Planetizen Newswire
Keep up with essential planning news and commentary, delivered to your inbox every Monday and Thursday.
Houston
Living in Texas this week has reminded me how dependent we are on infrastructure—and how interdependent these systems are. It's time we started investing in infrastructure as if it really matters to our daily lives.
Bill Fulton via Medium
Despite Houston's reputation for sprawl, the city has made impressive efforts to build out its bike infrastructure.
Rice Kinder Institute for Urban Research
Despite every manner of local opposition, the Texas Department of Transportation is pushing forward with a plan to widen Interstate 45 north of the city of Houston, demolishing and displacing thousands of homes, businesses, and community facilities.
Houston Chronicle
Minor pedestrian-oriented improvements alone won't improve walkability if infrastructure still prioritizes fast-moving vehicles, according to this article.
City Observatory
Hispanics are the only racial group projected to increase their rate of homeownership over the next two decades, according to a new analysis.
Houston Chronicle
The downtown freeway expansion will displace thousands of housed and unhoused residents and hundreds of small businesses.
Houston Press
Blog post
Checking in with the numerous risks in the housing market as the economic fallout of the pandemic as approaches it approaches its second year.
Fans of Houston probably won't want to watch this video that calls the Space City a "jumbled up garbage town."
Half as Interesting
After decades of fighting landfills and pollution in their community, residents of Sunnyside are working to build a more sustainable future.
One Breath Partnership
In Houston, 60 percent of serious automobile crashes occur on 6 percent of the city's streets. A New Vision Zero Action Plan will focus safety improvements on those streets with a high density of traffic deaths and serious injuries.
City of Houston Mayor's Office
With plenty of space to build and an increasingly diverse economy, Houston continues to attract up-and-coming developments offering jobs, housing, and entertainment for the city's growing population.
Houston Chronicle
The new Spring Branch Trail in northwest Houston is a 'harbinger' of more bike and pedestrian infrastructure to come.
Houston Chronicle
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has revised a plan to protect the Houston region from flooding by tossing out a proposed tunnel and opting instead to dig Buffalo Bayou wider and deeper.
Houston Chronicle
Land banks and community land trusts are finding new ways to work together in light of the ongoing housing affordability crisis and the new economic pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Land Lines
A new study published in the Land Use Policy journal explains how Houston's rapid expansion occurred, and why it matters.
Rice Kinder Institute for Urban Research: The Urban Edge
With more than 50,000 acres of parkland, Houston is one of many cities to notice an increase in use of natural areas. Natural Resources Manager Kelly Ondracek is drafting a plan to protect the natural lands from development.
Next City
The final environmental impact statement for the controversial North Houston Highway Improvement Project is available for public comment, courtesy of the Texas Department of Transportation.
Community Impact Newspaper
A fitness tracking app reports dramatic increases in bike ridership since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.
Bloomberg CityLab
Another example of the growing political and planning opposition to the idea of tolling new roads in Texas.
Houston Chronicle
The Federal Railroad Administration has granted two key permissions for Texas Central to operate a high-speed trail between Houston and Dallas.
Houston Chronicle