For The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO)

West Bellfort Park and Ride

When post-war cities in the United States exploded with master planned suburbs and the automobile became an inextricable ingredient of the American dream, transit authorities responded by proliferating the park and ride. 1960s breadwinners working in the city and living in the suburbs could park their car just a couple miles from home and avoid sputtering through the congested freeways connecting them with their downtown office. Today, Houston METRO operates 28 park and ride locations, and the system is used by residents of all ages to traverse our city’s horizontal plane without an automobile. 

‘Houston METRO’s West Bellfort Park and Ride, located southwest of downtown in a mix of freeway, industrial, and residential context, was a focus of research and visioning for UltraBarrio.’

Working from our intimate knowledge of being a transit rider in Houston and expertise in landscape architecture and urban design, UltraBarrio created a range of scenarios that promote multi-modal connectivity and provide key amenities to the surrounding community. 

The work also encompassed a series of park and ride case studies drawn from across the country to identify West Bellfort’s unique qualities along with best practices for design intervention.

Research and scenarios developed through our process will be used by Houston METRO to inform future adaptations to the West Bellfort Park and Ride.