ATTN: Connie --light rail in Houston -- from the NYTimes
Michael Eisenstadt
austin-ghetto-list@pairlist.net
Fri Jun 25 05:52:06 2004
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June 25, 2004
Houston Finds Some Pain in Car-Rail Coexistence
By SHAILA K. DEWAN
=20
OUSTON, June 18 - For a quarter-century, the debate over whether =
Houston should have a light rail system pitted a vision of =
environmentally friendly mass transit against the fossil-fueled love =
affair between Houstonians and their cars.
Last year, when Houston finally got a rail line, the culture clash =
became physical. Since testing began in November, the silvery =
electric-powered train, which slides north and south along the street on =
a 7.5-mile route, has collided with more than 40 cars.
The accidents have marred what was to be a moment of rejuvenation =
for the city. The opening of the rail line was timed to coincide with a =
major spruce-up of downtown, complete with a fountain that flanks the =
tracks and sends water leaping high into the air each time a train =
approaches.=20
So far, 15 motorists have driven into the fountain.
None of the train-versus-car accidents have been fatal, and more =
than half have simply been fender benders, according to the Metropolitan =
Transit Authority's statistics.=20
Still, experts say that while it is hard to compare light rail =
lines - each has its own length and configuration - Houston's accident =
rate is extraordinarily high. Sacramento, by comparison, where that part =
of the light rail line that shares the street is about the same length =
as Houston's line, has had just four collisions this year.
The situation has quickly become part of Houston lore. At an =
annual sand castle competition this month, no fewer than 11 entries =
depicted trains and crashed cars, with titles like "Metrozilla" and =
"Weapons of Mass Destruction."=20
And residents are keeping score.
"I was No. 6,'' said Joseph D. Kittrell, a 64-year-old hairdresser =
who suffered a couple of broken ribs and whose Nissan truck was totaled =
when he turned left over the tracks while a train was coming. Mr. =
Kittrell, given a ticket for an illegal turn, said the signage was =
confusing.
"I wrote the mayor, I wrote The Houston Chronicle," he said. "I =
feel like I've been had by the city, and I don't think it's fair."
The train, which opened for business on Jan. 1, carries passengers =
from the new Reliant Park football stadium north through the Texas =
Medical Center complex, the museum district and downtown, where it =
cruises down the center of Main Street, past the baseball stadium, to =
the University of Houston's downtown campus. It is intended to be the =
spine of a much larger system to come, which voters approved by =
referendum in early November.
That was before they knew what it would be like to share their =
streets with a 99,000-pound train that travels at 40 miles an hour and =
is separated from cars only by little bumps known as traffic buttons. =
Many people now question the wisdom of the transit agency's decision to =
wedge the train into the streetscape instead of above or below ground, =
an option that could have increased costs tenfold.=20
Officials of the transit agency, known as Metro, do not come right =
out and say so, but their explanations for the accidents boil down to =
this: Houstonians are bad drivers. All the collisions, they say, can be =
attributed to driver error: illegal turns, failure to yield and =
disregard of signals.=20
There is plenty of support for that argument. The accident rate in =
greater Houston, train or no train, is well over double the national =
average, and it is particularly bad at the medical center. Last year the =
police issued 8,000 traffic citations along what has become the train's =
route.
"Unfortunately we lead the state in every conceivable type of =
crash," said Ned Levine, the transportation program coordinator for the =
Houston-Galveston Area Council, the region's planning group .
Thirty-nine percent of serious accidents here are caused by =
speeding, compared with 13 percent nationally, Dr. Levine said, adding, =
"I would call that aggressive driving.''
But the transportation agency's efforts to defend itself have not =
gone over well. "It's not just the media," said Frank J. Wilson, who =
became chief executive of Metro two months ago. "It's the general =
perception, people in the street, elected officials. They say: 'What's =
wrong with Metro? Why is it blaming these motorists?' As if it's a =
God-given right in Houston to run red lights."
It did not help matters that the first driver to collide with the =
train was a local television reporter.
To be fair to Houston drivers, they have had to master six new and =
complex traffic signs, including an icon that shows a train track, over =
which is superimposed a left-turn arrow, over which is a circle with a =
slash through it. The signs are symbols only, without words like =
"warning."
At the medical center, the train's path doubles as a left-turn =
lane. At other points, driveways exit right onto the tracks. In Mr. =
Kittrell's case, the traffic lights were green, but centered above them =
was a new signal forbidding a left turn.
"I said, 'Well, who's going to look up there when there's two =
green lights?' " he recalls telling the police.
Metro has since moved no-turn signals to make them more visible.
Some drivers complain that the train comes without the typical =
warnings.
"Are you from America?" Benny Delgadillo Sr. said indignantly. =
"I'm from America, 49 years. Here, you're taught as a kid that flashing =
lights, arms come down - train's coming."=20
Mr. Delgadillo admits, however, that he should not have turned =
left where he did, off Main Street. He made a common mistake: he and the =
train in the lane to his left were traveling in the same direction, so =
he did not see it when he made the turn.=20
"It's just even by the grace of God that I should be talking to =
you now, it hit me that hard," he said.
Metro has made numerous adjustments: changing and moving signs, =
adding flashing lights and more flashing lights. In February, it =
commissioned the Texas Transportation Institute, at Texas A&M =
University, to do an independent study. The study concluded that the =
route met national traffic standards, but suggested 161 "enhancements," =
many involving signals and their timing.=20
Since the agency began adopting those changes, the rate of =
accidents has been declining, and transit experts say it will continue =
to drop as Houston and the train grow accustomed to each other.
For now, safety engineers have determined that trains and cars are =
too hostile to even share an intersection. In the most accident-prone =
part of the route, red lights halt cars from all directions when a train =
is passing through, a signal pattern called "pre-emptive red."
Though Metro strongly disagrees, some drivers point to the =
improvements as evidence that the city was at first negligent.
Maria Lewis-Sterling, a 46-year-old nurse, says her car was not =
even moving when its license plate was torn off by a passing train. Her =
car was protruding into the roadway, though, and she was charged $450 =
for damage to the train. Her accident was the first of six at one =
intersection, which has since been given two rail crossing signs.
Ms. Lewis-Sterling said she had no hard feelings, and even rode =
the train to work this week. "Just give me my $450 back,'' she said, =
"and admit that you didn't do a perfect job.''
Metro's ridership is averaging 24,000 on weekdays and continues to =
increase. Now, in part because of continuing concern over the accidents, =
its board has asked the agency to re-examine the planned routes for the =
light rail expansion.=20
But besides cost considerations, Metro officials say, there are =
other reasons to build a train on street grade. It is more accessible =
and easier to use, and it fosters what Houston lacks: street-level =
development and pedestrian culture.=20
"I'm trying to decide what the balance is: safety versus =
accessibility, ease of mobility versus changing culture," said Mr. =
Wilson, Metro's chief. "Some people would say, 'If you do it again, =
would you do it the same way?' My guess is that after a lot of =
deliberation and hammering, we probably would."
=20
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<TD vAlign=3Dtop align=3Dleft><!-- ADXINFO =
classification=3D"logo_strips" =
campaign=3D"foxsearch50a-nyt5"--> June=20
25, 2004<NYT_HEADLINE version=3D"1.0" type=3D" ">
<H2>Houston Finds Some Pain in Car-Rail=20
Coexistence</H2></NYT_HEADLINE><NYT_BYLINE version=3D"1.0" =
type=3D" "><FONT=20
size=3D-1><STRONG>By SHAILA K. =
DEWAN</STRONG></FONT><BR></NYT_BYLINE>
<TABLE cellSpacing=3D0 cellPadding=3D0 align=3Dright border=3D0>
<TBODY>
<TR>
<TD></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><NYT_TEXT>
<P><IMG height=3D34 alt=3DH=20
src=3D"http://graphics7.nytimes.com/images/dropcap/h.gif" =
width=3D31=20
align=3Dleft border=3D0>OUSTON, June 18 - For a quarter-century, =
the debate=20
over whether Houston should have a light rail system pitted a =
vision of=20
environmentally friendly mass transit against the fossil-fueled =
love=20
affair between Houstonians and their cars.</P>
<P>Last year, when Houston finally got a rail line, the culture =
clash=20
became physical. Since testing began in November, the silvery=20
electric-powered train, which slides north and south along the =
street on a=20
7.5-mile route, has collided with more than 40 cars.</P>
<P>The accidents have marred what was to be a moment of =
rejuvenation for=20
the city. The opening of the rail line was timed to coincide with =
a major=20
spruce-up of downtown, complete with a fountain that flanks the =
tracks and=20
sends water leaping high into the air each time a train =
approaches. </P>
<P>So far, 15 motorists have driven into the fountain.</P>
<P>None of the train-versus-car accidents have been fatal, and =
more than=20
half have simply been fender benders, according to the =
Metropolitan=20
Transit Authority's statistics. </P>
<P>Still, experts say that while it is hard to compare light rail =
lines -=20
each has its own length and configuration - Houston's accident =
rate is=20
extraordinarily high. Sacramento, by comparison, where that part =
of the=20
light rail line that shares the street is about the same length as =
Houston's line, has had just four collisions this year.</P>
<P>The situation has quickly become part of Houston lore. At an =
annual=20
sand castle competition this month, no fewer than 11 entries =
depicted=20
trains and crashed cars, with titles like "Metrozilla" and =
"Weapons of=20
Mass Destruction." </P>
<P>And residents are keeping score.</P>
<P>"I was No. 6,'' said Joseph D. Kittrell, a 64-year-old =
hairdresser who=20
suffered a couple of broken ribs and whose Nissan truck was =
totaled when=20
he turned left over the tracks while a train was coming. Mr. =
Kittrell,=20
given a ticket for an illegal turn, said the signage was =
confusing.</P>
<P>"I wrote the mayor, I wrote The Houston Chronicle," he said. "I =
feel=20
like I've been had by the city, and I don't think it's fair."</P>
<P>The train, which opened for business on Jan. 1, carries =
passengers from=20
the new Reliant Park football stadium north through the Texas =
Medical=20
Center complex, the museum district and downtown, where it cruises =
down=20
the center of Main Street, past the baseball stadium, to the =
University of=20
Houston's downtown campus. It is intended to be the spine of a =
much larger=20
system to come, which voters approved by referendum in early =
November.</P>
<P>That was before they knew what it would be like to share their =
streets=20
with a 99,000-pound train that travels at 40 miles an hour and is=20
separated from cars only by little bumps known as traffic buttons. =
Many=20
people now question the wisdom of the transit agency's decision to =
wedge=20
the train into the streetscape instead of above or below ground, =
an option=20
that could have increased costs tenfold. </P>
<P>Officials of the transit agency, known as Metro, do not come =
right out=20
and say so, but their explanations for the accidents boil down to =
this:=20
Houstonians are bad drivers. All the collisions, they say, can be=20
attributed to driver error: illegal turns, failure to yield and =
disregard=20
of signals. </P>
<P>There is plenty of support for that argument. The accident rate =
in=20
greater Houston, train or no train, is well over double the =
national=20
average, and it is particularly bad at the medical center. Last =
year the=20
police issued 8,000 traffic citations along what has become the =
train's=20
route.</P>
<P>"Unfortunately we lead the state in every conceivable type of =
crash,"=20
said Ned Levine, the transportation program coordinator for the=20
Houston-Galveston Area Council, the region's planning group .</P>
<P>Thirty-nine percent of serious accidents here are caused by =
speeding,=20
compared with 13 percent nationally, Dr. Levine said, adding, "I =
would=20
call that aggressive driving.''</P>
<P>But the transportation agency's efforts to defend itself have =
not gone=20
over well. "It's not just the media," said Frank J. Wilson, who =
became=20
chief executive of Metro two months ago. "It's the general =
perception,=20
people in the street, elected officials. They say: 'What's wrong =
with=20
Metro? Why is it blaming these motorists?' As if it's a God-given =
right in=20
Houston to run red lights."</P>
<P>It did not help matters that the first driver to collide with =
the train=20
was a local television reporter.</P>
<P>To be fair to Houston drivers, they have had to master six new =
and=20
complex traffic signs, including an icon that shows a train track, =
over=20
which is superimposed a left-turn arrow, over which is a circle =
with a=20
slash through it. The signs are symbols only, without words like=20
"warning."</P>
<P>At the medical center, the train's path doubles as a left-turn =
lane. At=20
other points, driveways exit right onto the tracks. In Mr. =
Kittrell's=20
case, the traffic lights were green, but centered above them was a =
new=20
signal forbidding a left turn.</P>
<P>"I said, 'Well, who's going to look up there when there's two =
green=20
lights?' " he recalls telling the police.</P>
<P>Metro has since moved no-turn signals to make them more =
visible.</P>
<P>Some drivers complain that the train comes without the typical=20
warnings.</P>
<P>"Are you from America?" Benny Delgadillo Sr. said indignantly. =
"I'm=20
from America, 49 years. Here, you're taught as a kid that flashing =
lights,=20
arms come down - train's coming." </P>
<P>Mr. Delgadillo admits, however, that he should not have turned =
left=20
where he did, off Main Street. He made a common mistake: he and =
the train=20
in the lane to his left were traveling in the same direction, so =
he did=20
not see it when he made the turn. </P>
<P>"It's just even by the grace of God that I should be talking to =
you=20
now, it hit me that hard," he said.</P>
<P>Metro has made numerous adjustments: changing and moving signs, =
adding=20
flashing lights and more flashing lights. In February, it =
commissioned the=20
Texas Transportation Institute, at Texas A&M University, to do =
an=20
independent study. The study concluded that the route met national =
traffic=20
standards, but suggested 161 "enhancements," many involving =
signals and=20
their timing. </P>
<P>Since the agency began adopting those changes, the rate of =
accidents=20
has been declining, and transit experts say it will continue to =
drop as=20
Houston and the train grow accustomed to each other.</P>
<P>For now, safety engineers have determined that trains and cars =
are too=20
hostile to even share an intersection. In the most accident-prone =
part of=20
the route, red lights halt cars from all directions when a train =
is=20
passing through, a signal pattern called "pre-emptive red."</P>
<P>Though Metro strongly disagrees, some drivers point to the =
improvements=20
as evidence that the city was at first negligent.</P>
<P>Maria Lewis-Sterling, a 46-year-old nurse, says her car was not =
even=20
moving when its license plate was torn off by a passing train. Her =
car was=20
protruding into the roadway, though, and she was charged $450 for =
damage=20
to the train. Her accident was the first of six at one =
intersection, which=20
has since been given two rail crossing signs.</P>
<P>Ms. Lewis-Sterling said she had no hard feelings, and even rode =
the=20
train to work this week. "Just give me my $450 back,'' she said, =
"and=20
admit that you didn't do a perfect job.''</P>
<P>Metro's ridership is averaging 24,000 on weekdays and continues =
to=20
increase. Now, in part because of continuing concern over the =
accidents,=20
its board has asked the agency to re-examine the planned routes =
for the=20
light rail expansion. </P>
<P>But besides cost considerations, Metro officials say, there are =
other=20
reasons to build a train on street grade. It is more accessible =
and easier=20
to use, and it fosters what Houston lacks: street-level =
development and=20
pedestrian culture. </P>
<P>"I'm trying to decide what the balance is: safety versus =
accessibility,=20
ease of mobility versus changing culture," said Mr. Wilson, =
Metro's chief.=20
"Some people would say, 'If you do it again, would you do it the =
same=20
way?' My guess is that after a lot of deliberation and hammering, =
we=20
probably=20
would."</P></NYT_TEXT></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTM=
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