HOUSTON – The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County has been working on a new way to travel between downtown and uptown, as these areas are two of Houston’s largest employment and activity centers.
Although METRO provides local bus service on city streets, there’s no rapid transit connection between downtown and uptown.
And if you’re wondering, “What’s METRORapid?” It’s a transit service that combines elements of light rail and bus to deliver a faster, smoother and more convenient ride.
The METRORapid Inner Katy Project will help connect uptown and downtown and now they may have an idea of what that rapid transit connection may look like.
METRO’s Board of Directors approved a potential design and it’ll have bus-only lanes running in each direction along the middle lanes of the Katy Freeway and is to branch off after reaching Washington Avenue. This new alignment will help reduce travel time and improve schedule reliability for thousands of riders. You can see more here. Remember, this design isn’t set in stone yet, the alignment could change.
What you need to know:
- The first phase of the Inner Katy Project is between the Northwest Transit Center and Downtown Houston.
- Provide a direct connection with METRORapid Silver Line from the Northwest Transit Center so you can ride from Downtown to Uptown without having to transfer.
- Link with several METRO local and Regional Express routes - increasing connectivity to Texas Medical Center, Greenway Plaza, Memorial Park and Westchase.
- METRO is hoping to open this service by 2027
If you have any comments or just want to learn more about the project METRO will have a virtual meeting Wednesday, May 4 from 6-7 p.m. You can click here for more information on how to register for the event.