Mayor Whitmire reversed his support for a planned road safety project that includes lane reductions, putting $40 million in federal funding in jeopardy.

Houston Mayor John Whitmire is threatening to derail a major road redesign project due to his recent opposition to vehicle lane reductions and bike infrastructure, reports Adam Zuvanich for Houston Public Media. “would rehabilitate the aging roadways, provide stormwater drainage improvements, bolster safety by reducing the incidence of fatal crashes and better accommodate pedestrians, cyclists and mass transit users.”
The $100 million Shepherd and Durham Major Investment Project, Zuvanich explains, “would rehabilitate the aging roadways, provide stormwater drainage improvements, bolster safety by reducing the incidence of fatal crashes and better accommodate pedestrians, cyclists and mass transit users,” according to a letter written by Whitmire himself years ago. Now, the mayor says he wants to see major changes to the design of the project that eliminate planned lane reductions.
Other city officials and local business owners question the decision, saying any delays put $40 million in federal funding in jeopardy. Additionally, killing the bike and pedestrian component of the project could have an impact on local businesses and pedestrian-oriented developments that have sprouted up since the project was announced. According to Ann Lents, the board chair for the Memorial Heights Redevelopment Authority, “[Independently completed traffic] reports concluded that the new design is not just appropriate for current traffic but for traffic in the future. The project is designed to encourage and support economic growth and development along the corridor – which we've seen explode since the project was announced.”
FULL STORY: Houston’s new mayor wants changes to Shepherd-Durham redesign, putting part of project at risk

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

Adaptive Reuse Will Create Housing in a Suburban Texas Strip Mall
A developer is reimagining a strip mall property as a mixed-use complex with housing and retail.

Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work
Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.

In U.S., Urban Gondolas Face Uphill Battle
Cities in Latin America and Europe have embraced aerial transitways — AKA gondolas — as sustainable, convenient urban transport, especially in tricky geographies. American cities have yet to catch up.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont