Houston Metro Train-Cam Options

[impala454]

so we have a fairly new metro train system here in Houston... with its own on board cam... some drivers aren't used to having a train running down the street............

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CV2rdGX4JYc

sound highly recommended.

[impala454]

well underground is out of the question as we're not far above the water table here (hence why nobody has basements here either ). but yeah it's probably pretty poor planning. they just didn't wanna give up any of these major streets. it's pretty clear when you're driving around down there which lanes to stay out of (w/the big bumper lane divider things).

[rabble]

well underground is out of the question as we're not far above the water table here (hence why nobody has basements here either ). but yeah it's probably pretty poor planning. they just didn't wanna give up any of these major streets. it's pretty clear when you're driving around down there which lanes to stay out of (w/the big bumper lane divider things).

Actually we have a massive series of underground passageways under downtown Houston.
Also, sense when have you been in Houston?

[Hartmann]

Actually we have a massive series of underground passageways under downtown Houston.
Also, sense when have you been in Houston?

You weren't downtown during Allison or didn't watch the news during that debacle. The entire tunnel system was written-off and had to be completely gutted and reworked. There are still parts of it that cannot be accessed. Also, they still have problems from time to time with just a little bit of water.

Downtown is actually built on somewhat of a hill above the bayou but we are just above the water table and the makeup of the ground is not suitable for extensive tunneling (silt). This is why we build bridges rather than tunnels for a lot of our roadways, it's just too expensive to tunnel through the sandy substance below us.

The train is a poor excuse of one. It's a lightrail that does not go anywhere. It serves a portion of Houston that doesn't go into downtown to begin with and it doesn't take people out of downtown to anywhere important. Also, I wouldn't blame it on train drivers completely. Most of the people in cars here don't read any of the signs or lights and pay attention. They do what they want, when they want to.

We do not have a really good public transportation system here because it's a city of strip malls. Everything is available in your general area if you are willing to take a "short" car ride. It's made the city unwalkable (that and the heat).

Public transportation works well when you have high density living in the actual downtown area. Houston is trying to create that atmosphere but it hasn't worked yet.

Now, what would be great is a high speed rail system built along the existing road system that commuters could use to get to and from downtown and their cars parked at central locations. Metro does this already but the bus system shuts down to the park-n-rides at 5:30, making it unusable for people who want to work late.