My Vote is For Rail on Richmond

Another one of my letters to the editor was published today in the Houston Chronicle. For some time I have supported the Richmond alignment for Metro's new University Line, the next phase of light rail in Houston. This is my second letter on the subject to be printed. Thank you Houston Chronicle for your continued support of Metro's light rail plans. Here is the full text of my letter:

Concerning Roy R. Reynolds' Sept. 23 Outlook column, "Metro: Make it a bike trail and spare us from light rail": Certainly Reynolds cannot be serious.

Bike trails in Houston will fail for the same reason that the Segway Personal Transporters failed: Because they are not air-conditioned.

MetroRail and buses are very well air-conditioned, though, and I would choose either of these conveyances over a bicycle at any time in Houston.

However, the argument is not over riding a bike or an air-conditioned bus or rail car, it seems to be about the placement of the University line.

And there is no better part of town to build public transportation than right where people are -- in the busiest part.

I agree that a comprehensive transit plan for Houston should encompass the outlying areas, but the most logical place to start is from the inside out. Why bring people into a city center and then offer them no way to get anywhere?

I spoke before the Metropolitan Transit Authority's recent public hearing (that Reynolds derided, saying "any words of discord fell on deaf ears").

By the time my turn to speak came up, more than half of those at the mike were in favor of the Richmond line. By the end of the day my experience was confirmed.

According to richmondrail.org: "The speakers who favored rail on Richmond ... clearly outnumbered those opposed to rail on Richmond."

I am one commuter who will be leaving my car in the garage more often once the University line runs down Richmond.