Metro OKs $77M for new transit lines

The Metro board approved a $77.3 million agreement yesterday that's a step toward construction of four new rapid transit lines — the first step in a construction project that's estimated to cost more than $1 billion.

Under the contract, Washington Group Transit Management Co. will begin work on the early design and construction of four transit corridors: north, from UH-Downtown to Northline Mall; southeast, from downtown to Palm Center; East End, from downtown to Magnolia Transit Center; and Uptown, along Post Oak from Northwest Transit Center to Westpark. Also included in the project is the intermodal terminal at the Hardy Yards just north of downtown — a facility that's supposed to bring bus, light rail and commuter rail lines together, but might not be quite so intermodal after all based on concerns from the Union Pacific railroad. "I think it's very significant," Metro board Chairman David Wolff said. "It shows we're moving ahead. ... We made a commitment to the voters in 2003 when they passed a referendum that Metro would get Metro Solutions built, and this shows we're moving forward."

Of course, what's not included in the four transit lines are trains: As Metro announced a while back, the lines will use buses running on dedicated guideways until ridership justifies replacing the buses with trains. There's no specific timeline on that, but Wolff said Metro could finance the transition to trains pretty quickly after the lines open — maybe. "The timing depends on the demand. And as soon as we can do rail in those corridors we are going to do it," he told KHOU.

Design work on the lines is expected to be completed by next spring.