The trees so carefully placed along the MLK median could soon give way to trains.

KHOU - TV

Metro’s plan to improve mobility calls for new lanes in the center of MLK, first for new guided buses, and eventually for light rail.

Dee Simon is having none of it. “We’re not willing to see our boulevard, named after one of our heroes, torn up. Look at the damage light rail construction has caused downtown, and it still hasn’t recovered.”

She’s worried about what would happen to children at Peck elementary, and wonders how a rail line would affect the only road she can use to leave her subdivision.

So her neighbors got together - and came to the Metro board meeting with what they call a solution.

“Run light rail to the back behind our subdivision, that’s all we’re asking,” said Simmon.

Board members listened to the plan to take the current proposal that runs the rail on Wheeler, south of the University of Houston - and extend it to the Texas Spur 5.

The line would then run through now-vacant land, instead of through MLK.

But the board chairman countered - such a route would cut ridership by 2400 passengers a day, and threaten federal funding.

“We can’t just wiggle around every time somebody shows up. This process went on for six years like I said we had 140 meetings. At some point you have to make a decision, and stick with it,” said Metro Board Chairman David Wolff.

Which is what Metro says it’s doing.

Even though Simon says she’ll fight on, to preserve the tree-lined MLK.

Houston City Council member Ada Edwards says she supports the light-rail line down MLK in its current configuration, as did other neighbors who showed up to a hearing Thursday.

Metro says it expects to begin construction on the guided bus portion of that line - early next year.