Voters this week approved a plan by the Metro Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas, that greenlights a $3.5 billion bond referendum to finance 500 miles of travel improvements.
Known as the METRONext Moving Forward Plan, it is a response to METRO’s estimations for the region: a growth of more than 3 million people over the next 20 years. To address this, the plan calls for 290 miles of route enhancements, bus service with accessibility and usability improvements for riders-in-need, 75 miles of METRORapid bus service, 21 new or improved Park and Ride transit centers and a 16-mile METRORail extension for Hobby airport. It was tailored to community feedback the Metro Transit Authority gathered from three years of open houses and community meetings.
The development of the various projects will begin soon. The exact routes of METRORapid and METRORail connections have yet to be finalized and require still further community involvement before completion. The METRO intends to borrow up to $3.5 billion in bonds to meet needs. Funding for the rest of the plan, which will total approximately $7.5 billion, will likely come from matching federal grants and future revenue.
METRO insists no tax increase will be associated with METRONext efforts.