News of rail sinking in with residents near construction spots

(10/19/07 - KTRK/HOUSTON) (KTRK) -- One day after METRO officials gave their thumbs up to a controversial plan to expand the light rail system, word is starting to spread along that route that the change is coming. But METRO is promising to make the transition less painful than the first time.

On the east end of the University line, you don't have to look hard to know that along Wheeler, rail is not considered good news.

"The rail's going to make it too congested," said Lillie Johnson, who opposes the rail. "We have a lot of senior citizens on this street and it's very difficult already."

Despite Lillie's misgivings, the light rail will eventually run right in front of her house. But the opinion about the University line softens as you head west from Wheeler to Richmond, where Barbara Keener wasn't an early believer. "That was my first opinion, was to be afraid," she said.

Over time, though, the hair dresser who lives and works along Richmond has changed her opinion.

"I want to give them a chance," she told us. "Because I feel that if I can remain in this spot where I've been for the last 11 years, it's only going to make my business better."

METRO says the Richmond rail will stop at Cummins, where the train will turn towards Westpark. But to get there, it will have to build an elevated portion over the freeway.

METRO says it learned from building the Main Street line and says the University line will be done in segments to offer the least amount of disruptions.

That's good news for Keener, but Johnson says she just can't be convinced.

"It's just something we can't be happy about," she said.

Part of the new University line will actually run over the Southwest Freeway at Cummins and even over a nearby shopping center. But that's still a few years away.
(Copyright © 2007, KTRK-TV)

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