The new board chair of Houston's Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County recently shared her ideas for the future of the transit agency.
Ryan Holleywell sends a dispatch from a roundtable discussion with Houston the new board chair of the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO), Carrin Patman.
According to Holleywell, Patman laid out five big ideas for METRO, namely:
- The development of a regional transit plan for the Houston area.
- Fixing sidewalks and bus stops to help boost ridership.
- Connecting light rail to Hobby Airport.
Those ideas and two more are described in more detail in the article. Interestingly, Patman shares some light criticism of the highly regarded "re-imagining" of the METRO bus system, saying that some residents were left behind by the new system's focus on frequency, rather than coverage.
Hat tip to Angie Schmitt for sharing the article, and for noting Patman's focus on improving sidewalks and bus stops.
Read the full story: Houston METRO Chair Shares Five Big Ideas for System’s Future
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Eastern Nebraska is running out of electricity
Data centers and electrification are straining eastern Nebraska’s grid, throttling economic development.
Move over, LA: St. Louis gears up for Olympics, invests millions in downtown redevelopment
The Missouri city will host the 2028 Olympic soccer group stage and knockout matches.
Dallas releases zoning code overhaul to officials
The drafted overhaul is over 400 pages long.
NYC renovations for dangerous, ‘mercilessly crammed’ street delayed until 2027
Construction was supposed to begin this fall.
San Diego’s Midway Rising project gets greenlight from city council
The project looks to become the largest affordable housing development in California's history.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello