I’m glad they’re expanding it. The main problem with the silver line is that it goes North - South instead of East - West, which is the direction that the majority of Houstonians travel. I ride the 82 regularly. It goes East - West via Westheimer and there are always people on it. Apparently, it has the highest volume of any bus route in Texas- THAT is the kind of bus route that would benefit from this type of upgrade.
They should have built the BRT in a location which is denser and has more people which would actually use it, the galleria area has plenty of parking and is predominantly visited by people who own cars and see no reason to not use them.
The silver line is part of a future larger system. This will especially help connecting the inner Katy corridor with the university corridor and the gulfton rapid.
The Galleria Mall fell off big time. It's gotten very sketch with a lot of headlines of m*rders and robberies. Remote work also contributed to low ridership. I think the biggest fact is that the silver line has no bus that connects to it. They will soon with the University Corridor and I-10 BRT. We'll see what happens.
I can't imagine too many people actually need to travel in those directions. I live a few streets away from it and I see it everyday and sometimes I just want to hop on it but there's really nothing in north and south houston that i have ever needed. I'm usually traveling east to west. No, I feel like I should go ride it before they decide to get rid of it 😂. I'm happy it does exist because I'm sure one day I'm going to wish I could easily go north to south and I think it's on sage if i remember correctly.
I don't live in the area so I cannot say from any experience, but I did read that the reason it was a "flop" is because the line didn't serve the right area. They should focus on where there is more people and destinations that are popular. But i'm no expert in that. And whatever that old man Bill King said is absolutely false about "old technology. And even this news reporter guy who thinks he's being smart with his questions. The more transit options that are available to the people the better. Especially in a place like Houston. But i'm sure that guy is fine with 12 lane highways and being stuck in traffic.
I see it as a work in progress because I still remember when they used to hate on the Metro rail when I first came to Houston and now it’s a huge success so I see the potential
I live in the heights and if I have to go uptown or the galleria, I will park at the northwest transit center and board the silver line. Hopefully more people grow on it.
I always wanted to ride the bus but honestly it seems like there’s no where to go lol, I used to stay in the galleria and the only thing that was fun and worth traveling for was the buffalo bayou park and down town.
That’s why we need trains because they get railroad crossing priority, except that small section in downtown on the purple/green line. Buses sometimes get dedicated lanes though.
What a waste of money they should have used that money for housing for the elderly and veterans in Houston . Build more affordable housing for the elderly who have worked all their lives. And the veterans who served or are still serving this country .
The daily fares don't even cover the cost of the fuel for the buses. These programs are the reason we pay high taxes. It benefits no one except the high paid Metro officials that waste your money.
They didn’t do the silver line right. They should’ve built the much needed university line first and connect it to the Red Line downtown. Doing the silver line way out in just the galleria first was asking for failure. Hello???? It goes no where, it connects no where? What do the idiots at metro expect?
Why doesn't Metro get it? A bus is a bus...is a bus. They're often late. There's no traffic light priority. It's prone to traffic like driving one's own car. Why bother?
We need rail, why is this so it is hard to understand. You literally gave us a fraction of what we asked for after billions were raised. Just imagine if you actually built the university line.
Right? We want MetroRAIL expanded not BRT or anything. The IQ of some of these officials and city planners is less than 40 or they planned the city while they were half asleep and drunk.
The problem is. It's not serving the people or communities that actually need it.
I’m glad they’re expanding it.
The main problem with the silver line is that it goes North - South instead of East - West, which is the direction that the majority of Houstonians travel. I ride the 82 regularly. It goes East - West via Westheimer and there are always people on it. Apparently, it has the highest volume of any bus route in Texas- THAT is the kind of bus route that would benefit from this type of upgrade.
Reduce parking spaces and more will ride.
Yup. Houston has seriously oversized parking lots.
They should have built the BRT in a location which is denser and has more people which would actually use it, the galleria area has plenty of parking and is predominantly visited by people who own cars and see no reason to not use them.
The silver line is part of a future larger system. This will especially help connecting the inner Katy corridor with the university corridor and the gulfton rapid.
Work from home and flex working schedules are probably to blame for lower ridership.
And oversized parking lots
The Galleria Mall fell off big time. It's gotten very sketch with a lot of headlines of m*rders and robberies. Remote work also contributed to low ridership. I think the biggest fact is that the silver line has no bus that connects to it. They will soon with the University Corridor and I-10 BRT. We'll see what happens.
I can't imagine too many people actually need to travel in those directions. I live a few streets away from it and I see it everyday and sometimes I just want to hop on it but there's really nothing in north and south houston that i have ever needed. I'm usually traveling east to west.
No, I feel like I should go ride it before they decide to get rid of it 😂. I'm happy it does exist because I'm sure one day I'm going to wish I could easily go north to south and I think it's on sage if i remember correctly.
I don't live in the area so I cannot say from any experience, but I did read that the reason it was a "flop" is because the line didn't serve the right area. They should focus on where there is more people and destinations that are popular. But i'm no expert in that. And whatever that old man Bill King said is absolutely false about "old technology. And even this news reporter guy who thinks he's being smart with his questions. The more transit options that are available to the people the better. Especially in a place like Houston. But i'm sure that guy is fine with 12 lane highways and being stuck in traffic.
I see it as a work in progress because I still remember when they used to hate on the Metro rail when I first came to Houston and now it’s a huge success so I see the potential
It’s not a HUGE success but it indeed is improving. I’d love to find a way to help them make it even better though.
I live in the heights and if I have to go uptown or the galleria, I will park at the northwest transit center and board the silver line. Hopefully more people grow on it.
I always wanted to ride the bus but honestly it seems like there’s no where to go lol, I used to stay in the galleria and the only thing that was fun and worth traveling for was the buffalo bayou park and down town.
Post oak hasn’t been opulent in a very long time.
I ever went on a Metro rail before
But I never went to a silverline bus
The problem is it’s still a bus. And subject to traffic
That’s why we need trains because they get railroad crossing priority, except that small section in downtown on the purple/green line. Buses sometimes get dedicated lanes though.
How is the land use along the line? If it's not mixed use and at least townhouse density, then zoning is the main reason for low ridership
Wasting money on the same areas. They should build some train metro rails on the southwest of Houston instead of this nonsense.
Absolutely. In clear lake I can only be dreaming of the rail coming here.
Covert it to a light rail and expand it. Make it go along 59, and then make it turn onto Westheimer and head for downtown. Thats my idea
What a waste of money they should have used that money for housing for the elderly and veterans in Houston . Build more affordable housing for the elderly who have worked all their lives. And the veterans who served or are still serving this country .
Building some TOD would drastically increase ridership
Was the ridership on the 33 Post Oak, the route that this replaced, good/high? Probably not. Maybe if METRO extended it to Bellaire Transit Center.
The daily fares don't even cover the cost of the fuel for the buses. These programs are the reason we pay high taxes. It benefits no one except the high paid Metro officials that waste your money.
The metro research staff went to low quality schools
They didn’t do the silver line right. They should’ve built the much needed university line first and connect it to the Red Line downtown.
Doing the silver line way out in just the galleria first was asking for failure. Hello???? It goes no where, it connects no where? What do the idiots at metro expect?
I thought they were putting a light rail through the galleria, this is a waste of everything.
Yeah we need more rail
The Problem with Metro is People run it doesn't ride bus. Don't know where bus are needed it.
?
Waste of money. I'd rather drive.
Well yeah, with the way they currently operate it makes sense.
Why doesn't Metro get it? A bus is a bus...is a bus. They're often late. There's no traffic light priority. It's prone to traffic like driving one's own car. Why bother?
That’s why they should expand the rail more instead
We need rail, why is this so it is hard to understand. You literally gave us a fraction of what we asked for after billions were raised. Just imagine if you actually built the university line.
Right? We want MetroRAIL expanded not BRT or anything. The IQ of some of these officials and city planners is less than 40 or they planned the city while they were half asleep and drunk.
Why would anyone use it? It only goes to rich neighborhoods. Those people have cars lol
If it went to poor neighborhoods then homeless people might ride it
....and half of those passengers on Metrio are freeloading homeless.
On the rail mainly
Galleria mall sucks...
Bus Rapid junk.