Did 3.2 acres of acquisitions along Post Oak Blvd. for the new Uptown Line sound like a lot to you? Then look at this: The Final Environmental Impact Statement for the new University Line says Metro’s “locally preferred alternative” route will need to acquire 23 acres of land from approximately 212 separate parcels on that route, most of it along Richmond Ave. (Only 7 of those parcels will need to be acquired in full, according to the report.) Plus: 100 businesses, 30 residences, and 38 mixed-use structures will need to be relocated.
Potential acquisitions and displacement are expected at signalized intersections and at some transit stations. Every transit station located on the street will have a traffic signal. Additional right of way will be needed to accommodate left-turn lanes at key signalized intersections.
You can find the complete list of affected properties beginning on page 146 of this document. Maps of the targeted properties along the entire route — similar to the bit along Richmond Ave. at Montrose Blvd. shown above — are in the engineering drawings section.
Find anything interesting in there? Let us know in the comments!
- Rail along Richmond requires 23 more acres: report [West University Examiner]
- University Corridor Updates [Metro Solutions]
- Previously on Swamplot: Trimming Uptown Trees and Driveways: Where Metro Is Shopping for Land on Post Oak Blvd.
Unless I am mistaken, Metro just announced not that long ago that there would be no condemnation along Richmond. Looks like they lied. Again. Looks like there will be a lot of condemnation. If people thought Main Street was a nightmare, wait until they see what a mess Richmond is going to be.
Not to mention the nightmare of running the train under the 59 spur into downtown at Richmond.
According to the engineering drawings, looks like the dog park on Westpark & Newcastle will be gone. It is one of the few dog parks inside the loop that is fenced and has two separate parks for large and small dogs. Looks like there is a lot that will be lost so we can gain better public transportation options. Let’s hope that the current plans for the trains themselves will allow for commuters to bring bicycles and not have to wait for an add-on retrofit a la metro bus.
Somehow I doubt the property owners facing condemnation are concerned with a dog park or whether the new rail line will be “bicycle friendly.” It’s reassuring to know you are.
And of course who will pay for all the condemnation? The taxpayers of course. Who DID NOT VOTE FOR A RICHMOND LINE!!!!!!!!!!
The dog park is on land already owned by METRO. There was a big stink about it going away a while back. Regarding the bicycles…according to Frank Wilson himself, no changes to come for cyclists.
Hmm. The plans show a “power relay” to be placed on a parcel of land near Richmond & Jack. I feel bad for the business owner that is currently constructing a brand new bar there. I hope I can have a drink there before METRO steals it from them and tears it down.
Interesting that our “newspaper” hasn’t carried the story of Metro’s planned “acquisitions” for this or the Uptown line which I suppose become “condemnations” when the landlowners say “no” and take it to court.
This is not so much “bait-and-switch” as it is “hook-and-toss” and the taxpayers are who are hooked and the landlowners are who are being tossed.
Parisian city planners were met with similar narrow-minded criticism when they decided to construct grand boulevards in medieval Paris. The result was the Champs-Elysees and other notable conduits. The visionaries at METRO must ignore similar insuferable fools and carry on the worthy goal of bringing automobile independent mass transportation to Houston. The University line is the lynch pin of the ongoing expansion and these plans should be approved with all deliberate speed.
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From Matt Mystery:
Unless I am mistaken, Metro just announced not that long ago that there would be no condemnation along Richmond. Looks like they lied. Again. Looks like there will be a lot of condemnation. If people thought Main Street was a nightmare, wait until they see what a mess Richmond is going to be.
Not to mention the nightmare of running the train under the 59 spur into downtown at Richmond.
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I find myself in the strange position of agreeing with you. As someone who uses Richmond extensively, I don’t think anyone has any idea how screwed up that street is going to become. Look at Main Street–it went from being a well-utilized road from downtown to the medical center. Now it’s got tumbleweeds blowin’ down it.
And it’s not just Richmond. All the streets that cross it carry mucho traffic–Buffalo Spdwy, Kirby, Shepherd. These are heavy trafficked intersections, that will now have to deal with a Metro train red light every six minutes. Ever travel up Shepherd from 59, and have to wait 4-5 minutes to crawl over Richmond? Wait until Metro doubles that time.
Rail on Richmond is going to be an unmitigated disaster for traffic congestion inside the Loop.
For 99.9% of travelers, MetroRail will never be an option. It simply doesn’t get people where they want to go. The people who drive on Richmond now are going to have to find alternative routes. Alabama, Westheimer and Bissonnet simply cannot handle the traffic that will be forced off Richmond.
100 businesses? Many to be lost forever?
Thousands of jobs lost?
Destruction of a valuable thoroughfare?
Increased traffic elsewhere?
Billions of taxpayer dollars wasted?
Thanks, Metro.
Have any of the naysayers looked at the properties affected? Everything west of Montrose are old dilapidated houses or run down strip centers. There are dozens of vacant properties along that stretch of Richmond, and the current traffic without additional rail access does not support Houston-style big box development. And unless the trains are empty, they will be taking cars off the road that would otherwise be using area streets. With the added rail, for the first time there will be one-vehicle travel available from UH to the Galleria, and will provide much needed access for UH students who wish to reside in midtown or Montrose. Traffic on Richmond today between Shepherd and Montrose is not that bad, compared to the cross streets like Shepherd, Kirby, and Montrose. If anything, I was impressed that the report showed so little effect on private properties, and I am concerned that not enough ROW is being added.
Thank you voters! Your transit tax dollars finally going to something other than building roads. Richmond rail is the key to the whole inner loop mass transit system. Based on what I see every day, I fully expect this line to have the largest volume of passengers in Houston in a few years. I am sure the commuters into Houston’s urban grid will never understand it unless they have lived in urban cities.
Go Rail on Richmond! Looking forward to it.
Ugh…I was excited (and naive) when I first learned of plans to put rail on Richmond. After a number of trips down Main St and reading statements like “accommodate left-turn lanes at key signalized intersections”, this sounds like it is going to be a disaster. Do the preliminary plans indicate which intersections are “key” enough to warrant turn lanes? I would assume Shepherd, Montrose, etc., but what about Dunlavy or Woodhead? Also, that red all four ways crap they do on Main St is really not going to fly – I got stuck on straight red through two or three cycles at Main St and Elgin last week.
Maybe they are trying to promote rail ridership in the nearby neighborhoods by making it such a PITA to drive anywhere
if this rail would acutally take cars off the road i’d be in favor of it, but all it’s going to do is increase congestion in the entire montrose area. i have not heard a single person that lives within walking distance of richmond say that they would ever have a reason to use the rail instead of the buses that currently run.
it doesn’t make sense for short trips (walking to and waiting at the stops is just lost time) and it doesn’t make sense for long trips since it’s not linked to the freeways. why would you ride rail to the galleria when you can get there in half the time on 59 and not have to worry about how you’ll get things you bought home safely?
the comment about kids from UH riding this to montrose is bit overly optimistic as the redevlopment that will follow along richmond will wipe away a lot of the low-income housing in the area and thus the demographic that metro is hoping to ride this thing.
Joel – You have now heard from a person who lives within walking distance of Richmond who will use the rail instead of the buses – me. Why would I take 59 to the Galleria – it is stop and go from downtown all the way to 610, the Westheimer exit, Westheimer itself, and I still have to find a place to park! And redevelopment will wipe away cheap student housing along Richmond – I thought the argument was that businesses would be hurt – make up your minds! Plenty of cheap housing will still exist along Wheeler, Alabama, etc on the East Side. And I doubt if cheap housing is ever going away from Montrose, but if it does that’s great for my property value. Sounds like a win win for me. Richmond between Shepherd and Montrose is currently about 20% decent businesses, 20% vacant land, 20% residential frontage, and 40% s***holes. I could care less if “Talk of the Town” closes, one of the 20 area dry cleaners has to move, or a row of the empty CVS parking lot gets shaved off.
Nooooooooooooo!!!!
Don’t kill Chapultepec Lupita!!! That’s where I get my cheap, greasy, hole-in-the wall Mexican food fix every three weeks!
Landed Gent’s comments “Parisian city planners were met with similar narrow-minded criticism when they decided to construct grand boulevards in medieval Paris. The result was the Champs-Elysees and other notable conduits” How could the “visionaries at METRO” miss the obvious opportunity to turn Westpark into Houston’s own Champs-Elysees? N’est-ce pas?
BenP – i would note that the only time 59 going west ever has traffic is during evening rush hour (and the galleria is usually quite empty during evening commuting time) and exiting westheimer is not a good way to get to the galleria during most hours of the day.
the fact that you think the majority of homes along richmond are worthless shows that our differing views are probably based on our personal biases of what we want the montrose to be though.
I want Montrose to be livable, lively, and walkable. Most of the properties which contain houses along Richmond have no improved value – only the land they are on. Richmond today is not user friendly – there are many businesses I don’t even consider frequenting because there is no free convenient car parking, or the narrow/broken/blocked/mud pit sidewalks make them inaccessible to anyone without a car. Many, if not most, of the homes along Richmond are not maintained by the owners, and retail options are limited by the parking and sidewalk situation. Even so called good property owners, Menil and UST, maintain their Richmond frontage as fenced-in storage lots. My vision of Montrose is that one of its major streets actually be useful and filled with occupied residential and business properties, and not just represent a fast shortcut between midtown and Kirby, or a feeder-road wannabe lined with parking lots, storage lots, and vacant properties.
” You would think by now that METRO would have correct information regarding what and whose property they are planning to take. Madison Place Townhomes does not have common space that abuts Richmond Avenue. So change your records METRO and add three (3) more private residences to your total of residential partial acquisitions. Mine included.
METRO might need to fix another tiny error – where it represents to federal, state and local authorities that the proposed Kirby station is surrounded by commercial and retail properties. One look at METRO’s own photos and drawings show that it directly abuts residential property. If the purpose of this report is to fairly disclose the enviromental impact that the light rail will have – then METRO should at least publish correct information.
If anyone from METRO wants to correct these errors – and recognize the impact that this station will have on the residences next to it – then please also recognize that my house should be added to the “full acquisition” list. Don’t leave me with a house I can’t sell and that I can’t live in. “
The rail Utopians come out again trumpeting the pipe dream that Metreaux continues to spew at naive Houstonians dreaming of a whirled class city. If Metreaux would quit terminating badly needed bus routes the socio-economic segment of the population who actually depend upon for their mass transit needs in favor of trying to steer people to the danger train, they would actually be doing someone good. At grade rail will never be economically feasible in Houston. Of course those in favor of rail transit will continue to buy into the deception that at grade rail makes sense instead of mass transit being accomplished with highly flexible diesel/hybrid buses that are easily deployed to wherever the need is, instead of attempting to coerce the public into changing their lives to accommodate a Utopian agenda. Catering to the segment of the population that thinks at grade rail transportation is sexy is and expensive exercise in naivete. People take the time to actually study the real ridership numbers for the dangertrain has experienced. Then, come talk to us about how great more of this expensive black hole will be.
I’m still trying to figure out, along with everyone else, why the Westpark Line the voters approved is going down Richmond instead. I guess the developers couldn’t develop much alongside 59 is the bottom line since the bottom line of Metro planning is the bottom line of the developers. As in how much profit they can make off the taxpayers.
If Culberson had any cajones there would be no federal funds. But, alas, he has none.
The “Westpark Corridor” was described in the referendum as “approximately 6.6 miles westward from the Wheeler Station (which is at Richmond on the Main Street line) to the Westpark Transit Center, serving Greenway Plaza, West University, Bellaire and the Uptown/Galleria area.” Due west from Wheeler on my map is closer to Richmond than Westpark at any point on the route. And also, for the thinking impaired, WESTPARK DOES NOT EVEN EXIST EAST OF KIRBY, or is that too simple an answer to grasp.
And also, for the thinking impaired, WESTPARK DOES NOT EVEN EXIST EAST OF KIRBY, or is that too simple an answer to grasp.
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At no point did anyone who voted for this impending disaster do so with the knowledge that it would run down Richmond and if Metro had stated it would be, the voters wouldn’t have approved it.
Most assumed it would be run along the south side of 59 on the former railroad easement. I believe Metro in fact discussed that option. It’s called bait-and-switch.
Just hope that those who live within walking distance don’t live too close. Try standing down by Braewood and Greenbriar for awhile. It’s noisy even 2 blocks away.
Just hope that those who live within walking distance don’t live too close.
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You get used to it as realtors like to say.
Actually you don’t. You just learn to live with it. Until the lease is up or you can sell and get your money back.
The amount of condemnation is actually a little shocking given the number of times Metro hedged, fudged, and outright lied about it. Public interest, they will claim, if someone challenges them. But in reality it’s private interest that will benefit. How much, who knows. I doubt the apartment complexes and “lofts for the lofty” along Main Street and Fannin and San Jacinto have seen much benefit. Trains are nice to ride. Not nice to live near. Or next to. And given the fact that most will have to go blocks away to turn around to get to something on the other side of Richmond, not nice to have a business next to.
Would be nice if we saw some “Stop Metro
signs instead of “Stop Ashby” signs. Metro is the real monster about to devour us all.
I don’t worry about the metro noise as the current 59 traffic and neighborhood leaf-blowers seem to provide plenty of background noise already. And I still really don’t understand what the beef is with Richmond, after all. Harrisburg has waaay more traffic and congestion then Richmond, yet where is the cry about that?And the Post Oak line goes thru one of the most traffic congested streets in Houston. I fail to see how a train every 8 or 10 minutes or so passing by is any more disruptive than the current traffic lights and timing along the major streets. What is it exactly about Richmond that gets opponents so worked up? Who is getting rich by opposing Richmond rail?
BenP, Harrisburg doesn’t congest…or at least not without it being under construction, of course. Harrisburg also has viable alternatives that parallel it just a few blocks to the north and south. Harrisburg also has a freeway to the south that doesn’t congest as bad as US 59 or have long sections without on/off ramps.
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Post Oak does congest and will be a nightmare. People have discussed that on other threads.
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And the frequency of the trains is greater than only once every 8-10 minutes. If you don’t understand why that’s disruptive, go back and read the comments of people that are responding to you. Or better yet, go and try to drive along Main Street or Fannin during the work week and try to imagine what things might be like there if there weren’t viable major thoroughfares just one block away to the east or west of the light rail.
The Niche wrote:
And the frequency of the trains is greater than only once every 8-10 minutes. If you don’t understand why that’s disruptive, go back and read the comments of people that are responding to you. Or better yet, go and try to drive along Main Street or Fannin during the work week and try to imagine what things might be like there if there weren’t viable major thoroughfares just one block away to the east or west of the light rail.
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Traffic patterns will change, yes. Instead of Richmond, cars can take Holcombe, Rice, Bisonnet, Alabama, Westheimer, Fairview, Vermont/San Felipe, Dallas, Gray, Allen Parkway, or Memorial. There are lots and lots of options besides Richmond. And I do drive the area every single day. In some cities “traffic calming” is actually a goal, in order to promote local retail businesses and allow safer pedestrian access and use of the thoroughfare. Regarding disruptions, on a relative scale, Main Street is minor compared to places like Clear Lake or Memorial City areas. Try waiting for 5 or 6 traffic light cycles on Highway 3 if you want to see a real disruption.
Most assumed it would be run along the south side of 59 on the former railroad easement. I believe Metro in fact discussed that option. It’s called bait-and-switch.
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Nobody who was paying attention really thought a rail line was going to run down the Vassar Spaceway through Boulevard Oaks.
I beg to differ with the previous comment. A number of people, with knowledge of the size of the right-of-way, and the space required for a light rail line thought that was exactly where it would go.
Look at the METRO Board minutes and it is clear that the ballot language was purposely written to be so vague as to mislead the public.
Now I am reminded why I used to run into people who said monorail was the only way Houston’s system would get anywhere.
I beg to differ with the previous comment. A number of people, with knowledge of the size of the right-of-way, and the space required for a light rail line thought that was exactly where it would go.
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Thank you. One of the things that bothers me most is this constant “addressing the need for mass transit to reduce congestion
which in the case of the Main Street Line actually created congestion nightmares rather than reduce them. There are some residents of the complexes that have gone up along the line who use the train. For the most part, the people who ride the rail used to ride the bus. Which is what will happen with the Richmond Line.
And it will cost everyone more. You cannot get a transfer on rail, so if you have to transfer, you pay twice.
As for congestion and railroad right-of-ways and the ease by which rail could have been used to actually address congestion caused by residents of Katy and Sugar Land as well as those who live in the 1960 area who drive back and forth each day the rail line does absolutely nothing to address the problem which is the problem. Something Tom De Lay, the man everyone loves to hate, consistently pointed out in his opposition to Metro. Say what you will, he at least knew what would and would not serve the public interest with regard to mass transit in the Houston area. And Metro simply does not.
All it does is project a “modern image” and enrich the insiders who do the studies, serve on the board, and construct the lines.
That’s the way things work in Houston. Which is why very little works in Houston.
Most of the supporters of the Richmond Line seem to be the “chi-chi crowd” few of whom probably will even ride the rail. It will simply make Richmond look better in their “vision of Montrose” as someone put it.
One of the things I find interesting, and revealing, is that the Houston Chronicle has not printed one word about it and instead this morning is running another “op-ed” by the head of Metro extolling the virtues of Metro and asking us all to continue to support Metro. Just because.
Swamplot seems to be replacing the Houston Chronicle as the reliable source for real estate news in our city.
Maybe Gus will win the lottery and buy the Houston Chronicle and restore “credibility” to our one and only newspaper.
BEFORE METRO BUILT URBAN RAIL, FY 2001
Population: 4,262,000
Transit Boardings: 101,914,157
Unemployment Rate: 4.3%
SIX YEARS AFTER URBAN RAIL COMPLETED, FY 2009
Population: 5,090,600
Transit Boardings: 73,080,702 + 11,561,633(rail) = 84,642,335 total
Unemployment Rate: 8.5%
And still nothing in the Houston Chronicle…
This is the usual risible middle class NIMBY opposition to light rail. most of the people contributing to this forum won’t use light rail. they don’t need to. Ever stop to think who cooks and serves your food and cleans up after your mess, cleans your car, cleans your apartment or office? THOSE are the people who will benefit from this, not you. and when you see how much easier it makes their life then you’ll probably want to start riding too. until then, stay in your cars and trucks idling at the lights listening to XM radio. this debate isn’t about you.
Excuse me but I use the Main Street Line. And don’t “cook and serve your food and clean up after your mess, clean your car, clean your apartment or office” and don’t really have a problem with the Richmond Line except for the fact that Metro lied to everyone from the beginning. As did everyone at City Hall. Including our new mayor. Who of course is not saying a word. She might upset someone at the Houston Chronicle who might stop running fluff pieces about her and banning people who dare to comment about her. For someone who claimed to want to fire the Metro board, not because they deserve to be fired but because she perceived them as supporting her opponent, she sure is taking her time. But then the Chroncile already ran their editorial “asking” their mayor to reconsider since the Metro board has worked long and hard all these years to bring us to where we are. By lying to us.
Sorry but the debate does include those property owners who were lied to and will lose their investments. Particularly the business owners. And it does include those who really don’t like the fact that Metro lied to everyone when everyone went to vote for the Westpark Line. Not the Richmond Line. But then the voters might not have approved the Richmond Line.
WTF, Those bastards are going to tear down all those old houses in the 1600 block of Richmond, and the only older businesses that are still remaining east of Montrose in the 800 and 900 blocks?!?!?!?!
Matt Mystery is right, they did lie, they said there would no condemnations… I think they seriously need to FO and die right now. The whole inner Montrose area is going to hell in a handbasket right now with all the demolition, forever changing its character for the worse. This ridiculous rail system is only going to help destroy what little history on Richmond is left!!
And who is going to want to ride in a train that runs an average of 20 miles an hour making all those stops??
The whole inner Montrose area is going to hell in a handbasket right now with all the demolition, forever changing its character for the worse.
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No, no, no. Montrose is simply going “chi-chi.”
As for who will ride the Richmond line, well, all the “chi-chi” tenants at the “chi-chi” apartment complexes that will pop up everywhere will ride it. Choo-choo trains are very “chi-chi” you know. Until they realize the people who “cook and serve their food and clean up after their mess, clean their car, clean their apartment or office†are also riding it.
As for the businesses along Richmond that survive the condemnation and the construction, well, they can look at the businesses along Main Street to see what the future holds for them.
And then of course we will be treated to the condemnation and construction along Post Oak for the Uptown line. Should be intersting to see how many oak trees survive. Along with how many businesses survive.
But we must have the choo-choo train. It’s so, well, “chi-chi.”
Why don’t we make Historic Districts all along this new line. That way Metro will not be able to tear down any of the houses or historic structures without violating the new Ordinance. I think it would be really awesome to watch Metro and HAHC fight over Richmond Blvd.