METRORapid Silver Line

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Silver Line
Overview
StatusOperational
LocaleHouston, Texas
TerminiNorthwest Transit Center (north)
Westpark/Lower Uptown Transit Center (south)
Stations10
Service
TypeBus rapid transit
System
Operator(s)METRO
Daily ridership806
(weekdays November 2021)
History
OpenedAugust 23, 2020
Technical
Line length4.7 mi (8 km)[1]

The METRORapid Silver Line is a bus rapid transit line in Houston, Texas operated by METRO. Opened August 23, 2020,[2] the line connects the Uptown area of Houston, with dedicated lanes on Post Oak Boulevard.[3] It serves ten stations in Uptown, with terminus at Westpark/Lower Uptown Transit Center and the Northwest Transit Center.

The line was originally planned as a 4.7 mi (8 km) extension of the METRORail light rail network under the name Uptown/Gold Line. Due to lack of funds, it was announced in early 2013 that the line would be constructed initially as a bus rapid transit line using three-door buses. The design features the ability to convert the line to light rail in the future.[4][5]

The Silver Line is the first segment of a planned 75 mile network of bus rapid transit service in Houston,[6] branded as .[7]

Route[]

The Silver Line runs between Westpark/Lower Uptown Transit Center, a park and ride facility located on Westpark Drive near the intersection of the Southwest Freeway and West Loop (I-610), and Northwest Transit Center, located at Katy Road on the north side of the I-10 interchange. This corridor was previously served by Route 33.[8] Silver Line buses serve eight stations via bus-only lanes in the median of Post Oak Boulevard through the Uptown area. These lanes connect to the Northwest Transit Center with an elevated two-lane busway along the West Loop portion of Interstate 610.[9][10]

History[]

Following a statement in 2010 by Houston's mayor, Annise Parker, construction will commence at a time when funding can be secured for this line.[11][12] Furthermore, due to the lack of infrastructure upgrades promised by the Uptown Management District, METRO will hold off on anything related to the line until a deal is arranged.[13]

The light rail project was repeatedly blocked by Congressman John Culberson, based on concerns from constituents on Richmond Avenue.[14] It was downgraded to a $177.5 million bus rapid transit project with dedicated lanes in 2013, under a plan promoted by Uptown developers to receive improved transit service sooner than the estimated 2025 arrival of light rail.[4]

Construction began in 2016 with the line's opening planned for 2018. However, the project faced several delays before service began in 2020.[2]

Stations[]

The following is a list of Silver Line Stations, listed in order from north to south.[7]

Silver Line
Northwest Transit Center
Uptown Park Station
Four Oaks
San Felipe Station
Ambassador Station
Guilford Station
Westheimer/Galleria Station
West Alabama/Galleria Station
Richmond Station
Westpark/Lower Uptown Transit Center

Expansion[]

Future expansion would include a 1.1 mi (1.8 km) extension northbound to Northwest Mall (future Texas Central Railway station), as well as a westward expansion to the Hillcroft Transit Center.[15]

References[]

  1. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on April 14, 2009. Retrieved January 18, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. ^ a b Begley, Dug (August 24, 2020). "Metro's Silver Line starts, first of many bus rapid transit planned in region in lieu of rail". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved August 26, 2020.
  3. ^ Begley, Dug (February 15, 2018). "Metro ready to move ahead with Post Oak rapid transit bus buy". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
  4. ^ a b Begley, Dug (February 9, 2013). "Post Oak redesign drops rail for bus lane". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
  5. ^ "Uptown bus lanes won't be ready until 2019". Houston Chronicle. 2016-06-23.
  6. ^ Wanek-Libman, Mischa (August 24, 2020). "Houston's METRORapid Silver Line opens for service". Mass Transit. Retrieved August 26, 2020.
  7. ^ a b "METRORapid Overview" (PDF). August 26, 2020.
  8. ^ "Route 33: Post Oak" (PDF). METRO. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 24, 2020. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
  9. ^ "Uptown BRT Project". METRO. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
  10. ^ Koetting, Nicki (April 18, 2017). "The Long, Complicated History of the Post Oak Boulevard Project". Houstonia. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
  11. ^ "Rick Casey: Metro can't let rail jeopardize its buses - Houston Chronicle". Chron.com. 2010-03-11. Retrieved 2016-03-19.
  12. ^ Shay, Miya (2010-03-11). "Houston Mayor Annise Parker wants to put brakes on University and Uptown rail lines | abc13.com". Abclocal.go.com. Retrieved 2016-03-19.
  13. ^ Knight, Paul (2010-08-13). "Metro Ponders Galleria Real Estate, And Why The Uptown District Can't Deliver On its $70 Million Promise | Houston Press". Blogs.houstonpress.com. Retrieved 2016-03-19.
  14. ^ Powell, Stewart M. (June 20, 2012). "Culberson inserts Metro rail-line limits into federal spending bill". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
  15. ^ "Metro Light Rail (Houston, Sugar Land, Galveston: 2015, university, tax) - Texas (TX) - City-Data Forum". City-data.com. 2010-05-31. Retrieved 2016-03-19.

External links[]

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