North Corridor Updates |
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North Corridor Business Resource Fair METRO received a Record of Decision (ROD) for the North Corridor Supplemental Final Environmental Impact Statement (SFEIS). This ROD represents final approval for the federal environmental process, including supplemental work requested in November 2007.
May 2008 On May 2, 2008 a Supplemental Final Environmental Impact Statement (SFEIS) for proposed construction of transit improvements in the North Corridor was made available for review and comment. On May 17, 2008 METRO held a Public Hearing for the SFEIS. The following materials related to that Public Hearing are now available online:
The deadline to submit comments is June 9, 2008. February 2008
METRO has been working with the Houston Independent School District for several months and on Monday, Feb. 4 the Pilot Program will be implemented at Roosevelt Elementary (North Corridor). In March, it will be implemented at Peck Elementary (Southest Corridor). The Pilot Program was designed for students from Pre-Kindergarten to Fifth Grade. The curriculum is aligned with learning and testing objectives of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) and will address construction, rail, pedestrian, and vehicle safety. The Pilot Program will include training school district staff and community organizations. Our objective is to implement the full Safety Education Program in late spring 2008 through 2012 , including elementary, middle, and high schools as well as daycare centers, private schools, charter schools and youth organizations. January 2008 State Representative Jessica Farrar, Harris County Commissioner Sylvia García, and City of Houston Council Member Adrian Garcia officially welcomed METRO Solutions to the North Corridor Office, as they cut the ribbon to the tune of mariachis. A crowd of community members gathered to enjoy the music, folkloric dance and tour our new office. Read more in this Houston Chronicle article. October 2007 At the October meeting, METRO's Board of Directors unanimously adopted light-rail technology for the North, East End, Southeast, and Uptown corridors. These four corridors had previously been planned to begin with Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) technology as an interim step towards Light Rail Transit (LRT). Read the news release for more details. September 2007 METRO is currently in the advanced preliminary engineering phase of work, which will be completed 50 to 65 percent by the end of December, 2007. February 2007
On February 2, 2007 a Record of Decision (ROD) was granted to the proposed North Corridor project. The ROD is the Federal Transit Administration's (FTA's) certification that METRO has successfully completed the Federal environmental process. The ROD states that the proposed project: "is most compatible with local plans; has the lowest operating cost; has the least impact to historic properties, mature trees, and sensitive noise receivers; and has the general support of the community." Preliminary Engineering was completed by the end of 2006, at which time the right-of-way required for the project will be determined. Final design and right-of-way acquisition is planned for 2007 through 2008. Construction on the corridor is scheduled to begin in mid-2007 and continue through 2010. In 2010 construction should be complete. December 2006 The Metropolitan Transit Authority (METRO) of Harris County, Texas, is advising the public of the availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) and Section 4(f) Evaluation covering the proposed construction of transit improvements in the North Corridor. The corridor is located from the present northern terminus of the existing Light Rail Transit (LRT) line at the University of Houston (UH)-Downtown Station to Northline Mall in Harris County, Texas, within the City of Houston. The project is sponsored by the Federal Transit Administration. Upon reviewing staff recommendations and hearing from residents along the corridor, the board voted to approve the route on North Main to Boundary, to Fulton, to Northline Mall (view map). Further details are available on a news release issued on Wednesday, August 23, and a presentation offered at the Board of Directors' Future Programs Committee Meeting on the same date. Summer 2006:
February 2006:
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(Click image to enlarge map.) Corridor Office: |
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In February and March, METRO Solutions will implement a Safety Education Pilot Program in two schools and then extend it to other schools along the light rail corridors.
