North Houston Transit Gets a Boost: METRO’s $4M BOOST 56 Project Upgrades Bus Routes and Sidewalks

As part of the rollout of the METRONext Moving Forward Plan, METRO Houston has begun work on the BOOST network — “a strategic plan for 17 high-ridership, frequent bus routes.”

Quadrants Special Edition 2025 Cover

Images courtesy of METRO.

4457 metronext boost map

METRO’s BOOST 56: A Boon for North Houston

The 56 Airline / Montrose line, a part of which runs through the North Houston District, is included in METRO’s BOOST 56 plan. Construction has already begun on the 4.5-mile stretch from Greenspoint Transit Center to West Road along Aldine Bender, Imperial Valley Drive, Northchase Drive, Greens Road and Benmar Drive. 

In its entirety, BOOST 56 is a seven-part project that stretches across 20 miles of the route between Greenspoint Transit Center and the Texas Medical Center. Improvements are designed to benefit commuters along the popular route and include enhancements like new or improved sidewalks along/near the route, improved accessibility along the route with safer crossings and new ramps for wheelchair and stroller access, bus shelters with lighting for improved safety and new trash cans, and digital, real-time bus arrival information.

The $4 million investment along major corridors in the area reflects an effort to improve the rider experience across the board by focusing on safety, reliability, and efficiency.

Serving Loyal Riders at Greenspoint Transit Center

According to the District’s 2020 Livable Centers Study, the Greenspoint Transit Center averages over 1,800 daily boardings each weekday between northbound and southbound stops. The North Houston District is served by seven local express and shuttle bus lines, all of which converge on the Greenspoint Transit Center, where buses stage along the southbound side of Greenspoint Drive around the clock.  

  • The 6 Jensen/Greens begins at the transit center and travels along Benmar Drive, Imperial Valley Drive, and Greens Road before continuing down Jensen Drive to Downtown.
  • The 56 Airline/Montrose originates at the transit center and follows the one-way loop before heading east along Greens Road and then south along Imperial Valley Drive. The route continues towards the Texas Medical Center via the Northline Transit Center.
  • The 85 Antoine/Washington exits at the transit loop and proceeds westbound along Greens Road before continuing along its namesake streets to Downtown.
  • The 86 FM 1960 – Imperial Valley exits at the transit loop and travels east along Greens Road before heading north along Imperial Valley Drive. Buses turn left at FM 1960 and travel to Willowbrook Mall.
  • The 99 Ella – FM 1960 starts at the Lone Star College North Houston campus and passes through the transit center before continuing to the I-45 frontage roads.
  • The 102 Bush IAH Express, coming from the airport, enters North Houston from Beltway 8 and begins making local stops along Imperial Valley Drive and Greens Road before servicing the transit center. The line then runs express down I-45 to Downtown.
  • The 399 Kuykendahl Shuttle provides service from the Kuykendahl Park & Ride and Kuykendahl Road before following the path of the 99 Ella – FM 1960 along Ella Boulevard/Greens Road and ending at the transit center.

Tangible Changes for Transit Users 

BOOST 56 aims to be a transformative project, including upgraded shelters, lighting and signage at bus stops as well as ensuring that all sidewalks adjacent to bus stops on the route are continuous and at least 5-6 feet in width. 

Another major improvement includes raising the curb height at all bus stops along the route to 10 inches—approximately 3-5 inches taller than a standard curb. “This will make it easier for riders to load and unload buses, as the taller curb will be flush with the bus’s threshold, enabling them to walk onto the bus rather than step up from a lower height,” says North Houston District Vice President of Planning & Infrastructure, Robert Fiederlein.

METRO also generously included several intersections, like Benmar Drive and Imperial Valley Drive, that are technically not on the 56 route. Rather than completing some upgrades in the area and not others, the project will address surrounding areas as well and extend the updated look and feel throughout. Another similar addition that METRO elected to address is the Benmar corridor from West Hardy to Greenspoint Drive. 

The cover of Quadrants Fall 2024 shows Karen Marshall seated in an orange chair, wearing a green blazer, in front of a window with greenery outside. Text highlights include "Driving Change with Houston METRO," "Leading Ladies," "Parks Progress," and "Savvy Safety."

Read our interview with Karen Marshall, Director of Ridership & Client Services at METRO. As a Leading Lady of North Houston, she is leading the charge on improving mobility and transit in the area.

photo of major highway with office and green space all in one shot on a beautiful blue sky day

Tackling Infrastructure Improvements Together

BOOST 56 complements the District’s recently completed Airline Drive sidewalk project, as well as an upcoming project from N. Houston Development Corporation (TIRZ 11) to improve bus stops and pedestrian infrastructure on Greens Rd. from Ella Blvd. to Greenspoint Dr., along with the District’s H-GAC Transportation Policy Council Grant project for sidewalk, crosswalk, and other pedestrian improvements on Imperial Valley Drive, Regional Park Drive, Wayforest Drive, and Harvest Time Lane.

With our prime location being one of the biggest assets of the North Houston District, our focus on long term mobility includes strengthening public transportation systems and addressing walkability. We will continue to collaborate with partners like METRO, City of Houston, Harris County, TxDOT & HCTRA to improve mobility and access on freeways and local roadways in the area, and we are excited to see the BOOST 56 project take shape.

Stay tuned for updates and visit https://www.ridemetro.org/about/metronext/boost-and-signature for details. 

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