Houston Metro Transit Bus

BRT Should Use Shared Not Dedicated Lanes, HTX #1 real estate market, and more

METRO's Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) plan should use shared lanes rather than dedicated lanes to minimize traffic congestion.
Future of Cities Series: Conclusion

The Future of Cities: Conclusion

Over five millennia, cities have demonstrated their essential resiliency. They now are transforming to a pattern based on digital commuting.
The rebuild of 45N could hasten the demise of downtown Houston

Is the 18 year Rebuild of 45N a Good Thing or Will it Kill Downtown?

Will the two decades long rebuild of 45N eventually ease traffic, or will it cause employers to move to the suburbs and permanently shift to remote work, killing economic vitality in the downtown area of Houston?
Lot size reform puts money in pocket of Houston homeowners

Problem, We Have a Houston – Lot Size Reform Equivalent to $18K Gift for Single-Family Homeowners

Houstonians got a free $18k from minimum lot size reform, but is Houston sliding towards zoning? Houston tops standard of living rankings.
I-45N junction with the 10Dhanix, used under CC 3.0 License

Experts Spar Over Induced Demand and Urban Freeway Expansion

Experts spar over whether urban freeway expansion results in less congestion or not; does added capacity simply lead more drivers to use the freeway?
Houston PAC aimed at regional transportation planning and funding.

Charter Amendment Petition Aimed at Regional Transportation Funding Underway

A new group called the Houston-Galveston Area PAC has launched a petition effort focused on reforming the Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC), the region’s federally-chartered metropolitan planning organization.
Houston sneaking backdoor zoning ordinance

City of Houston Sneaking Through Backdoor Zoning

The City of Houston is trying to sneak through backdoor zoning with an ordinance authorizing "conservation districts". This legislation is open for public comment: we've included the link to make your opposition heard.
Live Speaker Panel: Views from The Left Coast

Views from The Left Coast

The Western US has long been an innovator in developing the urban form, notably in the creation of suburbanized, multipolar cities. Yet now that model is showing strain, and there’s a fierce debate about how western cities should grow.
Texas' $31BN Storm Barrier - known as the Ike Dike

Empty Downtowns, Blue-state Exodus Continues, and HTX Port Expansion

Empty downtowns persist as data shows strong economic incentives to continue the work-from-home revolution if jobs allow it, plus Houston port expansion seems to be paying off.
Texas and USA flags in snow

2022 Highlights

Time for our annual round-up of 2022 highlights — the best posts from the year, with this year featuring many great posts from Oscar Slotboom.