In March, the Mayor’s transition task force appointed to review METRO operations presented its findings to Mayor Annise Parker. You can read the reports of the transition team and its committees using the links below.
Mayor’s Transition Task Force on the Metropolitan Transit Authority Report to the Mayor
Houston Tomorrow has also provided a brief summary of the reports: Parker task force announces METRO findings.
We are pleased to share the candidate endorsements announced by the RichmondRail political action committee (RRail GPAC), a separate sister organization that shares our vision for rail on Richmond. RRail GPAC has endorsed candidates in City of Houston races taking into account candidate responses to a questionnaire and, where appropriate, incumbent records of support. This year, with the debate on the Richmond Ave. alignment behind us, the candidate questionnaire focused on the role that City officials can play in making Richmond a neighborhood and pedestrian friendly transit corridor.
Election day is November 3rd and early voting has begun! Be sure to check out the RRail GPAC endorsements and cast your vote in these City elections.
View the RRail GPAC 2009 Candidate Endorsements (pdf)
View the Candidate Questionnaire (pdf)
Tuesday July 21st, in lieu of our regular RichmondRail Tuesday Night Out, consider attending a free talk on sustainable neighborhoods, hosted by Houston Tomorrow!
Stella Chao directs the City of Seattle’s Department of Neighborhoods. The Department of Neighborhoods works to bring government closer to city residents by giving them a central role in planning for the growth of their communities. It empowers residents to create healthy, safe, and vibrant neighborhoods by providing tools, education, and support, and brings more of Seattle’s underrepresented citizens into the process of civic discourse, planning, and action.
Ms. Chao will talk Tuesday about sustainable growth in 21st century neighborhoods. The event is free and open to the public. Please RSVP to wendy.natt@houstontomorrow.org if you will attend, or call (713) 523-5757 with any questions.
What: Houston Tomorrow distinguished speaker: Stella Chao (details)
When: Tuesday, July 21, 2009 reception at 6:30 pm, talk at 7:00 pm
Where: United Way Community Resource Center, 50 Waugh Dr. at Feagan, Houston, 77007
Be sure to attend the city’s University Corridor Workshop, part of the Urban Corridors planning initiative to develop new city standards and parking regulations for the Houston transit corridors. For details on the University Corridor Workshop, see the workshop flyer.
Before you go, you may find it useful to review materials from the Richmond Avenue Workshop on related issues, e.g., the Pedestrian Realm, Traffic and Parking, and Neighborhood Development, which are posted here.
With the METRO Board’s selection of an alignment for the University Corridor on October 18, our vision of neighborhood friendly light rail on Richmond is getting closer to reality. There are still important City and Federal thresholds to be crossed, but the momentum is clearly building. Our grass roots movement has played a critical role in generating that momentum.
We are only at the beginning of the neighborhood friendly part of our goal. RichmondRail.org has an important part to play in sharing specific ideas and concerns with METRO as they develop the detailed design of the rail line, and in urging the City and other stakeholders to make important investments in sidewalks, lighting, trees, signage and other improvements that make our streets safe and attractive public places. We also need to continue our commitment to Richmond Ave. businesses to see them through construction.
On Tuesday, December 4, we invite you to join us for a special Tuesday Night Out at a favorite Richmond restaurant, Maria Selma. Please come and help us CELEBRATE our successes and ENVISION Richmond Avenue with rail. This will not be our typical Tuesday Night Out. We’re expecting a senior official from METRO and representation from City Council to share their views on the role RichmondRail.org has played and can play in the next phase. Bring your ideas - we’ll also take time to begin crafting a vision of what will make the University Line the neighborhood asset we all want.
What: A Special Tuesday Night Out for RichmondRail
Hot Hors d’oeuvres & Soft Drinks, Cash Bar
When: Tuesday, December 4, 2007, 6:00 to 8:00 pm
Where: Maria Selma Restaurant, 1617 Richmond Ave.
Reservations: $15 in advance, admission $20 at the door
Click here to reserve your place and pay in advance. If you plan to pay at the door, please RSVP with the number in your party by Dec 2. When you make your reservation we ask you to also consider making an additional donation. With your help, RichmondRail.org will continue to promote constructive solutions that look towards the greater good of our community and a sustainable quality of life.
As a property owner with a financial services business on Richmond Avenue, I support “Rail on Richmond.”
Richmond Avenue represents a major east-west artery for Houstonians. The rail will reduce automobile traffic and emissions while providing greater mobility. The people who live, work, and patronize merchants in the area will benefit greatly. Without rail we will likely see an increase in automobile traffic and ultimately adding more lanes to Richmond. Widening the street will obviously result in some property loss to landowners and reduced customer parking on Richmond Avenue.
With due regard to projected costs and funding, I think the only logical and viable corridor for the proposed rail route is along Richmond to Cummins to Westpark. It improves mobility between Greenway Plaza and Downtown and the Medical Center. For the inexpensive price of a rail ticket you can save time and money traveling to those destinations. In addition to reduced congestion, rail will eliminate the frustration associated with limited and high-priced parking in those areas.
Any delay in this project will increase future expenditures to improve mobility in an ever-growing metropolitan area. Houston is already 20 years behind the times when it comes to mass transit. For the good of all Houstonians, we deserve an overall rail system comparable to the ones in other major cities.
You can review the DEIS online. You can also request (for a fee) a bound copy or a CD, or view the printed version at a number of libraries and other locations around town (details).
To get you started, the Citizens’ Transportation Coalition (CTC) has posted an illustrated analysis of the DEIS (starting with the options west of Main) in Christof Spieler’s Intermodality blog. Have a look.
METRO is providing the opportunity for you to review plan details and ask METRO staff questions about the DEIS at open houses 5-7 pm Monday, August 13 at Holiday Inn Select - Greenway Plaza and Tuesday, August 14 at Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church. The next step will be to submit comments (due September 17), and attend the formal public hearing at 2 pm on August 27, 2007, at South Main Baptist Church. Details on the open houses and the public hearing can be found on the METRO Solutions website.
The many wonderful restaurants along Richmond Avenue play a big part in making our Neartown, Upper Kirby, and Greenway Plaza neighborhoods vital places to live and work. It’s in our interest to ensure that these businesses survive and thrive through light rail construction and beyond. We continue to gather for Tuesday Nights Out to show Richmond restaurant owners that we, their customers, support rail on Richmond and we support them.
Tonight, our 39th Tuesday Night Out, we’re meeting other RichmondRail friends at Blue Fish House, 2241 Richmond Ave. For upcoming venues, check here (or follow the link under “Pages” at right to Tuesday Nights Out).
See you Tuesday night!
Early in 2006, Congressman John Culberson urged his constituents to contact him with our views about rail on Richmond. Even though he has repeatedly declared his personal opposition, we know many RichmondRail supporters have dutifully written Rep. Culberson to urge him to support rail on Richmond. We also know many of you were disappointed to be rebuffed by Culberson’s indifferent form letter reply.
As recently as March 29, Rep. Culberson has told constituents that:
“I have a responsibility to the Houston region to help improve our entire transportation network as the only Texan on the Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee.”
But here’s the surprise: it turns out that since January 11th, Culberson is NOT on the Transportation subcommittee anymore. He’s now just one minority member out of 66 on the Appropriations committee, which should severely constrain his attempts to hijack the federal transit planning process! See this press release for details.
Freshman Texas Congressman Ciro Rodriguez has replaced Culberson on the House Appropriations Transportation subcommittee. And three other Texans — Chet Edwards, Kay Granger, and John Carter — all serve on Appropriations, too. It cannot hurt for us to let each of them know that we need their help. When Federal Transit eventually awards funding to METRO for rail on Richmond (because it will serve the most people for the lowest cost), we are counting on their Appropriations committee to approve it, in spite of their colleague’s hangups.
Late Tuesday, Judge Levi Benton ruled in favor of METRO to deny rail opponents’ requested “Rule 202″ motion. Opponents claim that METRO is violating terms of the 2003 transit referendum. They asked the judge to compel METRO officials to provide oral testimony so they could fish for ammunition for their planned lawsuit. Judge Benton denied their motion, perhaps because it was plain the plaintiff intended to file suit with or without extra depositions.
Sure enough, plaintiff Daphne Scarbrough filed suit against METRO the next day. Her high-profile attorney, Andy Taylor, boldly described the suit as “nuclear war” against METRO. But despite Taylor’s bravado, it’s important to remember that lawsuits have always been a part of rail politics in Houston, but litigation has never stopped a rail project.
The Houston Chronicle has the story:
“Merchant seeks to bar Metro projects without new election”.
What’s interesting is this: one anti-Richmond merchant now seems intent to shut down Houston’s entire transit system expansion just to keep light rail off of Richmond. That may not go over well in the Near North Side, East End, Third Ward, or Uptown…
Last month, rail opponents announced they were filing — NOT a lawsuit — but a “section 202 motion” with the intent to eventually file a lawsuit against METRO. They are asking a judge to grant them authority to use depositions to “fish” for some kind of evidence of wrongdoing by METRO.
Rail opponents would have us believe that their legal case is open and shut. But if the ballot is so clear, why do they need permission to gather additional evidence to make their case? They are asking a judge to authorize a fishing expedition, an attempt to find something — anything — to justify a lawsuit to stop this project.
Their motion is now scheduled for a civil court hearing Wednesday, May 16, 2007 at 4:00 pm, in the 215th Judicial District Court of Harris County, 201 Caroline between Franklin and Congress, 13th floor, 77002.
Since the 1970s, lawsuits have been a routine part of rail politics in Houston, but they have never stopped a project. Here’s the program for this round:
Who will be in the courtroom on Tuesday?
The plaintiff: Daphne Scarbrough, who owns The Brass Maiden, a high end home goods store on Richmond, says she’s worried about her business. She’s spending her time organizing against rail in her neighborhood, in the Third Ward, on the
Near North Side, and even in the state legislature.
Counsel for the plaintiff: William A. “Andy” Taylor, Andy Taylor & Associates. In 2003, Andy Taylor was the attorney for Texans for True Mobility, a secretive group that ran $1.5 million in ads opposing the METRO Solutions referendum. Texans for True Mobility was co-chaired by Congressman John Culberson.
Public relations for the plaintiff: Chris Begala, a professional political consultant who accompanied Scarbrough to Austin in April 2007 to lobby for anti-METRO legislation. In 2003, Begala served as spokesman for the aforementioned Texans for True Mobility.
Fund raiser for the plaintiff: ??? We don’t know who is funding the current legal action. But in 2003, Taylor and Begala’s anti-rail work was funded by Congressman Tom Delay, suburban apartment developer Michael Stevens, and others. Taylor fought in court to keep the donor list secret.
The defendant: Metropolitan Transit Authority
Counsel for the defendant: Andy Edison, Bracewell & Giuliani
The judge: Levi Benton, 215th Judicial District Court of Harris County
On the sidelines (but not by choice)
The voters: In 2003, voters in Houston and Harris County approved rail expansion by a more than 9,000 vote margin. We want to see more transit, not more delay. And we don’t want our tax dollars going to defend against frivolous lawsuits.
The community: Community organizations in the Near North Side, the East End, the Third Ward, and Neartown have worked hard for more and better transit in our neighborhoods. There is widespread public support in all of these corridors for METRO’s proposed lines. Richmondrail.org’s online petition has been signed by almost 3,000 Houstonians who support neighborhood-friendly light rail on Richmond Avenue. Further, every active civic club along Richmond or US-59 between Main Street and Shepherd formally supports rail on Richmond, as do the Museum District Business Alliance and the Neartown Association.
While rail transit has finally gained widespread public support in Houston, the opponents continue to mount narrow legal challenges. Once again, rail opponents hope to achieve in court what they can no longer achieve at the ballot box:
Sept 1999 - METRO board endorses a 7-mile light rail system from downtown to the Astrodome
Jan 2000 - Design team begins work on the Main Street line
May 2000 - Suburban Congressman Tom DeLay moves to kill $65 million in federal funding for the line
Oct 2000 - Federal transportation bill passes with DeLay’s language barring METRO from spending any federal dollars on rail in fiscal 2001; METRO Board decides to proceed with local funding
Nov 2000 - Houston City Council authorizes METRO to use city streets for Main Street line
Dec 2000 - Rail opponents file a petition with 1,100 signatures requesting the City of Houston hold a referendum before building the Main Street line; City Attorney rules they need 20,000 to force the vote
Jan 2001 - Rail opponents sue to try to force the City to hold an election; State district judge issues restraining order to prohibit work on rail until lawsuit can be heard
Mar 2001 - State court rules unanimously to lift injunction; METRO breaks ground on Main Street line
Jun 2001 - Rail opponents appeal decision; Texas Supreme Court refuses to stop work on the line or require a referendum
Oct 2001 - Rail opponents get Proposition 3 on the ballot which, if passed, would require an election be held about the Main Street line (and requires the line to be torn up if that election fails) and requires election on any future rail lines
Nov 2001 - In a City election, 74% of Houston voters approve Mayor Brown’s Proposition 1 that lets work continue on the Main Street rail line but guarantees a referendum on any future extensions; voters reject Proposition 3
May 2003 - METRO holds public meetings regarding Solutions transit expansion plan
Aug 2003 - METRO board approves ballot resolution to put Solutions plan before voters
Oct 2003 - Texans for True Mobility, led by suburban developer Michael Stevens and Congressman John Culberson, and funded in part by Congressman Tom Delay, spends $1.5 million on anti-rail “issue education” ads to oppose METRO referendum
Nov 2003 - In a City election, METRO Solutions referendum is approved by voters with more than a 9,000 vote margin
Jan 2004 - Main Street light rail line opens in time for Super Bowl
Dec 2005 - Rail opponents get state Rep. Martha Wong to preemptively announce opposition to any future Richmond alignment
Jan 2006 - Rail opponents get Congressman Culberson to urge METRO to build the University line on Westpark
Apr 2006 - Houston City
Council members host 9 public forums for University line
Jun 2006 - METRO holds first scoping meetings for University line; RichmondRail.org becomes first grassroots group in Houston history to fight FOR rail on a specific street
Jul 2006 - More than 1,000 Houstonians sign RichmondRail.org’s petition supporting rail on Richmond
Aug 2006 - Congressman Culberson asks METRO to take Richmond alignment off the table
Nov 2006 - In a state and federal election, Martha Wong draws only 38% of the vote in precincts along University corridor and loses seat to Ellen Cohen; John Culberson’s support falls from 25% to around 18% of the vote in precincts along University line corridor, but he is reelected due to
support in west Harris County.
Dec 2006 - METRO board approves three final options for the University line west of Main Street: two on Richmond as far west as Greenway Plaza, and one along the Southwest Freeway
Jan 2007 - Congressman Culberson urges METRO to build rail along Southwest Freeway, and pledges to keep “fighting to keep rail off of Richmond”
Feb 2007 - President Bush’s budget includes federal funds for METRO’s North and Southeast transit lines
Mar 2007 - Public supporters of rail on Richmond outnumber opponents at Congressman’s town hall meeting; almost 3,000 sign petition of support for Richmond
Apr 2007 - Rail opponents introduce House Bill 1813 to gut METRO board; Texans for True Mobility spokesman Chris Begala testifies in its favor; lacking legislative support, the bill is left to die in committee
Apr 2007 - Rail opponents file “202 motion” request to seek court authorization to depose METRO and seek evidence of wrongdoing, not just on the University line but on other corridors
The University Corridor light rail will serve all citizens that live, work, go to school or visit destinations within walking distance of a station. It will also serve all the Houstonians that connect at the Uptown, Main Street and Southeast lines. The University corridor line will be an asset for all of Houston – just like our highways and the Main Street light rail. That’s why the support in the Richmond corridor alone is overwhelming. John Culberson is using a few loud individuals as props in his ongoing campaign to kill urban transit in favor of highways to the suburbs. Meanwhile, he is not listening to the majority of voices that support and will use light rail on Richmond:
He is not listening to 30,000 member (and 21 civic associations) of Neartown Association whose constituents live all around the Richmond corridor and have advocated a Richmond alignment of the University Line
He’s not listening to the Board of the Menil Foundaton that has issued a statement of support for the mandated process and declared Westpark irrelevant. Light rail on Richmond would provide public access for the tens of thousands of visitors to the Menil every year
He is not listening to the owners of Greenway Plaza that have advocated a Richmond alignment over Westpark. Greenway plaza is home to nearly 20,000 workers and residents.
As we expected, John Culberson announced Tuesday that he wants Metro and Mayor White to take a Richmond option off the table. Speaking in front of his anti-rail supporters he spoke about ‘overwhelming opposition’ to a Richmond alignment - clearly ignoring our voices and the voices of thousands of others.
With less than 24 hours to mobilize, RichmondRail.org generated a phenomenal turnout and showed the Congressman and the media that his actions are an attempt to subvert a local decision and process.
As our numbers built to 40 or more, the anti-rail leaders scrambled to get hired hands to put out signs behind us. As Culberson spoke, we made it clear that support for Richmond Rail is big and getting bigger. Our voices are being heard! Even before yesterday’s successful rally, the Houston Chronicle presented a clear picture of the argument and broad based support for a Richmond alignment.
The day after the rally, the Chronicle highlighted Culberson’s poor judgment in an editorial: “Flawed judgment: Rep. Culberson’s decision to oppose all options for Richmond rail undermines transit interests of both his constituents and the entire city.”
We could not agree more!
On Tuesday, John Culberson will “announce his decision” regarding the Universities light rail line. How can he presume “to decide” the fate of this line?!? This is not his role in the process, since other local elected officials have that duty, and he knows that. His role only comes into play to ensure Houston gets its desired federal transit funds, and so far Culberson is dropping the ball on that.
Why is John Culberson working with a handful of NIMBYs from just one or two neighborhoods? John Culberson took an oath to represent his entire district, and the Universities rail project will affect all Houstonians. But he’s soley sided with a small group of anti-rail leaders from Afton Oaks. Why?
Why is John Culberson pandering to fear mongerers? Richmond rail opponents continue to claim that rail will hurt traffic while METRO has now shown that NO traffic lanes will be lost and nearly every left turn will remain. Rail opponents have personally terrified small business owners on Richmond with false claims that METRO has now refuted, but Culberson is standing firm.
Why is John Culberson suddenly a new champion of displaced businesses? He personally oversaw the condemnation of more than 480 properties to expand the Katy Freeway — including Courtesy Chevrolet, Ciro’s, 90% of Spring Valley’s commercial tax base, and others — all to “improve mobility.” In contrast, METRO has now shown they can run rail down Richmond to bring urban transit to Greenway Plaza and the Galleria by taking only 8 properties, one of which is vacant and one an “adult” bookstore, but Culberson “won’t let that happen.” Why???
Why won’t Culberson support urgently-needed urban transit for central Houston? Two weeks ago, Culberson’s House committee awarded $700 million to Dallas for another 45 miles of light rail, doubling the size of their system. But back in Houston, Culberson co-chaired Texans for True Mobility which fought the METRO referendum and he has failed to deliver the federal funds Houston is depending on.
John Culberson represents our Congressional district and we’re depending on him to fund this rail expansion project. Culberson clearly owes his constituents some good explanations. We promise to be at his press event Tuesday to do some asking!
At a public meeting on July 18, Metro rolled out the latest data and conceptual drawings for the University Corridor light rail line. These documents show clearly that most of the fears about a potential Richmond alignment have been unwarranted. METRO has demonstrated that they are working hard to address the legitimate concerns of residents and businesses along Richmond.
Concerns over rail have included exaggerated fears over excessive use of eminent domain, loss of traffic lanes, disappearance of trees, and major disruptions of business along Richmond.
Now METRO has responded:
The plans, details and renderings shown Tuesday demonstrate that we can have rail on Richmond for the good of both our neighborhoods and the whole City. Here is what Metro’s plans reveal:
That sounds like neighborhood-friendly light rail to us!
The facts are in and it looks like we can have rail where the people are — on Richmond — with minimal impact to businesses and neighborhoods! This proves the point RichmondRail.org has been making: facts will rule over fear and misinformation. Now that the concerns of anti-rail people are being addressed, and given that studies and experts agree that light rail brings value to neighborhoods, this should be a no brainier. Richmond all the way.
But you should see for yourself. Download METRO’s presentation (pdf) and meeting materials, and get your questions answered at two more meetings next week:
Then help us spread the word!