I'm A METRORail Fan

One of the major changes here in town in the eight years I was a Texan In Exile was the building and opening of the METRORail Red :Line along Main Street and Fannin Streets from UH Downtown to the Reliant Stadium area  

I was very happy to find out that the Southeast rail line extension currently under construction would be terminating within blocks of where I currently live.

One of the things I have long lamented about my hometown is the lack of a rail component to our regional mass transit plan.  In my travels around this country I have been to cities such as New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Dallas and Los Angeles which have, are building or expanding their light or heavy rail systems.   It was easy, convenient, inexpensive and quick to get around town from the airport to wherever I needed to go without using an auto.

I have long felt that for Houston to take it to the next level of growth and economic prosperity, contrary to the 'build more freeways ' and 'bus system only' penny pinching mass transit hatin' mentality of Republicans, we needed commuter rail and some kind of light or heavy rail component.   

And speaking of trains, hope that the high speed bullet train system they are seriously talking about building between Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and New Orleans does become a reality.

We have pretty much maxed out our ability to expand the freeway system.   Trains are needed to cut down on the numbers of cars and commuters on the road and reduce smog and ozone pollution levels in this town that were rivaling LA levels when I left.

The Purple Line near me is scheduled for completion in 2013

My southeast Houston neighborhood where I live now could use the economic development boost and shot in the arm that the completion of the Red Line back in 2002 gave to neighborhoods along that Main Street-Fannin transit corridor.


So yes, I'm a fan of METRORail.   I'm looking forward to the day that all the lines in this phase are complete and I have more destinations I can ride the train to.   I'm hoping I'm still on the planet when those lines get extended to both airports and more of the malls and parks in the area.   I'd like to see that evolving rail system tie in to a network of commuter rail lines that will make the beaches of Galveston, NASA's Johnson Space Center, the Kemah Boardwalk and other areas and attractions in the Houston-Galveston metro area accessible by train.