Government
BY DANIEL WEEKS
Fort Bend County plans bus services for commuting to downtown Houston
Fort Bend County commission- ers Oct. 24 approved updates for an upcoming commuter services project that would bus residents to downtown Houston. The gist The commuter bus service project was previously approved by the court in 2018 and will receive funding through the Houston-Galveston Area Council Commute Solutions Program using funds from the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality. It aims to “connect the rapidly growing regional suburbs in Sugar Land, Fort Bend County and the urban employment core of downtown Houston,” accord- ing to project documents. The project is scheduled to start in the first quarter of 2024 with planning and marketing currently ongoing. What else? According to the stated goals of the project, the service intends to bring: • Reduced reliance on personal vehicles
Five-year plan The first five years of the project is expected to come with: • $9 million in total gross expenses • Over 500,000 annual passengers • $2.8 million in fare revenue
SOURCE: FORT BEND COUNTY/COMMUNITY IMPACT
“By providing a reliable and convenient alternative to com- muting by personal automobiles, this project will encourage more individuals to choose transit over driving, thereby reducing traffic congestion and improving air quality,” a project document reads. Additionally, the documents state that the availability of downtown commuting services will improve economic opportuni- ties for residents due to reducing reliance on “expensive downtown parking” and allow for improved access to job centers. Information on the future sites of the com- muter services is not yet available.
• Enhanced transit options • Economic opportunities
County lifts burn ban due to rain
Fort Bend County Judge KP George officially rescinded a burn ban Oct. 6 that the Commissioners Court previously imposed Aug. 8. A news release from the county cited a decrease in high temperatures, an increase in rain and a drop in the Keetch-Byram Drought Index as reasons for canceling the burn ban.
What you need to know The burning guidelines set by the Texas Commission include: • No fire can be left unattended. • No fire should be within 50 feet of a residence or a structure. • No burning can take place at night.
9
SUGAR LAND - MISSOURI CITY EDITION
Powered by FlippingBook