Seattle traffic congestion seen from Rizal Park

Is Traffic Congestion a Con?

Last month, INRIX issued a new report on urban traffic congestion worldwide, with new rankings for U.S. metro areas. Has expanding freeway capacity failed or were comparison metrics poorly chosen?

Houston Most Affordable High-Growth Metro

by Tory Gattis — Houston is the most affordable high-growth metro, with rents more affordable than Dallas, Austin or even San Antonio. Other affordable metros are slow-growth to stagnant or declining.
Tory Gattis talks with KAS about Houston's pandemic response

Klineberg plugs Houspitality, HTX outbuilds NYC, escape from New York, and more

by Tory Gattis — if you're looking for something new to read during this lockdown, I wanted to suggest a new book from Rice's Stephen Klineberg: The Prophetic City - Houston on the Cusp of a Changing America, all about how we've evolved over recent decades through the lens of his annual Houston Area Survey. Houston Strategies and Houspitality get a mention!
Urban Transit Post-Pandemic: Charles Blain and Tory Gattis discuss

Post-Pandemic Transit and Offices, Remote Work Reducing Rents, and More

by Tory Gattis — This week's key topics consider how we've faced the challenges of the pandemic and what transit and work might look like post-pandemic.
Conceptual view of future suburbia

Debating Deed Restrictions and Zoning, Office vs. Remote Work and More

by Tory Gattis — Will remote work become the norm? Even after the crisis eases, companies may let workers stay home. That would affect an entire ecosystem, from transit to restaurants to shops.
I-45N junction with the 10Dhanix, used under CC 3.0 License

The City of Houston’s Problematic Requests for the I-45N Project

by Erik Slotboom — Within weeks or months of a record of decision on this 10 year plan — the I-45N project, CoH is abruptly changing its position and is requesting drastic changes that are harmful to mobility, safety, and aesthetics.
Houston Metro Transit Bus

More on How Density and Transit Relate to the Pandemic

by Tory Gattis — The last week has been crazy, with many new items coming over the wire, related to last week's post on how density and transit relate to the pandemic.
New York CIty Subway

How Density and Transit Relate to the Pandemic

by Tory Gattis — Our main theme this week is the relationship between density, transit, and the pandemic: it's now clear that the exposure density from how we live, work and get around fueled the pandemic.
The "Darth Vader" house in West University

Our Double Black Swan, Density vs. Pandemic, and More

Houston has been reeling from oil-market chaos and a coronavirus shutdown. Houston CFO Chris Brown has taken to calling the city's situation a “double black swan.”
Declining new coronavirus cases in Houston area

Virus declining, future of cities, a gathering place park for Houston, and more

by Tory Gattis — Hope everyone is staying safe - things are starting to look pretty good here in Houston, let's hope the trend of virus cases declining holds