[PRCo] Re: Houston Light Rail

[Jim Holland]

Good Morning!


> AProchek at aol.com wrote:

> Well, they are testing out our new light rail system
> in Houston.


	This is just south of Canonsburg, Yes?!:)    Wonder if they will
run it through and connect to South Hills Village Line  --  Hope
it is Broad-Gauge!:)


> ....... Plus I don't think its going to get a good
> rep - it hasn't opened yet and we've already had
> three (maybe 4) vehicle accidents.    I think the
> first one was with a reporter who was sent to
> cover it!    We have this insane "no left turn"
> rule when you are on main street (yes, you! have
> to right turn yourself around a block to go left),


	Nothing at all unusual about a ban on left-turns in the city 
--  this is multiples of decades old.    Some cities restricted
it to rush-hours to keep a smooth flow of traffic.

	Even here in San Francisco, California-Presidio (w-e-l-l  away
from downtown)  is  NO Left Turn into Presidio Westbound  All 
The  Time  while an eastbound left turn into Presidio is banned
only 4-6--PM!

	Was a real problem in San Jose when light rail first opened as
well.    The VTA runs in center of the highway prw  --  as such,
not unlike a freeway median.    The mentality is that Nothing
runs in  *a*  median and since  *I*  am not able to drive in that
median, nothing else  drives // operates there   ---   it takes
time before this mental block is overcome.

	Even problems in San Francisco which Long practiced that the 
PAVED  trolleycar tracks on Market were a center divider that was
used by trolleycars only  --  NOT  other vehicles.    So when
these other vehicles made left turns across  no-drive  lanes, the
assumption is that nothing is there  --  until they get hit  -- 
by a trolleycar!

	Nothing really unique to Houston!

	I liked traffic flow when I was there in the mid-1990s  -- 
thought it was reasonably and logically laid out and easy to get
around.    But I didn't drive in commute hours either!!



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Jim

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