HOUSTON — More roadwork is underway in the Heights area with the so-called "floating bus stops" that were put in just a few months ago already being taken out.
It's the latest in the ongoing road construction controversy with the Heights 11th Street Project.
Heights Boulevard is a popular thoroughfare where METRO buses used to share the bike lane when they would pull over to pick up or drop off passengers.
Then, floating bus stops were installed. They're basically sidewalk-height concrete islands for passengers. The elevated stops buffer the bike lanes and force buses to stop in a single-moving lane of traffic.
After a few months, how did bicyclists, who were supposed to benefit, feel about the plan?
"Floating bus stops are causing congestion and cars are hitting them. They're driving right into the curb," Richard Apthorpe said.
METRO Deputy Chief of Communications Tracy Jackson said while the City of Houston installed the bus stops, "METRO has taken on the responsibility of having them removed. It’s gonna cost about $150,000."
KHOU 11 News emailed Houston's Chief Transportation Planner David Fields asking about the cost of installation, the extent of safety problems and why the plan wasn't studied better ahead of time to avoid the cost and aggravation of unneeded road work.
Here's Jackson's reply: "This is not indicative of METRO's collaboration with the City of Houston, but we will try some things in order to improve travel for the city and region. Some things will work. Some won’t. We are not afraid to say that doesn’t work and we're gonna correct it."
Fields replied saying KHOU should submit a a Public Information Act Request to Houston Public Works for the cost of installation and ask Metro about safety issues with the floating bus stops.
As for studying the floating bus stops before installing," Fields said. “Floating bus stops have been implemented in multiple locations throughout the City.”
However, Metro told us Heights Boulevard had the only floating bus stops in Houston. We’ll follow up to learn more. Meanwhile, METRO buses will return to sharing the bike lane and pulling up next to the sidewalk on Heights Boulevard to load and unload passengers.
Even some bike riders said the floating bus stops were less of a protection and more of a hindrance to all traffic.
"The floating bus stops really get in the way of the bike riders and the cars," Apthorpe said.
The removal and repairs should be finished by the end of September and the sections of the road will be reopened.