METRO board approves $1.7 billion budget with $40 million for road, sidewalk and bus stop work

The METRO board approved a roughly $1.7 billion budget for fiscal year 2027 at its Wednesday meeting, including $40 million for road, sidewalk and bus stop improvements.

Several members of the public criticized the budget, saying repaving roads is the city of Houston's job, not the transit authority's. Attendees also raised concerns about access and service and asked about the shelving of the METRONext Project from 2019.

Robin Holzer, executive director of transit advocacy group LINK Houston, said the money would be better spent on buses, expanded service hours and safer transit infrastructure.

"Using this $40 million instead to buy more buses, expand service hours or build safer transit infrastructure into great streets, could all make real improvements for the people who ride every day," Holzer said.

METRO Chair Elizabeth Gonzalez Brock defended the allocation, saying the funding is part of keeping METRO services in a state of good repair.

"This is making sure we give just a basic standard of ridership. People deserve to have good roads to ride on and deserve to have the bus shelters in place ... and sidewalks," Gonzalez Brock said. "We also owe it to our riders to make sure they are safe."

The new budget is slightly smaller than last year's roughly $2 billion plan. METRO had initially considered reducing bus and transit services but dropped the idea after public backlash.

The board's vote keeps current service levels in place for fiscal year 2027 and approves the $40 million for sidewalk, bus stop and roadway projects.