ByThe City of Houston is expected to nominate four new board members to METRO this week who will have a significant say in the future of the area's public transit.The future of public transportation in Harris County will lie in the hands of a new METRO board, as Houston City Council plans to vote onThe new board will need to address the population growth in the Greater Houston area over the next five to 10 years and how our transit systems must adjust to accommodate commuter needs.
Ed Emmett, a fellow in energy and transportation policy at Rice University, said METRO has seen fewer people using its buses and light rail systems in downtown Houston after the COVID-19 pandemic. Emmett believes it needs to go beyond adding more lanes in traffic for drivers. He anticipates most of the population growth in the next decade will be in surrounding counties such as Fort Bend, Montgomery, and Brazoria. Therefore, he thinks METRO will need to collaborate and connect with transportation agencies in surrounding counties to develop creative solutions.
"If we want people to get out of their cars and off the freeways, they still have to provide convenient transportation for people who are going to work every day," Race said.METRO unveils autonomous shuttle and electric vehicle: 'Next phase of our strategic plan' To achieve equity, public transportation agencies may factor in climate change impacts and evaluate how that plays into their commitment to reducing their carbon footprint.