I asked you to provide proof with backup links to support your points. You didn't do that. And, yes, I've ridden a bus in Houston recently (was downtown and with others heading to Midtown). That was a month ago.
Commuter rail is what Houston needs; not that crap red line. There are rail lines that run from some of the suburbs to downtown; so just build some extra lines for a transit center and strong-arm the railroad companies into using their existing lines.
The idea is to start with the connection points in town. Connect downtown to the Med Center so that eventually when you run commuter rail into downtown, there are links to get to other spots.
The one I am most familiar with went from France to Spain, at Six Flags. It was on flat land. No reason you couldn't do it on flat land. The reason you see them in mountains is the lower cost of crossing the difficult terrain. My proposal is that it is a cheap, non-disruptive way to move people efficiently. It doesn't conflict with traffic, it doesn't tear down the trees, it can use existing Rights-of ways for the most part, it's quiet, and it provides a desirable experience.
except that the afton oaks crowd will probably not be happy about people being able to see into their backyards form that height...they'll come up with anything to stop this line from being built down richmond
I ride the bus every day. It sucks. The rail is 100000000000000000000000000000 times better. And a REAL metro is 100000000000000000000000000000000000 better than the light rail.
That "crap Red Line" just happens to be the second most heavily traveled light rail line in the US. We already have a great P&R system. We've spent about a billion dollars on commuter buses that go non-stop from the suburbs to downtown. And all those buses combined have less ridership than the Red Line. Inner city residents are more likely to ride transit, so that's where investment is going to be. Just like how there is more highway investment in the suburbs.
this is what happens when you have limited or no zoning and you build infrastructure after the city growth. better management would build infrastructure first and the growth would follow. it's too late for Houston now it's already has grown and has it city centers. now we have to build infrastructure to match.
Inner city residents are also less likely to protest transit coming to their areas. Afton oaks makes me question humanity.
