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Missed Connections: Gefilte Fish...and "Chain Connections"
H-Town Rock
Rock Talk, Vol. IX
U.S. Rep John Culberson won't support running the University light rail line down Richmond Avenue, he announced this morning at a news conference under a tent near James Coney Island at Richmond and Shepherd. It's an announcement that's long been expected by some, though Culberson said earlier this month he was keeping an open mind. Today, he said his decision was based on "overwhelming opposition" to building a light rail line on Richmond:
"I will vigorously protect the clearly expressed interests of my constituents, in particular those who live, work, or own property on Richmond," Culberson told a crowd of about 200 who gathered under a tent near James Coney Island, at Richmond and Shepherd, to hear his announcement."Today I am asking Metro to adopt a resolution ... withdrawing its plans to build rail on Richmond."
As expected, representatives of both sides of the Richmond rail debate were on hand: Supporters of the proposal held a rally before Culberson's announcement, and the highly vocal Richmond rail opponents said they have gathered 2,200 signatures of people opposed to the plan on petitions placed in about 60 businesses along the street. It isn't clear exactly how much "overwhelming opposition" there really is — in a case like this, it's pretty hard to get a show of hands — but the anti-Richmond alignment side has, until recently, made a lot more noise than the pro-Richmond group. It makes a difference.
So what does Culberson's opposition mean? At first glance, not much: He's not the one who will recommend a route for the University Line (that falls to Metro, which said it'll make an announcement Monday). But Culberson is on the House Appropriation Committee's transportation subcommittee, and as he's reminded us, "Metro has to come through my committee."
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Disgusting. We're the only major city in the world that doesn't have any sort of decent mass transit system. We'll never be a "world class city" without it.
Funny thing happened when I was stuck in traffic on Richmond the other day: I almost got out of my car and took a sign from someone's yard (traffic was stopped for several minutes) which said "Keep Richmond moving. No rail on Richmond". I was in total shock. If there was a train there, I wouldn't have been sitting through that and polluting all of the homes along there. I guess those people don't want to breathe cleaner air...
Let's be clear about exactly who Culberson is speaking for, he's speaking for a very loud, closed minded, non-rail supporting small group of people who probably never really wanted rail to begin with. In fact, they've blocked the progress for rail in the past. He has that in common with them, because Culberson never wanted rail for Houston.
During his time in Congress, he's repeatedly hindered progress and funding for Houston rail. Him and Delay. Since we've voted and approved rail for Houston, the only way he can block it now, without looking like he's expressly opposing the will of Houstonians, is by saying that he is "vigorously protecting the clearly expressed interest of his constituents." Wonder if all the people on I-10 who were displaced, buldozed, put out of business and vigorously opposed the widening of I-10 felt that same love. Did he hear them?
Rail opponets slogan says "No Rail on Richmond. There's a better way." Well, let's hear it, what's the better way? What's your plan? Rail down Westpark? Will it have enough riders? What and who will it connect? Will Culberson approve that line? If so, why don't he say that? Besides, as the supposed representative of Houstonians, who DID approve the line, he should do his best efforts to assist in getting it funded. We have spoken and as our representative, he should do his best efforts to do what is best for ALL Houstonians.
In 5 to 10 years when the 4th largest city in the nation continue to explode in it's population, will the 3 lanes down Richmond be enough for all the cars that will be out in the street because they have no other way to travel within the inner city? Maybe that's the plan, make a mini- I10 down Richmond. Displace, buldoze, put out business those same people down Richmond he now supports to make way for more concrete.
Culberson doesn't speak for the majority of civic associations down the University corridor. He doesn't speak for Greenway Plaza area, Neartown association, Galleria area neighborhoods (except for a small pocket) and he doesn't speak for Houstonians that voted for rail. He doesn't speak for me.
Rail opponents have collected 2,200 signatures in 4 to 6 months while pro rail organizers have received support of 1,300 individuals 4 short weeks. Given the same amount of time, that could be easily surpassed.
Culberson count this with the other hundreds of people now calling, e-mailing your office in support of rail down Richmond. Let's see if those "stats" your office keeps spouting changes.
i don't understand what's wrong with these people's mind. is it because they're texans, or is it because they're houstonians or it's just because they're republican. i never thought republican is stupid, but i'm starting to feel it now. how many more lanes should be add to the freeway? we already have like 5, 6 lanes each way on 59, let's just say if there will be 1 million more people houston in the next 10 years, how are the freeways going to handle it. we really need to stop building freeways. it's not like we have space to expand the freeway in most areas. houston is going to be LA one day with nothing but traffic. that would slow down the growing of a city, coz getting around the city is one of the very important things people would think about before they move to the city. as my point of view, i love LA to death but i wouldn't move that for sure because of the crazy traffic. when the number of people hits that number in houston, traffic will be crazy and the number of people coming to houston will slow down for sure.
with the developments in downtown right now, i strongly think that houston downtown will come back to live in a few years. houston already has a very bad zoning from years ago and i think it's time for us to do it right now. downtown is already connected with TMC and reliant park now and it is very important for the line to be connected with greenway plaza and uptown area. how can a city in its size doesn't have a train system connecting to its prime/tourist area?? i still remember when the first time when i came to houston 11 years, i just wanted to laugh when i was at the airport. a 4th largest city in the united states and there's no train connected to the airport?? well, it's been 11 years and of course, we still don't.
if metro really has to build rail on 59, i mean, come on, just don't build rail anymore then. i'm starting to lose faith for houston, it's hopeless, poeple's mind are just too old fashion. come on, people say metro should build it on 59, use your brain please, who is going to get on 59 and ride the train?? the purpose of metrorail is not trying to make the city looks fancy, but to solve the traffic problem. i strongly think richmond is the best choice since we don't have enough money to build it underground. why are the buinesss owners so stupid?? don't they know how much business they can get if the rail is on richmond. they will be soon connecting to downtown, montrose, greenway plaza and the galleria. do they even realize how much benifits they can get out of it. they might be seeing the construction everyday for 1, 2 years, but it's totally worth it. anyway, i'm typing too much. stupid people will never realize smart people's ideas. there is 1 thing i need to say is, houston will never be a world class city for sure, it can be an international city, but not world class. we'll always be after cities like NYC, paris, london, hong kong, tokyo, syney.. etc.
and for people who know what i mean, save for breath and see what's going to happen. some people from east and west coast asked me, are texans really more stupid?? i'm really not sure, but if texans are stupid, houstonians would be the most stupid for sure, at least people in dallas accepted light rail. in all big cities, people love subway; and we are not even stupid enough to accept a small @$$ light rail system... what a shame??
Hey Houston, we're moving down from Seattle, so get busy already! I sold my last car in 1979, and have never had a problem getting anywhere in this town. People of every profession and income level ride the bus, take the commuter train, and will ride the light rail that's due to be up and running in a couple years.
My wife came here from Madrid, Spain -- a place that has looks a lot like Houston both in terms or geography and population. Traffic there is horrendous; but pop down a stairs just about anywhere, catch one of the metro trains that stop every 10 or 15 minutes, and in 20 minutes, "Proxima estacion...", we're magically popping up waaaay the hell across the city, for a tiny fraction of what someone in a car spent in money, pollution, time and aggravation.
Of course I understand the fundamental fact that we always tend to think about NOW and not tomorrow. "It works just fine for me the way it is..." ... But you may just live long enough for tomorrow to become your here & now; and it will be today for your kids. Don't fix it, and it will fix itself, guaranteed; but only by traffic breaking down completely as it chokes on itself.