Does the Gulfton BRT extension make any sense?
Under the new Whitmire administration, METRO seems to finally be coming to its senses on the horrendous cost-benefit ratio of BRT projects, this week indefinitely suspending the Universities BRT line because it's so expensive it financially imperils their operations! Continuing the theme from last week's post on the Universities Line BRT, Bill King has written a follow-up on the proposed Uptown BRT extension through Gulfton, which generated a city council and media brouhaha when Mayor Whitmire suggested Gulfton residents don't typically want to go to the Galleria. Key excerpts:
"What Councilman Pollard, nor anyone else at Council, nor any of the media coverage, addressed was whether the extension actually makes sense from a cost-benefit analysis. ...
Metro estimated the cost at $220 million, which is almost certainly a gross underestimation. The most recent estimates for the University and Inner Katy BRTs are now right at $100 million per mile. So, this project would likely be closer to $400 million. ...
The bottom line is that the capital acquisition cost of each new rider would likely be well above $100,000, before we even start looking at ongoing operating costs. At this cost and with anemic ridership, it is highly unlikely the FTA would provide any funding.
The proposed alignment would also create a nightmare on Chimney Rock from Westpark to Gulfton. ...
But what is most disappointing to me is that City Council has increasingly turned into a performance stage for councilmembers to audition for their next office when they are term-limited, instead of a serious deliberative body that tackles the difficult challenges our City is facing."
I will note that this is a major growing challenge at all levels of politics, and why I prefer mayors and county judges at the end of their careers focused on their legacy rather than using those positions as stepping stones to potential higher-level state and federal positions.
Labels: Metro, mobility strategies, transit
posted by Tory Gattis @ 5:41 PM
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