Hindered by the pandemic and other factors, ridership numbers have been disappointingly low on the city's first BRT, but Metro officials are undeterred in their plans for future BRT lines.

Houston's new Silver Line bus rapid transit (BRT) line is seeing disappointingly low ridership in its first year and a half of operation, reports Dug Begley. "The line, which comes every 12 minutes and avoids Galleria-area congestion, is a vital route for those using it, but carrying less than 10 percent of the riders it was built for on opening day." The line is serving fewer than 800 riders a day, far fewer than the 12,000 daily riders predicted by Metro. "Park and ride service, which was expected to be a big lure for commuters into Uptown to hop the Silver Line, dropped from 33,000 trips on a typical day in the region to fewer than 4,000 when the BRT began operating on Post Oak."
But the city's transit officials are cautiously optimistic about the future of its other BRT projects, calling them "50-year projects" whose ridership will grow with time. "Many of those plans feed into major routes, including the Silver Line. As part of the $7.5 billion plan approved by voters in 2019, Metro anticipates making high occupancy toll lanes along many freeways bi-directional, meaning bus lanes both ways for park and ride lines to Uptown and downtown Houston, feeding into the Uptown transit center."
FULL STORY: Uh oh, Silver: Houston's first bus rapid transit line carries only fraction of ridership Metro predicted

Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

Updating LA’s Tree Rules Could Bring More Shade to Underserved Neighborhoods
A new USC study finds that relaxing Los Angeles’ outdated tree planting guidelines could significantly expand urban tree canopy and reduce shade disparities in lower-income neighborhoods, though infrastructure investments are also needed.

California's Canal Solar Projects Aim to Conserve Resources and Expand Clean Energy
California’s Project Nexus has begun generating electricity from solar panels installed over irrigation canals, with researchers and state agencies exploring statewide expansion to conserve water and boost clean energy production.

HHS Staff Cuts Gut Energy Assistance Program
The full staff of a federal program that distributes heating and cooling assistance for low-income families was laid off, jeopardizing the program’s operations.
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