Of the $410 million METREAUX was begging for, it is my speculation that Queen Sheila didn't have any influence, and that METREAUX will be lucky to get $30-$40 million, hardly enough to build a single mile of boondoggle urban rail.  That's if you ever get an agreement with Parsons on your terms.

Royko,

Metro does have a contractor,it's  TJ&T Enterprises. They are the company handling the East line. And since you have a issue with trains at grade, how about elevated or a subway instead. Like I've always said we have much smaller cities with better transportation systems. Here's the kicker, they have both trains ( commuter and local) as well as buses. And we have already met the endless circus of requirements for the 50% federal match funding. It's time they kept their end of the bargain- NO MORE STALLING. we are running on average 3-4 years behind the original schedule, we should only be a few months away from the opening for at least the North and Southeast Lines. Hell start building the south east line that you can still link up to Main St. and East End.

METREAUX needs to submit the new scheme to the voters.

What METREAUX now proposes is radically different that what was promised in the 2003 referendum.

METREAUX slashed fixed-route bus service yet promised a 50% increase so as to dupe the bus transit dependent voters into approving the scheme.

The law suit over the "Transit Backbone" tram's stray current has not been settled (in the TMC's favor, at the expense of taxpayers).  That line was rushed, and was shoddily constructed, so now it's "deja vu all over again!"

The FTA has yet to issue findings on a Title VI Civil Rights Complaint I filed nearly one year ago.  I say, lets wait until the FTA findings come out.  It will likely show Houstonians how METREAUX abused the poor, minority, elderly, and handicapped bus transit dependent riders throughout the service area, and, force METREAUX into some "CHANGE."

Further, we do not know what the true finacial status is with METREAUX.  We know that, as of a week ago, they remained in technical default on the "defeased lease" scheme.  That's where they sold taxpayer's already paid for bus facilities to investors, with a 30+ year lease back provision for a small lump summ advance amount needed to start the boondoggle rail project.  The congress outlawed the abusive tactic.  The investors are allowed to amortize over $20,000,000 in depreciation each year against profits.  We taxpayers have to shoulder the load for METREAUX participating in that tax-avoidance racket.

I want no more of METREAUX's rail shennanigans.

Roykeaux,

       As long as METRO feels like they need to have more and more bus/rail, I'm all for it!  Without having as much as let's say what NYC has, we're screwed!

Mr. CoLLins,

After guzzling all that METREAUX Kool-aid, how could you be thirsty for an inebriating beverage?

Play nice boys or we will be back on moderation probation.

wi11ie

Yes, wi11ie---I know---but it seems Roykeaux just being a __________ and I choose not to get PO'ed by comments like those.  What he says is his personal problem---not mine.

Anyhoo, how is METRO "begging" for money?  Are they actually saying that in full?  Since I don't see that anywhere, this "Of the $410 million METREAUX was begging for" doesn't make not one ounce of doggone sense.

I wonder if there's going to be anything set aside for any bus-related issues that may come up.  Hopefully, METRO doesn't forget.  The bus is just as important as rail to get riders like me where I can probably go.

Would Rokyo still call it begging if it were for "rubber tired mobility?"

JamesL,

I would have called any spending from the Obama Pork Package as wrong since it is inflationary and the squandering of funds on dubious projects increases the debt load onto future generations which is clearly immoral.

Right now all I can do is quote ALGORE from 1992..."everything that oughta be down is *up*, everything that should be up is *down*..."

I'm glad Metro is only got $92 million dollars but surprise surprise it's all going to rail related projects.  The Metro Rail & Real Estate Company seems to have forgotten it also runs a fleet of crappy buses and rotten routes.

J. Liggins,

It ain't over yet.  The METREAUX Urban Rail Robber Barons don't have the taxpayer cash yet.

They DO NOT have a "shovel ready" project.

Urban rail, at-grade is not only unsafe and unrelaible, the Main Street boondoggle proves it is also wantonly wasteful; therefore, an additional reason to exclude METREAUX's expansion scheme;

METREAUX must have another vote on the "Solutions" scheme as it is proposed now, with all its blemishes and deficiencies.