When changing trains is a (long) walk in the park
This post was posted on April 1. Read it with that in mind.
I’ve talked a lot about connecting METRO’s rail lines. But there’s more to passenger rail in Houston than METRO. In fact, there are 4 rail transit systems within Houston city limits. So how do they connect?
Two of the systems are parallel to each other. In fact, they stop in some of the same buildings. Yet transfering from one to another requires passengers to pass through a metal detector, take off their shoes, and show a valid boarding pass. I’ve seen lots of inconvenient transit connections, but this is probably the worst I’ve seen, and it doesn’t even involve two different transit agencies. I’m inclined to complain to the city. But they do have an excuse, so I’ll let it go.
The other rail-rail connection, though, should be simpler. METRORail has 36,000 boardings on a average weekday along a 7.5 mile line. The Hermann Park train doesn’t publish ridership numbers, but it carries dozens of people a day from the plaza in front of the zoo to the plaza in front of the zoo, 0 miles as the crow flies. The two lines approach within 200 feet of each other, but the park train doesn’t stop.
For some reason, nobody has a plan to simplify light rail to park train transfers. Maybe we need a Hermann Park Intermodal Center, combining light rail, the park train, paddle boats, and golf carts:
Or maybe not. Happy April Fool’s Day.
Feel free to discuss in our forums. Or maybe not.