When the Houston Metro debuted they had planned to keep parts of the route open to cars. After recent crashes that might change.
"The Metropolitan Transit Authority's new Green and Purple lines in downtown that run eastbound along Capitol and westbound along Rusk for about a mile continue to confuse traffic signal timing and drivers," Dug Begley reports for the Houston Chronicle.
While approximately 5% of the Metro runs on shared lanes, 30% of crashes on these lanes. This has lead some to speculate that these lanes will be transitioned to transit only, but others point out that the system was built with the understanding that traffic would have access to those lane,s and if changes were made, lawsuits would follow. So far, specific plans have not been released.
FULL STORY: Metro rethinking shared rail lanes downtown
Houston Adding New Bus Shelters
Metro plans to add 2,000 new shelters at bus stations in the next five years.
Houston Traffic Deaths Dipped in 2022
Fatal crashes killed slightly fewer people in 2022 than in 2021, but deaths are still significantly higher than in 2019.
Replacing Houston's Missing Ghost Bikes
A Houston couple is asking for help installing 'ghost bike' memorials, a stark reminder of the dangers of unsafe roads to cyclists.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Congressman Proposes Bill to Rename DC Metro “Trump Train”
The Make Autorail Great Again Act would withhold federal funding to the system until the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), rebrands as the Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access (WMAGA).
The Simple Legislative Tool Transforming Vacant Downtowns
In California, Michigan and Georgia, an easy win is bringing dollars — and delight — back to city centers.
Albuquerque’s Microtransit: A Planner’s Answer to Food Access Gaps
New microtransit vans in Albuquerque aim to close food access gaps by linking low-income areas to grocery stores, cutting travel times by 30 percent and offering planners a scalable model for equity-focused transit.
This City Will Pay You to Meet Your Neighbors
A North Kansas City grant program offers up to $400 for residents to throw neighborhood block parties.
Commentary: Our Silence Will Not Protect Us
Keeping our heads down and our language inoffensive is not the right response to the times we’re in. Solidarity and courage is.
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.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)