Houston in transit against all odds: opponents fought the nation's newest light rail system tooth and nail. But strong leadership prevailed, and rail transit is now a reality in Houston

Railway Age, Feb, 2004 by William C. Vantuono

Houston no longer has the dubious distinction of being the only major metropolitan area in the U.S. without some form of rail transit. On Jan. 1, passenger service commenced on Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County's (METRO) 7.5-mile, 16-station, 18-vehicle starter light rail system, the core of what transit officials hope will become, long-term, a 65-mile network.

METRORail "goes where the people are," says METRO Executive Director Shirley A. DeLibero. It runs mostly along Main Street, connecting the city's revitalized downtown area with Midtown, the Museum District, Hermann Park, Texas Medical Center, and Reliant Park, the new sports stadium. It was built in record time on what DeLibero describes as a rather austere budget of $324 million, without federal funds, only local sales taxes and METRO revenues. Ground breaking took place on March 13, 2001; METRORail opened for business in January, 10 months ahead of its original schedule. Service began on 12-minute headways without changes to the existing bus service.

When a full-service schedule is implemented this month, trains will run every six minutes on weekdays, every 12 minutes on weekday evenings, and every 12-15 minutes on weekends, with the LRT functioning as a collection/distribution system to a revamped bus network.

That light rail came to Houston at all is remarkable, considering the political and community opposition DeLibero and her cohorts had to overcome. "I call it the system against all odds," she says, with the satisfied look of someone who has had to endure even personal attacks to see a project through to completion. (The local press dubbed her "the brassy CEO"--more on this on p. 4.)

If it wasn't Houston area Rep. and former House Appropriations Committee Chair Tom DeLay or his successor, Rep. John Culberson (both Republicans), throwing up roadblocks by denying federal funds, it was a local-developer-led opposition group suing and forcing a vote to stop construction. None of those tactics worked, and in the end, the voters opted for more rail, approving $640 million in bonding authority for the first 10 years of the METRO Solutions transit plan, which will add 72 miles of rail (64.8 miles of LRT; eight miles of commuter rail); increase bus service by 50%; build nine transit centers and nine park-and-ride lots; and make numerous road improvements, all without an increase in the current one-cent sales tax. Phase 2 of METRORail, an additional 22 miles by 2008, is included in the bonding authority (RA, Dec. 2003, p. 23).

Fast Track to LRT

METRORail was designed and constructed in record time through a process called Fast Track. STV, Inc., functioned as project manager, including design and construction management. Carter Burgess handled civil design and construction; LTK provided vehicle and systems engineering. Among the principal suppliers were Siemens (VICOS dispatching system, catenary, substations, and LRVs--see sidebar, opposite), Scheidt & Bachmann (automated fare collection integrated with the bus system--smartcards are next), Union Switch & Signal (grade crossing warning), CXT (concrete ties), OMNI (rubberized and concrete crossings), Rocky Mountain Rail (115-pound rail), Pandrol (fasteners), Iron Horse (embedded-rubber-boot track fixation), and Delta Track (non-ballasted track installation). LRVs operate under Track Warrant Control. METRORail is full double-track and includes a state-of-the-art LRV maintenance facility with a 1.7-mile test track leased from Union Pacific.

STV Project Director Light Rail Anthony P. Venturato, P.E., describes Fast Track as "a variation of traditional design-build" in which the agency, not the contractors, assumes the risk. "This is a first for an LRT starter system," he says. "In traditional design-build, preliminary engineering is followed by design and then construction. In this process, design and construction were handled in one contract, and overlapped. METRO assumed the risk, but maintained control of the project. It worked well in this situation, where we were building a basically linear alignment." METRORail was divided into five manageable construction segments, preceded by 30% design work. Contractor bids were based on 30% design; 100% of utility work took place while the remaining 70% design was completed. The result? "We saved one year," says Venturato.

Venturato, echoing DeLibero, describes the METRORail project as a battleground where people were constantly changing things." Houston's battle for building rail transit may not be over, but at least a solid foundation has been laid.

Siemens S70: "The world's fastest 70%, low-floor LRV"

What do BMW's Z4 roadster and Houston's $70 LRV have in common? Both vehicles took shape at BMW's Burbank, Calif., design studio. LAHT (low alloy high tensile) steel and composites are employed in construction. The resulting LRV is perhaps the sleekest, most visually-appealing vehicle of its type in North America. Its retractable coupler and resilient composite nose help ensure that collisions with motor vehicles (an unfortunate but nevertheless occasional occurrence) result in minimum damage to both LRV and car. Forward-facing cameras can record vehicles that attempt to make illegal left turns over the right-of-way. The six-axle, double-articulated S70 also the fastest vehicle of its kind. Designed by Siemens with a maximum operating speed of 66 mph, the S70 is described by STV's Marty Boyle as "the world's fastest 70% low-floor LRV." As Houston's LRT expands to the outer suburbs, the S70s will be able to provide speed and comfort--more along the lines of an interurban car. The cars also are ATC/CBTC-ready, should METRO decide to employ advanced train control.