Houston « The Transport Politic

Ottawa, Closer than Ever to Replacing Bus Rapid Transit with Light Rail

May 17th, 2010 |

» Could the Ottawa model of instituting bus rapid transit, then converting to light rail, inspire other cities?

There was a time, a few years back, when talk of building bus rapid transit as a cheap precursor to train service was common. The theory was that cities could invest in new rights-of-way for rapid transit and design guideways specifically for future light rail implementation, but only fork up enough dough to pay for the buses.

After its voters agreed in 2003 to fund a series of new rail lines, Houston’s elected officials realized by 2007 that they wouldn’t be able to

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Houston Leaders Fear Too Large, Too Quick a Commitment to Light Rail

March 17th, 2010 |

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» Reliance on bonds to be paid back over decades highlights some of the difficulties cities face in advancing multi-line construction programs.

Just a few years ago Houston had grand plans for an extensive new light rail system that would crisscross the nation’s fourth-largest city from end to end. With new sales taxes, the local transit authority would be able to afford the construction of five lines by the early 2010s, reshaping the commuting patterns of the city’s residents.

However, like Denver and Charlotte, which both had huge expansion plans of their own, Houston’s dreams have been

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Mayoral Elections Highlight Controversies Over Transit Provision

November 3rd, 2009 |

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» Third in a series of three articles on today’s elections. The first considered governor’s races; the second reviewed ballot measures.

In six big cities across the country — Atlanta, Charlotte, Houston, Miami, New York, and Seattle — transportation is playing a role in the mayoral race being decided today. With the economic crisis front and center, however, transit isn’t anyone’s biggest priority.

Mayor of Atlanta, GA

Mary Norwood vs. Kasim Reed vs. Lisa Borders (front-runners in a nonpartisan race)

Update: Mary Norwood, with 46%, and Kasim Reed, with 36%, have moved on to a runoff on December 1st.

Atlanta’s dramatic growth over the past twenty

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