Politics must not preempt good transit planning
METRO is poised to begin the public planning process for the “Universities†east-west rail line. State representative Martha Wong and US representative John Culberson are trying to take a possible Richmond route off the table now, before the public planning process has even started. Houstonians who value effective transit must not let them.
METRO needs federal funds to expand Houston’s rail system, which means METRO must play by the federal rules. As a result, they must analyze all of the best routes for rail viability and pick the strongest one in order to have any chance of winning federal matching dollars. METRO plans to study Westpark, Richmond, and other route alignments through the Universities corridor. They will look at ridership, neighborhood and business impacts, right-of-way requirements, traffic and environmental impacts, and many other factors. They will also gather a LOT of community input. This process is expected to begin with public meetings in April and run through December 2006. It will culminate with preparation of a Draft Environmental Impact Statements (DEIS) which will present METRO’s recommended alignment alternative. This DEIS will be subject to public review and comment.
Public participation makes better projects. More to the point, gathering broad public input is the right and democratic thing to do. But apparently, this doesn’t satisfy everyone, especially two local elected representatives.
There is a group of small business owners along Richmond east of Shepherd who fear that rail on their street may destroy them. They have joined with residents from the Afton Oaks neighborhood west of Weslayan. They have been organizing since late summer and they are working hard to take Richmond off the table right now. Ironically, they are calling themselves “Richmond Area Residents and Businesses for Rail†or RARBFR.
These individuals have serious and important concerns about METRO’s project. So do other Richmond-area organizations like Neartown Association, the Museum District Business Alliance (MDBA), the Menil Foundation, the University of St. Thomas, and Crescent Real Estate-Greenway Plaza. But where Neartown, MDBA, Menil, UST, and Crescent have all committed to working with METRO to address their concerns inside the prescribed process, RARBFR is demanding to sidestep the process. They have secured this letter from US representative John Culberson:
January 25, 2006
To Whom It May Concern:“I am writing to add my support for the Richmond Area Residents and Businesses for Rail, and urge that the Houston METRO Board of Directors oppose extending light rail down Richmond Avenue or Westheimer. My office has received a large number of complaints from concerned neighbors who oppose the construction of a light rail line down Richmond and I share their concern. The rail line would damage the neighbors’ quality of life, diminish their property values, create a safety hazard in residential areas, destroy beautiful trees and landscaping, and eliminate desperately needed traffic lanes.
I am confident METRO’s new leadership will listen to the communities affected by these rail plans. It is clear that the overwhelming majority of business owners and residents along the Richmond corridor do not want rail to be built there, and they should not have it forced upon them. I urge the METRO Board to respect the wishes of the people who have invested so much in their homes and businesses along Richmond, and build the rail line where it already has ample right of way along the Westpark Corridor.
I pledged to honor the results of the 2003 referendum, and I will continue helping METRO work with the FTA to secure Houston’s fair share of transit funding. Protecting the quality of life we have worked so hard to build is one of my top priorities, and I want to add my strong objection to those of so many others who do not want this rail line built down Richmond or Westheimer. Our Mayor Bill White and the METRO Board have said repeatedly that they will protect neighborhoods and listen and be responsive to neighborhood concerns. Moving this unwelcome rail line is a great place to start. Thank you for your thoughtful consideration.”
John A. Culberson
Member of Congress
Houstonians deserve the best transit system METRO can build, which means looking at all possible choices of where to put rail. Politicians must not prematurely determine a route based on their political needs.
Many Houstonians support a Richmond alignment. Many support a Westpark alignment. Some support a combination thereof, and many have not yet made up their minds. Now is not the time to decide. Instead, we must agree that a thorough technical analysis is a prerequisite to making the right decision. We must evaluate our transit future with facts and rigorous analysis, and not close off options in reaction to fear, uncertainty, and doubt.
Rep. Wong is scheduled to appear at the Thu Feb 16 METRO board meeting at 1:00 pm with many of her supporters. I expect her to present the above letter of opposition from Rep. Culberson, demand that METRO take Richmond off the table now, and call for a new referendum.
I hope that theirs will not be the only voices heard. It is time for everyone who supports more and better transit for Houston to speak up. We must keep all options on the table and we cannot allow a political process to take one off prematurely. METRO must be allowed to complete the federally-required planning process and fairly evaluate all of the alternatives.