METRORail Green Line
| Green Line | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 |
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| Overview | |||
| Type | Light rail/Streetcar | ||
| System | METRORail | ||
| Status | Operating | ||
| Locale | Houston, Texas | ||
| Termini |
Theater District Station (west) Magnolia Transit Center Station (east) |
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| Stations | 9 | ||
| Operation | |||
| Opened | May 23, 2015 | ||
| Operator(s) | METRO | ||
| Character | Street running downtown, exclusive right-of-way elsewhere | ||
| Technical | |||
| Line length | 3.3 mi (5.3 km) | ||
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) | ||
| Electrification | Overhead cantenary | ||
| Highest elevation | Street level until Altic/Howard Hughes, then returns to street level. Elevated overpass between the streets. | ||
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The Green Line is a 3.3 mi (5.3 km)METRORail light rail/streetcar line operated by METRO in Houston, Texas, serving the East End area. The first seven-station segment of this line opened on May 23, 2015. The two-station eastern end of this route was delayed due to issues over crossing Union Pacific Railroad tracks, but eventually opened in January 2017.
Between Theater District and EaDo/Stadium stations, the Green Line shares tracks with the Purple Line. In downtown, the eastbound track runs along Capitol Street, while its westbound counterpart runs along Rusk Street. On both of these streets, trains operate in mixed traffic using the rightmost lane. Transfers to the Red Line will occur at the Fannin Station. Before crossing US 59 the 2 tracks converge onto a dedicated right-of-way along the south side of Texas Avenue to EaDo/Stadium Station, which will give access to the BBVA Compass Stadium where the MLS soccer team Houston Dynamo play. East of EaDo/Stadium Station, the Green Line and the Purple Line diverge, with the Purple Line turning south and the East End Line continuing east.
The Green line continues in a dedicated right-of-way on the south side of Harrisburg Road, which transitions to the center of Harrisburg Road at Middleton Street. It remains in the median to its eastern terminus at Altic/Howard Hughes Station.
In the future, a six-block long bridge will carry the line over freight rail tracks located on Harrisburg and Hughes, extending the line eastward to the Magnolia Transit Center. Construction of this bridge began in March 2015.
Phase I of construction was due to be completed by spring 2012, with Phase II scheduled to be complete by summer 2012, and a planned opening in 2013 or 2014. By fall 2010, it became clear that a late 2013 opening was impossible, and the line would not open until late 2014.
Problems with non-MetroRAIL construction projects downtown, as well as with the axle-counters used to regulate light rail traffic, subsequently pushed back the opening of the line to April and then May 2015.
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Wikipedia