The way I would do mass transportation in a city like Houston would be to have trains (or monorails) going down the major thoroughfares to downtown and then localized bus/trolley lines for transportation to the major sites in the area. When you get off your train stop, the trolley takes you to your destination. If it were all integrated, you could input your destination and the system could route you to the appropriate trolley. It could even be customized so that trolleys are used on an as needed basis by reservation rather than just making endless loops around the same area. I would also make all the HOV lanes automated, accessible only to specially equipped cars. The lanes are in operation in San Diego and they stream the traffic at 70, 3-4 feet apart. They haven't had a single crash yet. Better yet, make the passing lane an automated-only lane accessible from the freeway itself. When you are next to the automated lane, you activate the "autopilot" and it streams you to your drop-off point. I would DEFINITELY get into a bullet train or the like, but think it could be expanded to New Orleans. Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, and New Orleans connected by a high speed train would seriously ROCK!!!
Southwest airlines can get you to any of these cities in less than an hour from Houston, and they have very frequent flights. Why would a train be better that this? How could you justify its cost? By potentially saving ~30 mins check in time? You'd easily lose that in the longer train ride. You seem to be DEFINITELY convinced a bullet train is better. Why?
IIRC, trains have a much lower cost per ride than plane flights. In addition, these days you need at least an hour check in time at the airport and it is VERY difficult to just up and catch a plane to New Orleans or Austin on a whim. With a bullet train, it would be FAR more possible for that kind of thing to happen, which would increase ridership. In addition, the train could take on cargo as well, adding to its utility and giving an option other than tractor-trailers or standard trains. Personally, it is not really a bullet train I have in mind. Sorta, but if you want specifics, you will have to sign an NDA and a non-compete.
They just need to hurry up and invent teleporters. *whoosh* You're in Dallas. *whoosh* You're in Vegas. Gotta poop? *whoosh* You're back at home in your own bathroom *whoosh* back at the blackjack table at The Bellagio.
Damn, I walked more blocks to another station because I was too busy staring at the museum girl's "assets" instead of paying attention to her directions Also, I like the bullet train idea. While in Paris (yay, another self-indulgent story), I took the TGV from CDG airport to Brussels, and it was great. Cheap trip, no check-in, and the scenery is pretty damn nice.
I'm liberal, but I hate the idea of public transportation system. All I can say is I feel a little safer driving at 3 a.m. than taking a public transport at 3 a.m. if they even offer it. I really don't like the feeling of squeezing into a train/ subway. The public transportation system just limits a person's freedom too do stuff too much to work in a town Houston. Cities like New York it can work because it has more compacted infrastruture.
How about Skeeter Lake or Lake Tomjanovich? I like Rudy and would gladly have him replace Van Grumpy, but the name is too long. Skeeter Lake is not exactly selling the positive. Maybe rSkyline Lake for theSkyline that would hopefully be reflected in the water-- at least from the right angle.
They had to build it the way they did (small dimensions) because of the limited land space next to Union Station. And... if you have the ballpark facing the other way, you make the Crawford Boxes the "right" field porch, and we all know that a large percentage of HR's go to left field. Given the popularity of those seats, I think the notoriety the ballpark has gained outweighs the value we'd get from a complete skyline outfiled view (although I did like your suggestion, before I analyzed the situation.)
Does anyone besides me have the monorail song from the Simpsons going through their heads. I haven't been back to Houston in awhile but I've felt one of the biggest problems with Houston has been its rather haphazard development. Over the past few years its been filling in but when I was there about two years ago I was still amazed at how many large empty parcells there were within of the metro area.
ACK! No way!!! IMO, lack of zoning is one of the reasons that the business environment in Houston is so friendly.
The lack of zoning didn't help during the 80's oil gluts or other downturns. Zoning done right can be a huge boon to business by encouraging compatible developments and access to transit.
Not sure if it honestly helps in the grand scheme of things but today I went and picked up trash on the side of Fairbanks for about an hour. Maybe next time I'll see if some of my friends want to come and try.
