For what period of time will parking be free with the Q card?  

I can't say I agree with the decision to use the benefit of the parking garage to force users to the Q card without any prior notice.  I have a stored value card with more than $100.00 still on the card, yet now have to get Q card to avoid pushing the daily commute cost above $10.00.  Information on the Q card plan would have been beneficial last month.

Good job Metro and NewQuest Properties!

And giving Q Card holders free parking at the new P&R garage is a good way to encourage Metro patrons to get a Q Card.

I see no need for the Q-Card to access the parking at the present time. Right now the only neighbors to the lot are a Middle School, The closed HP Facility, A decent walk to a strip center with Ample parking and woods. Once the shopping and other planned ammentities are put into effect and the riders are all on Q-card because the system has been converted I can see the need for controlled charge access to the Garage not when there is no desirable use for the garage other than the Park and Ride users itself.

malewine said:  

"I also agree with Patrick in that there is no need to have control charged access to the P&R, As far as I know there are no other P&R lots that charge fees."

That is fasle as Fannin south charges two dollars to park. the parking fare is raised during special events. I believe you will see more park and ride lots to start charging nominal fees as Metro partners with the private sector to provide access whenever federal funds are not applied to the lot? The two park and ride lots that charge are run by private companies saving metro money. the other lot that was private was the Grace church but that lot was discontinued as metro expenditures were greater than the ridership.

I believe that Metro did get federal funding for this park and ride lot.  Technically they are not charging people to park there.  It is free for bus riders (or anyone who pays $3.50 to join the parking club).  I just think it is bad because most people do not have Q-Cards yet and no matter how much you try, there are going to be a lot of people who show up Tuesday and are going to be upset that they have to pay $4.50 to park.  They should at least give a couple of weeks before implementing this.

As far as the false announcements on the openings, I would bet that they were wanting to open on the previous date but right before then Jarvis (street at the back of the Parking lot) was turn up.  I think they had to wait for it to be rebuilt.

Actually, the fee to park in the Fannin South lot is now $2.50. It's also cash-only--the machines that used to dispense tickets (and that took both cash and credit cards) have been replaced by 2 people in a booth. I'm not sure why. (The cash-only policy is a bit inconvenient, but at least it enables me to spend the spare change that accumulates in the ash tray of my car.)

Now that the garage is opening I hope Metro will start very soon on adding more buses to the morning schedule.  The 6:00, 6:15 and 6:30 buses are getting full before it's even time to leave with a line waiting for the next bus and it's getting worse.  Those 15 minutes makes a big difference since the traffic on 290 has been awful since school starts.  Also, adding more buses past 7:45 a.m. would help people who doesn't have to be at work until much later.  Also, are you guys going to add some type of mid-day service for people who wants to leave work prior to 3:00 p.m?  

The beginning of this blog states "mixed-use project" with "So-called life essential shops, such as a dental and physician's office, will be there, along with popular eateries and specialty retailers".

When all these shops and restaurants open, what is going to keep all those people from parking in the garage? Even if they don’t ride metro, all they have to do is purchase a Q-card with a min value of $3.50, and they get covered parking for free. I’m not sure if metro realizes how popular this park & ride is going to be. I suspect there is going to be an immediate large scale shift of riders. Everyone within a 10 mile radius will flock to this park & ride to avoid the terribly overcrowded 214, and to utilize the covered parking.

Dentists, physicians, retail, restaurants, and eventually yet another apartment complex will be located by this garage, and if they are allowed to use it for parking (by simply buying a Q-card) it will be too full for metro riders to utilize. I suspect they could have constructed a garage with 3000 parking spaces, and it still would not be large enough.

I have also noticed Metro has not expanded the number of pick up times offered.

They still pick up at 214 all day long, but stop at &;40 at this  park and ride ?!?!

Will this change?

Actually, one lot, "A" or "B", or both, needs to be bebuilt to multiple level units.

Mary said:

"Bruce, parking will always be free for anyone with a Q Card.

You can buy a Q Card for $3.50 and use that as your pass for free parking. Keep using your stored value card until the balance runs out. We will give patrons ample notice when we introduce the new fare system.  

After METRO announces the new fare system, if you are not able to use up your old fare media before the switch, we'll offer a transfer option at that time."

I went to pay for my parking today, only to find out that once again metro can't get their story straight.  I had 3.50 to buy my card so i can pay for my parking, but the guys with the explorer bus wouldn't take less than 5.00.  I didn't have enough cash with me since we were told 3.50.  They would not take a r debit card like we were told in the past we would be able to do.  I sure wish metro would quit speaking with forked tongue.  

I am wondering what is the next step Metro is going to take to ease the traffic on 290. I was on the 6:18am 217 bus yesterday, and didn't get to work till 8am!!

What confusion....you plainly stated that a q-card could be purchased for 3.50.

Yes, I would like to be an early adopter of the q-card but unfortunately my employer is not making the switch to the q card until it has to.  So until then I am stuck with a 30 day pass.  So  yes this an extra purchase just to pay for parking. Do we know how long it will be until metro goes completly q-card?And who/what is AMPCO attendant?

Hi, will there be more routes added to this station?  I am a HUGE fan of the Park & Ride, but I still have to drive 20 minutes just to get to the W. Little York P&R that has direct service to Greenway.  I would take the 217 & transfer at the transit center, but I'm scared to death that I am going to fall asleep, miss my transfer, and end up in downtown!  Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

Sorry, the "A" and "B" lots were refering to the 214 lot....need more parking there.  And I can see an extension of some 286 trips to the 217 lot, er, garage.

Please extend the 286 to Cypress P&R/Cypress Village Station.  I live at 290 & Barker Cypress and work around Post Oak Blvd.  Why should I have to drive 35+ minutes to West Little York when there is a P&R 10 minutes from my house.  This route was just reduced due to low ridership(8/26/07 Service Adjustments), I think if the route is extended you are opening it to a new market with active population of 95,505 within a 5-mile radius per NewQuest properties Metro's Partner on Cypress Village Station.  

Well, It's kinda stupid to have to own a QCard with $3.50 on it to park free.    It just makes better sense that all Cypress PR riders stop using the lot and use the Northwest Station ($3.00) or West Little York ($2.50 if you connect at NWTC).

It's amazing Fannin South Lot has lasted, since nearby West Loop PR is free, and the combined cost to get to downtown is cheaper from West Loop PR ($3.00 Round Trip - $50.00 monthly) compared to Fannin South ($3.00 parking $2.00 day pass 5.00 a day, or $70.00 for the 2 monthly payments).

I have been against the QCard idea since the idea came about. There is nothing wrong with our current fare system, it's lasted us over 10 years, why change something that isn't broken?

"John said,

I have been against the QCard idea since the idea came about. There is nothing wrong with our current fare system, it's lasted us over 10 years, why change something that isn't broken"

I do not have any official info but a driver told me that the federal goverment is mandating that large city transit authorities move towards a tracking system to better monitor unique trips. Before the Q card every trip is considered unique and thus the federal government pays out monies based on a complex formula fron which unique trips did not enter the picture. Milage and total population and total passenger trips went into the formula. the new formula will incorporate unique trips and thus reduce the amount the federal monies that go into metro. That is why metro will do away with all timed passes as every cash trip will be considered an unique trip.  the person will be forced to pay cash every time he enters a bus whether or not he is continuing on the same trip. The Q card will be the only way the government will be able to see that three buses and one rail equal one unique trip while before all counted as four unique trips.

I use the HOV daily and see no reason to have a park and ride in Cypress with no HOV lane to service it!

I live in the Cypress area, and it takes over 30 minutes just to get TO the HOV lane entrance at West rd!

I guess everyone gets on the bus and sits in traffic along with everyone else! Any plans for a diamond lane to fix this problem.The diamond lane would be a lot more useful than that inside shoulder!

Whould it be faster from the 217 lot to the HOV to run down the feeder/Hempstead Rd.  There enter the mainlanes at 1960, or run to Edridge, make a left, and enter at the 214 T-Ramp.

METRO and TxDOT did convert the shoulder lane next to the center "K-Wall" from SH6 to SH99 before the Katy was rebuilt.  This was done with painting and stripping.  Could be done here

Please, please, please extend the 286 to Cypress P&R/Cypress Village Station. Also, please, extend the HOV lane...

Sitting in 2 hour commute to Galleria and desperate!!!!

One way that may help get the HOV extended out to Cypress P&R is to let the elected officials know that we need it.  Here is a link to find who your State Representatives are: http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/

If you live in Harris County send message to Steve Radack:pct3@hctx.net

Or you if you can attend the next Metropolitan Transit Authority Board of Directors' meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 20, 2007

1900 Main, 2nd floor Board Room 1:00 p.m.  

You can submit a comment during the meeting.

What is the point for getting on 217 with no HOV? Why is it so hard for the government to make a diamond lane on 290 from Telge to the existing HOV when there are plenty of space there? 219 traffic has been known to be the worst with traffic going only 30 miles/hr at 6:15am every weekday. Can they even see the problem?

TxDOT is not going to do anything with the HOV because they are removing it from 290 once the Hempstead HOT is done.  The worst part is that the first entrance to the Hempstead HOT from the park and ride is planned at Huffmeister.

I heard something about they are about to build the commuter rail using the existing tracks on 290 and the target finish year is 2011, is it true? If so, it will be a big relief for everyone who lives on 290

It would be great if 217 can have a 8:00am bus. I know people who live in Cypress but go to downtown Houston for work, and they started working at around 9am. So, adding the 8am bus is really going to benefit a lot of people.

Totally Random that is False

Go to:

http://www.my290.com/index.htm

To Bosco70,

Thank you very much for the information! I got the rumor from my co-worker and they sent me this link too: http://metrosolutions.org/posted/1068/2B_Expansion_Plan_8_08_2006_colorboxes_.127760.pdf

....I guess I have another 4 years to waist in traffic on 290 or I could always pick up my house and move!!! lol

They build stuff to tear it down for expansion all the time (e.g. Bltwy 8), why not move barriers and paint new lines on 290??? I just can’t see how that has to takes an act of God to get it done.

Bosco70, thanks for the info!!!

Desperate!

To Mary Sit,

Thank you for the clarification. I am sure lots of commuters will feel thankful that they will have a commuter rail option because once we get on the rail, we will not be effected by the highway/HOV traffic at all!