Shocker: Northsiders complain METRO deceived them
Earlier this week, the Chronicle's Rad Sallee reported that northside business owners and residents are complaining that METRO has not been forthcoming about its plans for the North line:
Several business owners on North Main and Fulton said Thursday that the Metropolitan Transit Authority misled them about how much land it will condemn to build its North Bus Rapid Transit line.
[snip]
Several owners said they had not spoken with Metro recently about its plans but were concerned after seeing their properties listed in the thick environmental statement released Dec. 29 as among those to be acquired.
The statement was a hurdle Metro had to clear to qualify for 50 percent federal funding of the $275 million, 5.4-mile line. On Aug. 23 the Metro board approved the route, from the University of Houston-Downtown to Northline Mall.
Metro spokeswoman Sandra Salazar said the actual number of properties needed will probably be much smaller than the 114 entire parcels and 85 partial ones listed in the document.
Actual, probably -- who really knows? The METRO modus operandi all too often seems to be obfuscation and ambiguity in pursuit of the "world class" preferences of real-estate developers and other special interests. Why expect any specificity or accountability, ever, from the organization?
One of METRO's biggest blog boosters had an illuminating (if naive) bit about the Westpark Line in a recent post:
Here’s what you need to know about Gulfton and the University Line:
- Gulfton has the highest population density in the Houston region. East of Greenway Plaza, there are more people along Richmond than along Westpark. West of Greenway, there are more people along Westpark. A 1 mile circle around the corner of Westpark and Chimney Rock takes in 34,000 people. The same sized circle at Richmond and Chimney Rock takes in 24,000. Moreover, the population at Westpark is poorer — median income of 29,000 vs. median income of 40,000 at Richmond — so a larger percentage would use transit.
- All three options for the University Line west of Main run right alongside Gulfton, within walking distance of huge apartment complexes.
- METRO isn’t showing any stops in Gulfton.
The last point, obviously, makes little sense. But we can change it.
It makes perfect sense, if you view the Westpark Line from the perspective of real-estate developers, "world class" utopians, architects who hope to benefit from expensive development along the rail line, and other special interests who may not want "those Gulfton people" sharing the fancy, world-class rail line so easily with the really cool kids.
But no, if viewed from the perspective of the largely poor, transit-dependent masses of the Gulfton area -- whose votes certainly were critical in passing the 2003 referendum -- it doesn't make much sense at all. As far as the notion "we can change it" -- good luck! Maybe two bloggers who have regularly corresponded with METRO on how to sell its Richmond plans in light of significant opposition have more pull with the organization than normal people.
Interestingly, plans for the Uptown line are proceeding apace, with very little conversation about the impact along the anticipated route. Given the heavy traffic congestion already in the Galleria area, one suspects the Uptown district isn't too keen on more Main Street style transit that steals traffic lanes, causes accidents, and worsens congestion. Will large portions of that route be elevated in response? What will that do the expense? It's hard to find those answers on METRO's website, but surely the real-estate developers have it mostly figured out. After all, real-estate development is an important component of transit policy in the Houston area -- seemingly more important to some people than mobility.
UPDATE (02-12-2007): Rad Sallee posts additional information relevant to the Northside story in today's Move It column, writing that space concerns limited his earlier reporting. A Chron.com transit blog might be handy for those sorts of matters!
BLOGVERSATION: Off the Kuff.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 02/11/07 01:37 PM | Print |
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