UPDATED JUNE 24th, 2024
As you know, Metros Strategic Planning Committee announced their decision to abandon the University BRT project last week. This project has been more than twenty years in the making and has garnered voter approval multiple times.
This week is critical to keep the pressure on Metro leadership to reverse course while they still can.
- Sign up to speak at city council public session by 3:00 PM today, June 24 for the June 25 session by emailing speakers@houstontx.gov or calling 832-393-1100.
- Sign up to speak at commissioners court by 9:00 AM tomorrow, Tuesday June 25. Comments can also be emailed to commissionerscourt@hctx.net.
- Commissioner Ellis added item 432 to tomorrow’s commissioners court meeting to “discuss regional transportation”. (Pg. 55)
- Sign up to speak at the Thursday June 27th Metro board meeting by 10:00 AM tomorrow, Tuesday June 25 by emailing boardoffice@ridemetro.org.
The following statement can be attributed to Gabe Cazares, Executive Director, LINK Houston.
June 18th, 2024
At today’s Strategic Planning Committee, METRO announced their intention to not proceed with the federal grant application for the University Corridor Project in opposition to the will of 68% of Houston voters who approved the METRONext Moving Forward Plan in 2019. This was done without action by the Board of Directors.
To put it plainly, this is unacceptable.
The University Corridor BRT as idealized is to be the nation’s largest connected bus rapid transit line at over 25 miles in length with connections to over half of METRO’s local routes. It also serves as the key component in ensuring the success of the Silver line and upcoming Gulfton BRT, which will be otherwise isolated. Once complete, all of Houston’s major job centers and universities will be linked by rapid transit that is immune to traffic congestion.
If the Board decides to not move forward with advancing the project through the Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Investment Grant process, they will be jeopardizing nearly three years of work, over $1 billion dollars representing 60% of the total cost and the good faith of the communities that participated in providing much needed feedback to help shape the design.
In just two years we will be in the global spotlight as a host city to numerous World Cup matches ensuring millions of travelers and potential new riders. Houston can not be a world class city without a world class transit system. A failure to proceed with the University Corridor BRT doesn’t only hurt today’s riders, but every single Houstonian and visitor in the foreseeable future.
The board chair mentions that they need to “move forward with proof of concept.” before continuing and we believe METRO can do that by building an initial operating segment within right-of-way they control between Westchase and Wheeler Transit Center. Later they can consider the previously envisioned extensions to the east and north after evaluating their performance.
Our region must preserve the progress we have made with this critical project and the ability to bring these resources to Houston. METRO must advance the University BRT to the next phase.
(###)
LINK Houston is a non-profit organization that advocates for a robust and equitable transportation network so that all people can reach opportunity. For more information, please visit www.link2024.wpenginepowered.com.
—
For further media inquiries please Contact:
Nick Arcos
Director of Communications
Mobile: (713) 906-8345
Nick@linkhouston.org
