I am not a proponent of spending taxpayers' hard-earned money on initiatives that will never make money, and whose environmental benefits are HIGHLY questionable. A more developed express bus system (not as many local stops) is what this city needs, not a huge rail build-out. I believe Houston was studying what Curibita, Brazil did in this regard. They have a very advanced, high-speed bus network with dedicated stops and lanes only for buses. A bus will take people off the streets just like rail does, and it won't require the MASSIVE infrastructure requirements like rail would. It's probably faster, also. I don't understand people's obsession with having rail. I think many people out there just want it because it looks "cool". Ridiculous.
So, you think ANY mass transit makes money? You think the buses do? And do you ride them? And your last comment IS rediculous.
I like rail, but it just doesn't make sense in this city. I used to be on the bandwagon, but someone wrote in an earlier thread about rail, that we missed the boat. Our urban sprawl is ridiculous, and having no zoning makes it even worse. If people don't use park and ride that much now, why would rail make a difference, because lets be honest, you will never be able to have a system that puts you in a close proximity of mosts people's homes. Its only going to work like park and ride. And two, with no zoning, what is the incentive for riding rail. Think about shopping in Houston, how many of you drive sometimes 40 miles on a Saturday from store to store. Its just not feasible in this town. Hopping from train to train isn't going to save you anymore time. The city should have grown around rail. Our founders did some great things for this city, dredging the ship channel, the medical center, the Astrodome, but they missed the boat on rail, and I just don't see how it can be feasible. The only rail that is logical for this city is like the mainline right now, rail built for tourist, going to the galleria and maybe some of our landmarks, other than that, I can't see it changing our lifestyle dramatically.
honestly, this is what I'm thinking too. my dreams for rail in this city are just that...dreams. i don't think it will ever be a substantive alternative to commuting via automobile in a city of this size.
agreed! we're moving our offices soon...i'll be about a mile from home! home for lunches...i can't freaking wait!
since when are public works projects undertaken with the intent of making money? certainly not a profit in the traditional monetary sense! public work projects can and do make a profit, but the profit is the raising of the Quality of Life of the people
