Bikes on Houston's Light Rail

METRO EXPANDS METRORAIL BIKE HOURS

2010-07-17T09:05:00.001-07:00

Press Release from the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas

July 14, 2010

As part of its transition to a new METRO, the agency is working with BikeHouston to develop additional ways to make public transportation a viable option when biking around Houston.

The regional transportation authority is working with the bicycle advocacy group to get the word out about expanded hours for bicycles boarded on METRORail and the need for safety as the new policy takes effect.

Starting Monday July 19th, 2010, bike riders can board light-rail vehicles Monday-Friday except for peak hours (6:30 to 9 a.m. and 3 to 6 p.m.) when passenger loads are heaviest and boarding with a bike most difficult. Bikes are limited to two per rail car including weekends at all service hours.

“Our partnership with BikeHouston represents the kind of collaboration the community will see from the new METRO,” said Acting President & CEO George Greanias. “Biking and METRO are important alternatives to driving and are natural complements, reducing both traffic and helping clean our air. With these expanded hours we can accommodate riders during our busiest light-rail hours, and make more room on the system for those whose commute includes bicycles.”

Bikes, until now, were allowed on trains from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. until the last evening run.

Working with the biking community, METRO launched a highly successful bike rack program on buses in 2007. Today, most METRO buses are equipped with either bike racks or storage compartments, and total bikes boarded since the launch have topped 156,000.

BikeHouston and METRO are examining other ways to make Houston transit more bike friendly with collaboration on placement of bike racks along light-rail boarding platforms and utilization of interior space on rail cars as more miles are added to local light-rail systems.

Peter Wang, League Cycling Instructor and advisor to BikeHouston noted, “Bicycling advocates welcome the expansion of bikes-on-board hours to accommodate both "Early Bird" and "Late Sleeper" commuters. We urge bicyclist commuters to be mindful of the needs of fellow passengers. Walk (don't ride) your bike on train platforms and sidewalks. Stay out of people's way, don't cram into a crowded rail car, and keep your bike clean."

METRO is working with the City of Houston to improve residents’ ability to get around and exercise at the same time. The new Irvington Bike Lanes, will give bikers a safe trail near the North Line light rail which is now under construction. METRORail bike guidelines and Houston Bikeways Program can help you understand how to get around Houston fast, safe and economically.

Please show up for this photo opportunity!

2010-07-14T04:03:00.000-07:00

We need ALL cyclists to show up at UH Downtown METRO train stop at 6:00 am on Monday 7/19 to take pictures in celebration of expanded bike hours on the train! METRO Board Member Christof Spieler will be there to meet us.

Houston METRO seeking input regarding bikes on the light rail

2010-04-30T10:30:00.000-07:00

Harris County (Houston) METRO is seeking input as to whether and how bikes should be accommodated on the light rail.

Write to METROSolutions@ridemetro.org

Let's fill up their email box!

Riding Austin's new rail line (with bike)

2010-04-21T17:41:00.000-07:00

From BikeTexas

Austin has a new commuter rail system called the MetroRail Red Line. Since I live close to one of the stations, I decided to try to take the train to my internship at BikeTexas and see how it went. The first time I tried to take the train, I mistimed my arrival and ended up waiting some time before deciding that I would not be taking the train that day. Next time I made sure to arrive at the Crestview Station with plenty of time to spare.... (click here for complete story)

Changes at METRO

2010-03-20T05:18:00.000-07:00

I think the upcoming changes at METRO are going to be quite good for cyclists. I talked to the Mayor's METRO task force leader, former Council Member George Greanias, and he said METRO is going to be configured to be a much more customer-centric organization in the future.

The Board appointment of Christof Spieler is really going to help. He is formerly a CTC Board Member. He walks, he bikes, he uses METRO, and he can engage in "reality-based" thinking. We can't do any better than that.

bikes and METRO

2010-02-17T19:44:00.000-08:00

Dear Mr. Wang,

As I expressed at the TIA committee meeting, I am very supportive of making the light rail very bicycle friendly. Cyclists should be able to board at all hours and there should be adequate access for those with bikes. We need to encourage pedestrians and cyclists to use the rail system and I look forward to supporting efforts to move in this direction.

Many thanks,

Stephen C. Costello

Houston City Council At-Large Position 1

Transportation, Infrastructure, and Aviation Committee

2010-02-11T19:37:00.001-08:00

Citizens Regina Garcia, Aaron Chang and Peter Wang addressed the Transportation, Infrastructure, and Aviation Committee today, 2/11/10, at Houston City Hall. The Council Members who spoke were all very supportive of improving bicyclist access to the light rail system. They were Ms. Clutterbuck (by proxy), Ms. Noriega, Mr. Bradford, Mr. Gonzales, Mr. Costello, and Committee Chair Ms. Lovell. No Council Members spoke in opposition to bikes on trains.

Council Member Bradford expressed some frustration quite pointedly to METRO Solutions Managing Director Couch concerning that fact that two years have elapsed since the issue was raised and still the cycling community was not satisfied.

A recap of the bicycles on Houston light rail issue

2010-02-10T18:05:00.000-08:00

SUMMARY

Houston needs to develop transit in order to continue to grow and prosper. We cannot continue to build roads and promote single-occupant private car use as in earlier decades and hope to address congestion, ozone, energy efficiency, economic justice, human health, and global climate change
The key question is - how to get Houstonians out of their cars and onto transit?
If people aren't in their cars, then they are either walking to transit or bike riding to transit
Many bicyclist customers need to have their bicycles with them in order to complete their journey. The transit vehicle must accommodate it
METRO has a very good bicycles on buses program, which is experiencing astronomical growth rates
METRO has a highly restrictive bicycles on light rail program which completely misses morning and afternoon rush hour. Bikes banned from start of day until 9:00 am, then banned again from 3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
One reason why METRO cannot accommodate more bikes in a safe manner on the trains is that they failed to install simple, inexpensive, bike hanger hooks on the Red Line
Another reason why METRO cannot accommodate bikes on the Red Line is due to sheer overcrowding of the train on that line at peak hours at some locations
Concerning bike parking - the University Corridor Final EIS specifically excludes the possibility of installing bike racks at transit stops. This is of great concern. Pages 11-98 and 11-99
Conclusion - the impression left on bicyclist customers is that METRO wants to make the light rail system a "bike free zone"

THE WAY FORWARD

Other cities with newly-built light rail systems are able to accommodate bikes on light rail at all times - Phoenix, Dallas, Austin, Denver, Minneapolis, Seattle, Portland. Why not Houston? METRO needs to:

Hire a full-time AICP-certified bicycle planner
Involve the bike community. Don't treat bicyclists (and other customers, for that matter) as lepers, unclean. Customers are the reason for METRO's existence
Order the bike hangers for the train cars, four per car. Doing it right the first time is cheaper than retrofit and rework
Shrink the "no bikes" time periods based on actual data, not arbitrary fiat. We know that the currently policy is arbitrary in nature, because bikes are banned at 4:30 am on weekdays. What is the occupancy of the light rail at 4:30 am? For the central spine of the system, the Red Line, it may not be possible to ever allow bikes on during the most congested periods. But Red Line conditions may not exist on the other lines. Some lines may be able to carry bikes at all times. But if they don't have the right hardware (bike hangers), it's going to be harder for them to do that
Provide safe, secure, abundant bike parking at all transit stops
Prepare to enjoy swiftly growing light rail ridership involving bicyclists and a DNA-level transformation of the Houston transportation scene. Houston could become a Bicycle City

ENDORSEMENTS

The bikes on light rail concept supported during the 2008 Mayoral campaign by Mayor Annise Parker, Peter Brown, and Gene Locke

Letters of support for bikes on trains sent to METRO by County Judge Ed Emmett, and Commissioners Steve Radack, Sylvia Garcia, Jerry Eversole, and El Franco Lee in 2008

Letter of support for bikes on trains sent to METRO by Councilmember Anne Clutterbuck in 2008

Letter of support for bikes on trains sent to METRO by UH Chancellor Renu Khator in 2008

Endorsed by the Houston Sierra Club

Endorsed by Citizens' Environmental Coalition

A joint project of Citizens' Transportation Coalition,BikeHouston, and Texas Bicycle Coalition

MEDIA COVERAGE

KUHF Radio Story, October 12, 2009 by Rod Rice

Houston Chronicle Traffic Column, May 17, 2009 by Carrie Feibel,with quote from CM Clutterbuck

Off The Kuff blog by Charles Kuffner

Meeting, Thursday, February 11, 2:00 pm

2010-02-09T11:34:00.001-08:00

Support Bikes on Trains at the Houston Transportation Committee Meeting.
If you ride in Houston, please attend this important meeting!

Houston-area cyclists-

This Thursday, February 11, the Houston City Council Transportation, Infrastructure and Aviation Committee will discuss the METRO light rail construction.

Please attend and insist that METRO accommodate bicycles - both in the light rail cars and with on-street bike parking at stations.

Please take time off work if possible to attend this meeting - it is that important.

Please ask the City Council and Mayor to influence METRO to include accommodations for bicycles in the light rail construction. For maximum multi-modal connectivity, any light rail project MUST allow bikes in the rail cars, and provide plenty of bike parking at the stations.

The meeting will take place at 2:00 pm, in City Council Chambers, 901 Bagby, 2nd Floor.

METRO was slow to accept the benefit of bike racks on their buses until cyclists spoke up - and as of January 2010, there have been more than 117,000 bike boardings on METRO buses. We can make a difference!

Bikes on Public Transport

2009-12-23T05:58:00.000-08:00

The Journal of Public Transportation recently published "Integrating Bicycling with Public Transport in North America," a review of bikes and transit policies in eight North American cities by researchers John Pucher of Rutgers and Ralph Buehler of Virginia Tech. The authors conducted case studies of San Francisco, Portland, Minneapolis, Chicago, Washington, New York, Vancouver and Toronto.

Houston Public Radio: Cyclists want more access to light rail

2009-10-14T16:24:00.000-07:00

by: Rod Rice, KUHF News
October 12, 2009

While Houston is not the most bicycle friendly city, cycling advocates say commuting by bike here is growing. To increase what's called "inter modal" transit METRO has installed bike racks on its buses. Now cyclists want METRO to do something similar on its trains. Rod Rice reports.

Bicycles & METRO become a mayoral campaign issue

2009-10-05T19:35:00.000-07:00

One of the challenges facing commuting cyclists is in using their bikes in conjunction with public transit. If METRO could find a way to better assist cyclists, we would all collect multiple dividends in the form of reduced congestion and pollution, and improved public health and energy efficiency. In a hot, sprawled-out city, bikes can help people roll a mile or two to a transit line, completely replacing a car trip.

During the Mayor Bill White / METRO CEO Frank Wilson era, METRO installed bike racks on its buses, and the usage of these racks has grown at a phenomenal rate. METRO failed, however, to extend rush hour access to the light rail train, despite exemplary equipment and policies that have been successfully deployed in other American cities. Now is the time for cyclists to ask for full, unencumbered access to the light rail train.

I emailed the four major Houston mayoral candidates and asked each of them whether they would influence METRO to install bike hangers in the light rail vehicles and allow bicycles in the vehicles during rush hours. Here's what they had to say, in order of their reply:

Annise Parker's answer -

"The answer to your question is 'yes.' We must have a multi-modal transportation system in Houston, including bicycles and bike lanes."

Roy Morales called me personally on the phone, which I appreciated, and said that he wants to chose a new METRO CEO who will be sensitive to the needs of cyclists.

Peter Brown sent me the following email -

"My comprehensive transportation blueprint, which you can view on my website, calls for making Houston a more bike-friendly city, along with expanding access to livable, walkable neighborhoods and effective, efficient mass transit. And it’s important that all these different transportation options function effectively together. My blueprint specifically calls for “a transit system that facilitates biking,” a commitment to find ways to make METRO more accessible for bicyclists. Peak-period access and bike hangers are two options that I would definitely take a close look at, as long as we can make sure that they are feasible and safe for commuters. But a bike friendly Houston doesn’t end there. I think it’s also important that we continue to expand our network of dedicated bike lanes, trails, and other routes. And we need to make sure our law enforcement officers are trained to acknowledge the rights of bicyclists, and protect them on the road. I’m committed to expanding transportation choices, and that includes promoting bicycling as one of those choices."

Finally, Gene Locke had this to say:

“I believe we can work towards finding a way remove the peak hour ban on bicycles access to the light rail. We need to take a serious look at the feasibility of putting bike racks on light rail cars. We will balance the desire to carry bikes on light rail cars with the safety needs of a high used line such as the red line.”

Cyclists should celebrate the fact that this issue has risen to the attention of the next Mayor of Houston, whoever he or she may be. Clearly, our work is cut out for us. We need to:

1. Vote on November 3. Early Voting starts October 19.
2. Ask the Mayor-elect to appoint a CEO to METRO who has a solid track record in their previous employment of creating and managing transit systems that fully accommodate bicyclists and pedestrians
3. Show up at the METRO Board and Houston City Council meetings, and Harris County Commissioners Court to continually ask for bike access to the trains

Candidate Annise Parker steps up

2009-10-05T04:56:00.000-07:00

"She said Metro was not 'bike-friendly' and that, if elected, she would rescind the rush-hour ban on bicycles on the light rail."

Houston Chronicle (Carolyn Feibel), 10/5/09, page A7

Presentation to METRO Board, 1/22/09

2009-01-17T07:12:00.000-08:00

January 22, 2009

BikeHouston acknowledges that METRO applied to FTA recently for funding to buy a large number of light rail vehicles. Our preference was that these vehicles would have been spec’d for vertical bicycle hangers for the cabin interiors; however, we do not want to fixate on this decision. The bicyclist community wants to work together with METRO in 2009 and beyond to make the Houston region more mobile, greener, healthier, and more sustainable.

Specific topics and projects for 2009 we would like to see addressed:

• We salute METRO for allowing bicyclists on the train after 7 pm on weekdays. We would like to ask for Early Bird bicyclist hours, from 4:30 am – 6:00 am, so that both late and early bicycle commuters may be accommodated

• Please expedite bike rack installation on the old articulated buses, and formulate consistent policy for the use of folding bicycles on artics

• We salute METRO for recently installing bicycle racks at the Cypress Park & Ride. This was an oversight that was corrected when the community spoke out. Every Park & Ride should have bike racks, and every light rail stop should have bike racks at the stop itself or on adjoining non-METRO property; please work with the City and private property owners within the corridors to make this a reality

• We propose free public “lunch & learn” training classes on how to use bicycles on METRO, given by BikeHouston volunteer instructors

- How to use bike racks on buses
- How to use under-bus storage compartments on Park & Ride buses
- Rail hours, and how to ride safely
- Folding bicycle technology
- General bicycle safety information

• Bicyclists are still being passed too closely by METRO bus drivers. Texas CDL Manual recommends 6 ft clearance, but distances less than 3 ft have been experienced – extremely hazardous!

Peter Wang, LCI
Advisor to the BikeHouston Board of Directors

We've failed to get bike racks on trains; this is the end-game

2008-12-21T09:38:00.000-08:00

For over a year, BikeHouston and Citizens Transportation have worked to get bike racks installed on the coming METRO light rail trains, which would've made bikes + light rail an unbeatable intermodal combo.

Despite letters from Judge Ed Emmett, all four Republican and Democratic Harris County Commissioners, and other public officials, METRO is going to place orders for the new trains on Christmas Eve 2008... without any in-cabin racks for bicycle. Our contact at the FTA, the funding agency for the trains, is extremely concerned, but FTA cannot compel METRO to order trains with bike racks.

It looks like we've failed at this point.

If the cycling community cares enough about this, then you can make one final effort on Monday or Tuesday next week. Call METRO CEO Frank J. Wilson's office at (713) 739-4832. Don't send an email. Make someone pick up the phone and spend the energy to talk to you. Also call the VP of Procurement, Paul Como, at (713) 739-4887. Tell him to not order the trains without bike racks.

The agency which has just put racks on its trains, Phoenix, goes live with its trains on December 27, 2008. We put a picture of their equipment on this blog. I'm happy for them, and I'm disappointed that we have such entrenched and unresponsive people in charge of our public transit agency. But, I'm not the only person to make that observation; just go to any METRO board meeting, and listen to the public complaints.

Bicycle on METRO light rail; your emails & attendance needed again

2008-11-24T10:52:00.000-08:00

Please attend this meeting (see below) and express your opinion that we need 24/7 bicycle access to the light rail system in Houston, bike hangers inside the trains, and adequate bike parking at the stations. If unable to attend, please send your comments by email to Tim Lidiak at timothy.lidiak@dot.gov and make sure you mention that you are making comments concerning Houston's METRO.

------------------------------

Federal Certification Review Public Meeting

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) are hosting a public meeting for you to express your views on transportation planning in the Houston-Galveston Region.

Time: 6:00 p.m.
Date: Monday, December 1, 2008
Place: Houston-Galveston Area Council
3555 Timmons Lane
Houston, TX 77027
Room: Conference Room C
2nd Floor

This public meeting is a part of a periodic review process that will assess compliance with Federal regulations pertaining to the transportation planning. If you need more information or if you are unable to attend the meeting, you may submit your comments to either the FTA or FHWA by mail or email at the following addresses:

Contacts: Mr. Jose Campos
Intermodal Team Leader
FHWA Texas Division Office
300 E. 8th Street, Room 826
Austin, TX 78701
E-MAIL: jose.campos@fhwa.dot.gov
PH: (512) 536-5932
FAX: (512) 536-5990

Mr. Tim Lidiak
Regional Planner
Federal Transit Administration
819 Taylor Street, Room 8A36
Fort Worth, TX 76102
E-MAIL: timothy.lidiak@dot.gov
PH: (817) 978-0559
FAX: (817) 978-0575

Help Get More Bikes on Houston's Light Rail System!

2008-07-27T09:17:00.000-07:00

Electrified rail and bicycles are the two most efficient and least-polluting modes for moving people on land. Bicycles get you quickly to and from the local rail station; rail takes you miles without personal effort. Combining bikes and light rail would therefore seem like a "no brainer" as a way to induce Houstonians to give up their addiction to private internal combustion transport.

But did you know that regular bicycles are currently banned from Houston's light rail trains during the all-important weekday commuter rush hour?* Furthermore, only two bikes are allowed on per train car, which are as many as are allowed on the bus bike racks... and each rail car holds many more people than the bus.

These timing and capacity limitations exist because Harris County METRO chose not to install vertical bike hangers on its first fleet of light rail cars. It is vitally important to change this mindset now before the coming massive build-out of Houston's light rail fleet, which will take place during 2008 - 2012. If this once-in-a-generation opportunity is lost, we will not be able to have the same bicycle access to light rail enjoyed by other cities throughout the USA.

Phoenix Arizona will begin light rail operations in December 2008. It is a new, sprawling Southwestern city like Houston. Like Houston, the weather there is hot (although dry). Based on their fifteen years of positive bike-racks-on-buses experience, their Metro decided to integrate bicycles and train modes by putting vertical bike hangers on its light rail. Each of their rail cars will be able to carry eight bicycles safely out of the way of passengers, as opposed to the two which can be carried on our rail cars, and only during off-peak times, and our bikes can potentially roll and crash into other passengers, since they aren't in any kind of rack system.

Given the sprawling nature of Houston, it is important that our METRO makes decisions similar to that of Phoenix. It is simply unrealistic to expect people to walk a mile in the heat & humidity to get to the train. Several people at a recent METRO Board meeting asked the Board of Directors, "I'd like to use the train, but where will I be able to park my car near the station?" Obviously, they don't get it! The point of the train is that you don't use your car at all, you leave your car at home. But bicycle riding will indeed allow them to travel a mile or so from their home or office to the train station quickly, in five minutes or so, before they dangerously overheat in our sweltering climate.

If the train draws people riding bikes from one mile away to each station, it will be far more successful than if it were only able to draw pedestrians from a quarter-mile away. A one-mile radius circle has sixteen times more area than a quarter-mile radius circle, after all. It is extremely important that citizens make their preferences known to METRO. I am urging all cyclists, transit fans, and environmentalists to write to Mr. Frank Wilson, the CEO of METRO, to let him know that:

The new fleet of light rail cars needs vertical bike hangers, which will minimize conflicts between cyclist and non-cyclist passengers
The rush-hour bike prohibition needs to be lifted
Ample safe and secure bike parking needs to be provided at all transit stops (a mix of regular bike racks and totally enclosed, highly secure lockers)
The folding-bikes policy (unlimited times, unlimited numbers, must be covered) needs to be maintained

Please write a polite letter in your own words to Mr. Frank Wilson CEO, METRO, 1900 Main St., P.O. Box 61429 Houston, TX 77208-1429

Also send copies of your letter to your Mayor and City Council Member, your Harris County Commissioner, and your U.S. Congressional Representative.

I thank you in advance for your help. Please join with me in helping to make Houston and Harris County greener, more sustainable places. And please forward this message to anyone who you think will help in this effort.

Sincerely,

Peter Wang, LCI

League of American Bicyclists Cycling Instructor, BikeHouston Advisory Board Member, Citizens Transportation Coalition Member

*Folding bikes are allowed on the light rail at all times, if they are covered

Houston City Council TIA Committee Meeting Today

2008-05-30T15:27:00.000-07:00

Transportation Infrastructure and Aviation Committee met today in the City Hall Council Chambers. Chair: CM Sue Lovell. Topic: METRO Consent Agreement

Christof Spieler of CTC spoke to the need to put Complete Street principles into the METRO - City of Houston Consent Agreement design appendix. I followed him, and reminded Council (and METRO CEO Frank Wilson who was seated 10 feet behind me in the audience) of the need for bike parking in the immediate vicinity of every transit stop. CM Peter Brown agreed with me, and CM Clutterbuck chimed in calling for more bike on train access, which I hadn't planned to talk about (because it's not related to the Consent Agreement), but I did not stop her! CM Adams said that she looked forward to riding a bike to the train someday, and I invited her to take a cycling class with us.

Harris County Judge Ed Emmett writes

2008-01-02T19:43:00.000-08:00

January 2, 2008

Mr. Frank Wilson
President and Chief Executive Officer
Metropolitan Transit Authority

Dear Frank:

Currently METRO allows bicyclists on board during off-peak hours. While this is helpful towards general mobility, commuter bicyclists work the same business hours as other transit customers and commuters. Restricting access during the peak travel periods significantly reduces the usefulness of this transit option.

Before long, I look forward to METRO's announcement that all light rail cars have been equipped with bicycle racks and that bicyclists will have open access during all operational time periods.

Sincerely,
Ed Emmett
County Judge

"there really was no discussion about not including bike racks on light rail"

2007-11-19T18:29:00.000-08:00

The decision to include bike racks on Valley Metro Rail's light rail vehicles was based upon a previous decision to equip all buses in the Phoenix and Valley Metro fleets with bike racks. The decision to add bike racks on all buses was made about 15 years ago (+/-) and today all buses in the region are equipped with these racks. The addition of bike racks on buses was an immediate success, improved ridership and improved access to the bus system. Given the success of the bus bike rack program and the long standing Valley Metro and Phoenix policies to include this feature on all buses, there really was no discussion about not including bike racks on light rail. Including bike racks was a given at the beginning of the LRT design phase. By the way, we will also have bike racks at several of the LRT stations for those who don't want to take their bike on light rail.

The only discussions we had were regarding the location of the racks on the vehicle, what type of rack to use, and how many to provide. We concluded that there would be four hanging racks per vehicle and decided to locate them in the center, articulation section, of the light rail vehicle. Our decision to use hanging racks was based upon success with similar racks in other light rail cities. (I think we first saw these racks in San Jose, but I'm not sure on this one.)

I hope this helps.

Wulf Grote, PE
Director, Project Development
METRO (Phoenix, AZ)