East End/Green Line (METRORail)

East End / Green Line
Overview
Type	Light rail
System	METRORail
Status	Under construction
Locale	Houston, Texas
Termini	Smith Station (west) Magnolia Transit Center Station (east)
Stations	6
Operation
Opened	Estimated 2014
Operator(s)	METRO
Technical
Line length	3.3 mi (5 km)
Electrification	overhead cantenary
Highest elevation	Street level until past Altic Station heading east

The East End/Green Line is a planned 3.3 mi (5 km) METRORail light rail route that will be designed, constructed, and operated by METRO in Houston, Texas.

Route

The East End Line begins at Smith Station, which is also a part of the Southeast/Purple Line, but is shared with this line to provide transfers upon arrival at Bastrop Station. Traveling eastward, the line continues on Harrisburg for its entire duration, making stops at York, Lockwood, and Altic. A six block long bridge will carry the line over freight rail tracks located on Harrisburg and Hughes, continuing onward to Cesar Chavez/67th Street Station, with the eastern terminus at the Magnolia Transit Center.

Construction

Phase I of construction is due to be completed by Winter 2012, and Phase II commenced April 2010, with a new completion date of 2014.

Opposition

As early as about a month after construction began for this line, it has been reported that there exists opposition to this line, particularly because of the installation of the six-block long bridge meant to avoid the freight railroad. Further opposition to this line has arisen as people have begun to notice a loss in business in areas where construction is taking place. Metro has since decided to build a portion of the line and all lanes of traffic would go under the railroad crossing.

Stations

The following is a list of planned stations for the East End Line, listed in order from west to east:

East End/Green Line
Theater District
Central Station Main*
Convention District
EaDo/Stadium**
Coffee Plant/Second Ward
Lockwood/Eastwood
Altic/Howard Hughes
Cesar Chavez/67th Street
Magnolia Park

*Note: Station shared with Red Line to provide transfers between the two lines

**Note: Station shared with Southeast/Purple Line to provide transfers between the two lines

Expansion

A possible expansion for the line would bring it south from the Magnolia transit center to converge with the Southeast/Purple Line at a station yet to be named, and moving along the same right-of-way to Hobby Airport.

External links

• METRO Official Website
• METRO Solutions
• Knight, Paul. "Light Rail Construction On The East End Line Not Going Smoothly For Businessowners." Houston Press. Friday January 22, 2010.
• Go METRORail