HOUSTON – The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County has a huge project underway called the new Inner Katy Bus Rapid Transit Line, which will run along IH-10 connecting riders from West Loop into downtown Houston.
This is an exciting new project with the potential to be a core trunk line, a transportation system linking our number top two job centers, downtown and uptown.
Right now, this new Bus Rapid Transit line is still in the very beginning stages and Houston METRO is still working to finalize a design, but folks can expect it to look a lot like the Silver Line in uptown.
“METRORapid stations and platforms will have the same look and amenities as metro rail stations and platforms,“ according to Tracy Jackson with Houston METRO.
BRT Lines are bus-only lanes made for faster travel and this new line will be nearly eight miles long, mixed into traffic along the Katy Freeway between the West Loop and Downtown.
“The two biggest benefits to this project is that it’ll improve transit connections, and help reduce traffic congestion,” says Jackson.
This is the first time we’ve seen BRT lines on an actual highways and folks are excited.
“This is kind of the first step to the next generation of transit in Houston,” Wilson Calvert, a TSU Transportation Planning student said.
This transportation service will offer a much more premium experience, when compared to a park and ride service or a local bus route. Many would consider it better as the buses will have their own lanes, which means they’ll never be slowed down by cars.
Houston METRO says they’ll decide on a design for this one seat ride sometime in November. The whole project will cost nearly $450 million dollars and is expected to be done by 20-27.