2009/03/05
Bike Stations
Bike stations, already popular in Europe and places like California and Washington State, provide a central location featuring cycle-related services, showers, lockers, etc and allow cyclists to rent space to store their bikes. Many have 24/7 security, security cameras and require key card access to reach secure areas. Some actually have individual bike “lockers” where the individual’s bike is completely secure.
The Millennium Park Bike Station in Chicago
Bike Station in Long Beach California
I envision a public-private partnership where stations are located within or near transit stations or centers. Ideal locations for initial stations could perhaps be located in or around Rice University and the University of Houston. Perhaps the city could partner with the universities in order to better cater to students. Another possible location would be in or around Montrose, ideally in conjunction with a stop on the University Line (if that line ever gets built).
Such stations, of course, require city planning and a strategy to be receptive and accommodating to cyclists. Phoenix, a city with many of the same issues and problems as Houston (sprawl, poor public transport, automobile culture), is taking that step. So should Houston.
Metro Finally Acts
That being said, the University Line still sits in limbo. Sadly, it seems that no one wants to make a decision on this vitality important line connecting the two most densely populated commercial areas of Houston, downtown and uptown. It is simply unacceptable that Metro has been so slow to move.
I realize that Representative Culberson has been a vocal and unwelcome hindrance to the line and to urban transit issues in general here. He, of course, has no problem with massive highways to the suburbs but his party has been out of power since 2006. A member from a minority party in the House of Representatives is essentially powerless and yet Metro has still been dithering. If other local representatives (and here I am mainly focusing on Democratic representatives) had any political skill and clout in Washington, they could push this through. The fact that they haven’t is testament to their weakness and, frankly, the region’s weakness in Washington in general. We are the 4th biggest city in the country and yet we are treated, in many ways, like a sleepy country town. This is a shame.
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Update 03/06/2009 9:30am
According to this morning's story in the Chronicle, it seems that without the University Line, Metro is going to put the kibosh on the Uptown line as well. So there you have it folks, the second most densely populated section of the city of Houston is still going to be without transit access. More delays and excuses.
2009/02/18
More Delays at Metro
This is really pathetic. I understand that these things take time to plan but this has been going on for years. I am a HUGE supporter of increased rail transportation in Houston but the actions of the Houston Metro Board so signs of complete incompetence.
Since moving here, I have wondered why so many people in this city seem to have so little trust in Metro. Now I am beginning to see the light...
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Update - 2009/02/19 1:30PM
Well, despite what was implied in the previous story, it seems likely that the vote was put off because the Metro Board knew that their federal funding was going to be cut by roughly half. Find the story here.
I would like to hear the full story as to why the funding was cut so drastically in the final bill (it was infrastructure spending after all). I suspect the lack of support from some in our Congressional delegation at least had something to do with it. With representatives like this, no wonder our infrastructure in Houston is in such sorry shape.
Cycling in Houston
Off the Kuff mentions the Safe Passing Bill and the comments of Peter Wang regarding the rewards and potential dangers of cycling in
As someone who has cycled in several cities, I agree that
I recently spent some time in
Now, obliviously
2009/02/17
And it begins
Now granted I have only been here a short time but so far I like Houston. The people have been nice, the weather is generally pleasant and my job is amazing. Of course, there are plenty of things that drive me crazy about this place. The sprawl, the haphazard development, the complete reliance on the automobile, the general ugliness of so much of the city; anyway...I don't want to belabor the point. That all being said, Houston is in many ways a blank slate (at least parts of it is) and therefore I think we have the ability to create a truly great city if we work at it and develop the right policies going forward!