The METRO board unanimously approved $40 million to repair roadways, sidewalks and bus stops along busy transit routes in Houston. METRO Interim President and CEO Thomas Jaisen said the amount is a small part of the agency's $1.7 billion budget. He said the work should improve road conditions, reduce disruptions and make trips smoother for passengers and drivers.
Transit advocates criticized the decision. The group LINK Houston said the money should instead be used to improve transit service for riders. Jaisen said the investment is an appropriate use of agency resources, that METRO is authorized under state law to make such investments, and that roads are the routes buses travel on.
METRO said it has made road repairs in the past and is expanding that work through a partnership with the City of Houston. The city said the two agencies will work together to identify roadways and corridors along METRO routes that need priority attention. Jaisen said METRO will measure the investment's impact using on-time bus performance, feedback from riders and drivers, and the condition of its buses. No completion date has been set. The timeline depends on individual projects and other infrastructure work already underway by the Texas Department of Transportation and the city.