HOUSTON—Mass transit in major metropolitan areas may be reaching a fork in the road, according to Rand Stephens, principal and managing director of Avison Young. He says ridership is declining in both rail and bus services across the country. Factors such as lower gas prices, increased telecommuting, rising car ownership and of course, UBER and Lyft have all contributed to this trend in some metros.
Commuter cities including Houston are now faced with either continuing to invest in current transportation infrastructures or preparing for a variety of scenarios and outcomes. And while Amazon has not publicly stated why it dismissed Houston for its second headquarters, this has spurred an internal reflection of what this city has to offer and what can be improved upon.
“People are speculating about why we weren't short-listed by Amazon. I don't think Amazon wanted to compete with energy and healthcare, both of which are dominant industries here,” Stephens tells GlobeSt.com. “And, tech talent was one factor of Amazon's decision but mass transit is another. But, transportation change is coming.”
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Lisa Brown
Lisa Brown is an editor for the south and west regions of GlobeSt.com. She has 25-plus years of real estate experience, with a regional PR role at Grubb & Ellis and a national communications position at MMI. Brown also spent 10 years as executive director at NAIOP San Francisco Bay Area chapter, where she led the organization to achieving its first national award honors and recognition on Capitol Hill. She has written extensively on commercial real estate topics and edited numerous pieces on the subject.
