METRORapid Silver Line
{{Short description|Bus rapid transit line in Houston, Texas, U.S.}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox rail line
| name = Silver Line
| image = Silver Line at Northwest Transit Center.jpg
| caption = Silver Line bus at the Northwest Transit Center
| type = Bus rapid transit
| system = METRORapid
| status = Operational
| locale = Houston, Texas
| start = Northwest Transit Center (north)
| end = Westpark/Lower Uptown Transit Center (south)
| stations = 10
| routes = Route 433
| daily_ridership = 1,012 (weekdays, June 2024)
| open = {{Start date and age|2020|08|23}}
| close =
| owner =
| operator = METRO
| character =
| stock = Gillig BRT CNG and/or New Flyer XD60
| linelength = {{convert|4.7|mi|km|abbr=on}}{{cite web|url=http://metrosolutions.org/posted/1068/METRORail_News_UP_091008.229534.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=January 18, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090414094454/http://metrosolutions.org/posted/1068/METRORail_News_UP_091008.229534.pdf |archive-date=April 14, 2009}}
| tracklength =
| depot = Fallbrook
| tracks =
| gauge =
| electrification =
| speed =
| elevation =
| map = {{METRORapid Silver Line|inline=yes}}
}}
The METRORapid Silver Line is a bus rapid transit (BRT) line in Houston, Texas operated by METRO. Opened August 23, 2020,{{Cite news|last=Begley|first=Dug|date=August 24, 2020|title=Metro's Silver Line starts, first of many bus rapid transit planned in region in lieu of rail|work=Houston Chronicle|url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/transportation/article/Metro-s-Silver-Line-starts-first-of-many-bus-15508912.php|access-date=August 26, 2020}} the line connects the Uptown area of Houston, with dedicated lanes over nearly the entire length of the corridor.{{cite news |last=Begley |first=Dug |date=February 15, 2018 |title=Metro ready to move ahead with Post Oak rapid transit bus buy |url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/transportation/article/Metro-ready-to-move-ahead-with-Post-Oak-rapid-12616502.php |work=Houston Chronicle |access-date=February 20, 2018}} It serves the Northwest Transit Center, 8 stations along Post Oak Boulevard in Uptown, and the Westpark/Lower Uptown Transit Center. On internal METRO documents, the METRORapid Silver Line is designated as Route 433.
The line was originally planned as a {{convert|4.7|mi|km|abbr=out|adj=on}} 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.{{cite news |last=Begley |first=Dug |date=February 9, 2013 |title=Post Oak redesign drops rail for bus lane |url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Post-Oak-redesign-drops-rail-for-bus-lane-4265811.php |work=Houston Chronicle |access-date=February 20, 2018}}{{cite news| url=http://www.chron.com/news/transportation/article/Uptown-bus-lane-won-t-be-ready-until-2019-8321426.php | work=Houston Chronicle | title=Uptown bus lanes won't be ready until 2019 | date=June 23, 2016}}
The Silver Line is the first segment of a planned 75 mile network of bus rapid transit service in Houston,{{Cite news|last=Wanek-Libman|first=Mischa|date=August 24, 2020|title=Houston's METRORapid Silver Line opens for service|work=Mass Transit|url=https://www.masstransitmag.com/bus/article/21151461/houstons-metrorapid-silver-line-opens-for-service|access-date=August 26, 2020}} branded as METRORapid.{{Cite web|date=August 26, 2020|title=METRORapid Overview|url=https://www.ridemetro.org/MetroPDFs/GettingAround/METRORapid-Overview.pdf}}
Route
The Silver Line runs between Westpark/Lower Uptown Transit Center, a park and ride facility located on Westpark Drive near the Located at the Southwest Freeway (I-69/US 59) & 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.{{cite web|title=Route 33: Post Oak|url=https://www.ridemetro.org/MetroPDFs/Schedules/BusSchedules/n033-Post-Oak.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200824050620/https://www.ridemetro.org/MetroPDFs/Schedules/BusSchedules/n033-Post-Oak.pdf|archive-date=August 24, 2020|access-date=February 20, 2018|publisher=METRO}} 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.{{cite web|title=Uptown BRT Project|url=https://www.ridemetro.org/Pages/UptownBRT.aspx|access-date=February 20, 2018|publisher=METRO}}{{cite news|last=Koetting|first=Nicki|date=April 18, 2017|title=The Long, Complicated History of the Post Oak Boulevard Project|work=Houstonia|url=https://www.houstoniamag.com/articles/2017/4/18/post-oak-boulevard-project-bus-rapid-transit|access-date=February 20, 2018}}
History
Following a statement in 2010 by Houston's mayor, Annise Parker, construction would commence at a time when funding can be secured for this line.{{cite web|url=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/casey/6909523.html |title=Rick Casey: Metro can't let rail jeopardize its buses – Houston Chronicle |publisher=Chron.com |date=March 11, 2010 |access-date=March 19, 2016}}{{cite web|last=Shay |first=Miya |url=https://abc13.com/archive/7325921/ |title=Houston Mayor Annise Parker wants to put brakes on University and Uptown rail lines | abc13.com |publisher=Abclocal.go.com |date=March 11, 2010 |access-date=March 19, 2016}} Furthermore, due to the lack of infrastructure upgrades promised by the Uptown Management District, METRO would hold off on anything related to the line until a deal was arranged.{{cite web |last=Knight |first=Paul |url=http://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/2010/08/metro_uptown_line_real_estate.php |title=Metro Ponders Galleria Real Estate, And Why The Uptown District Can't Deliver On its $70 Million Promise | Houston Press |publisher=Blogs.houstonpress.com |date=August 13, 2010 |access-date=March 19, 2016 |archive-date=July 31, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130731130347/http://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/2010/08/metro_uptown_line_real_estate.php |url-status=dead }}
The light rail project was repeatedly blocked by Congressman John Culberson, based on concerns from constituents on Richmond Avenue.{{cite news |last=Powell |first=Stewart M. |date=June 20, 2012 |title=Culberson inserts Metro rail-line limits into federal spending bill |url=https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Culberson-inserts-Metro-rail-line-limits-into-3650601.php |work=Houston Chronicle |access-date=February 20, 2018}} 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.
Construction began in 2016 with the line's opening planned for 2018. However, the project faced several delays before service began in 2020. Its service, originally with buses every 12 minutes, was reduced to every 20 minutes on June 16, 2024. The service change also reallocated some of the Silver Line's articulated buses to other routes with higher demand.{{cite news |last=Begley |first=Dug |date=April 25, 2024 |title=Changes to Silver Line service will leave Houston without bus rapid transit, Metro decides |url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/transportation/article/metro-brt-silver-line-gulfton-19422573.php |work=Houston Chronicle |accessdate=June 16, 2024}}
Stations
| class="wikitable" | |||
| Station
!Location !Connections !Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest Transit Center | 7373 Old Katy Road | Metro Local | Park and ride: 195 spaces |
| Uptown Park | Post Oak and Uptown Park Boulevards | Serves Uptown Park shopping center | |
| Four Oaks | Post Oak and Four Oaks Place | ||
| San Felipe | Post Oak and San Felipe Street | Metro Local | Serves Boulevard Place |
| Ambassador | Post Oak and Ambassador Way | ||
| Guilford | Post Oak and Guilford Court | ||
| Westheimer/Galleria | Post Oak and Westheimer Road | Metro Local | Serves The Galleria |
| West Alabama/Galleria | Post Oak and West Alabama Street | Serves The Galleria and Williams Tower | |
| Richmond | Post Oak and Richmond Avenue | Metro Local | Serves Plaza on Richmond |
| Westpark/Lower Uptown Transit Center | 5105 Westpark Drive | Metro Local | Park and ride: 242 spaces |
Expansion
An {{convert|1.1|mi|km|1|adj=mid}} extension north to Northwest Mall—(a future Texas Central Railway station)—and a western extension to the Hillcroft Transit Center have been proposed.{{citation needed|date=March 2023}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.ridemetro.org/ METRO Official Website]
- [http://www.gometrorail.org/ Go METRORail]
{{Houston METRORail}}
{{USBRT}}
Category:Proposed railway lines in Texas