Dear Mayor, Mr. Wolff, and Mr. Wilson,
Over the past several months as District C, D, and G Council
Members, we have participated in many public and individual
meetings listening to citizens’ concerns regarding the
proposed University Corridor.
From these meetings, we have heard several messages consistent
among the diverse communities across the corridor and have
gathered criteria based on the public dialogue gained from
the meetings. Throughout the culmination of this transit system
planning, the public has consistently approached Metro to
submit ideas. In the many public meetings there were two distinct
positions, either for or against the line, but the overarching
consensus from the public linking both opinions was a third
position recognizing Houston’s need for transportation
options achieved through a clear and objective process that
studies the routes and environmental impacts of the proposed
light rail line affecting these communities.
As their elected representatives, we have heard what the
citizens have tried to communicate through the many individual
and public meetings we have facilitated and with this letter
we are presenting and support the following elements citizens
want applied to the proposed line including:
1) City facilitated planning and development;
2) Protection and enhancement of residential neighborhoods,
local businesses and institutions;
3) Protection and enhancement of community mobility; and
4) Properly managed construction activities.
The City should take an active role in the planning and
development of this project. Many residents continue to express
their confidence in you, Mayor, to work closely with the Council
Members representing these communities, the Department of
Planning & Development and the Department of Public Works
& Engineering to assure a transit system that would affect
city infrastructure used by citizens and maintained by taxpayers,
is executed in the best interest of the City today, yet flexible
enough to be adaptable to future transportation, mobility
and community needs.
Respect for neighborhood character is a high priority of
many of the citizens that participated in the public meetings.
Maintaining trees, landscaped medians, and sidewalks are important
to residents’ pedestrian mobility as well as preservation
of the integrity of the neighborhood. Communities have also
requested any transit facilities or street designs that may
be planned are sensitive to the atmosphere of the neighborhood.
The established businesses, organizations and institutions
along the proposed corridor are also a priority of the communities
that will be affected by a transit system. Business owners
request access to their locations be maintained both during
construction and after installation of a transit system. Business
owners want to work with contractors to ensure temporary access
routes during construction have the proper signs in place
to direct traffic.
In regards to mobility, coordination of a transit system
with existing pedestrian behavior, traffic patterns, and signals
is a top citizen priority as well. Maintaining or increasing
the number of lanes and turning lanes so that mobility is
improved rather than compromised is also a concern for the
growing Houston population.
Well-managed construction is an element citizens want Metro
to be conscious of as well. Citizens have expressed concerns
about right-of-way procurement, requesting phased construction
in segments, construction activity communication of planned
disruptions of utilities and access, and the most basic practice
of keeping sites clean and orderly throughout the construction
process.
As District Council Members, we agree the neighborhoods
and businesses must be a part of this process. Most of all,
neighborhoods and businesses desire honest and transparent
communication of the Metro Solutions plan and an opportunity
to have these criteria truly adapted to fit within the prescribed
local and federal process. The comments we have gathered from
the many public meetings and individual meetings between citizens
and Metro represent many diverse perspectives, but remain
consistent in advocating for a clear and objective process.
These messages are consistent and unmistakable and deserve
to have weighted significance as part of the final route decision.
This is a high priority for our offices as we continue to
work towards a transit system that truly serves the public
and meets our transportation and mobility needs.
We will continue to be advocates of the diverse concerns
our District citizens have expressed through public comment.
We remain committed to a well-planned transit system promoting
the preservation of the quality of life, mobility, and public
safety for the neighborhoods and businesses within Districts
C, D and G along the proposed University Corridor.
Sincerely,
__________________________________
Council Member Anne Clutterbuck, District C
__________________________________
Council Member Ada Edwards, District D
__________________________________
Council Member Pam Holm, District G
Enclosures: 1. Criteria for Light Rail Transit Construction
in the Proposed University Corridor
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