Cancel Rapid Transit Project

A Harris County Commissioner is calling for the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (Metro) to hold a formal vote on a now-shelved rapid transit project that would connect major Houston job centers and universities, reports Dug Begley in the Houston Chronicle. “Proceeding with the project faces a June 27 deadline for Metro to notify the Federal Transit Administration it is moving ahead and entering a refined design and engineering stage for the project. That notification allows Metro to seek federal money for further planning and ultimately construction of the line.”

Commissioner Rodney Ellis says the University Corridor Project was “overwhelmingly” approved by voters. “Countless working families would benefit from the BRT project, yet the board is poised to try to kill the initiative in the dark of night,” Ellis said.

“If built as envisioned, buses would travel in dedicated lanes from the Tidwell Transit Center, south along Lockwood to the University of Houston and Texas Southern University, then west mostly along Wheeler, Richmond and Westpark to the Westchase Park and Ride. As a result, the rapid line would cross all three light rail lines, connect to the Silver Line in Uptown and dozens of Metro's most used bus routes.”

For its part, Metro says prioritizing the project would mean cutting other service expansion initiatives.