Tag Archives: pedestrians

Scooters banned from sidewalks

Fine by me. Houston has scuttled scooter rentals along city sidewalks, and kicked riders of the two-wheel transports in busy areas into the street. City Council on Wednesday approved changes to Houston’s codes outlawing any rental activity that impedes public … Continue reading

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Houston’s scooter problem

Wait, when did we get scooters? A plan in Houston to prohibit vendors from renting motorized scooters on city sidewalks has suppliers of the two-wheel contraptions revved up, and city officials holding the line to have scooters clear the way. … Continue reading

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

In which Houston becomes more walkable

It’s a start. On 19th Street, one of Houston’s most enduring strips of shops and restaurants, there is a vacant lot tucked between two stores, about a block from the landmark “Heights” sign. When developers recently expressed interest in putting … Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston, Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Driving may be down, but traffic fatalities are not down as much

It’s a bit of a conundrum. COVID-19 can keep millions of Texans at home and cut vehicle travel roughly in half in many cities, but cannot keep hundreds from dying on state roads — continuing a stubborn trend of carnage … Continue reading

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Goodbye, Greenlink

Another version of Metro’s downtown trolley system is shut down due to coronavirus, and likely won’t come back, at least not in that format. Downtown Houston’s free shuttle may have hauled its last passenger, a victim of the central district’s … Continue reading

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Goodbye, Greenlink

City moves forward on Vision Zero

Good. Mayor Sylvester Turner on Tuesday adopted a plan that aims to end traffic fatalities and serious traffic injuries in Houston by 2030. The “Vision Zero Houston” plan is considered a significant step in the city’s mobility strategy and will … Continue reading

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 22 Comments

A call to embrace scooters

Chron business writer Chris Tomlinson is a fan of scooters. After years of riding bicycles in traffic, I’m comfortable riding a scooter on the street where they belong. I find them a convenient and environmentally-friendly alternative to automobile congestion. But … Continue reading

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Scooters and the negative effect on disabled folks

A deep dive on the San Antonio experience. From the moment they appeared in cities across the country, the business model for electric scooters has depended on riders’ abandoning the machines wherever the ride ends. Users unlock scooters with a … Continue reading

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Another look at scooter mayhem

From the Associated Press: As stand-up electric scooters have rolled into more than 100 cities worldwide, many of the people riding them are ending up in the emergency room with serious injuries. Others have been killed. There are no comprehensive … Continue reading

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Metro working on sidewalks

I heartily approve of this. Metropolitan Transit Authority is taking the lead on leveling sidewalks and bus stops to give riders an easier path to transit — or, in some cases, actual access to it. “This is a model of … Continue reading

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Better sidewalks needs to be everyone’s job

It’s the only way we’re going to make progress. Houstonians annoyed by cracked, missing or buckled sidewalks along their streets may be surprised to learn that city rules make residents responsible for fixing them. At the urging of council members … Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Scooters come to San Antonio

Beware, y’all. Electric scooters started popping up on the streets of San Antonio early Friday morning as part of an initiative by Los Angeles-based scooter-sharing company Bird to provide an alternative mode of transportation, mostly for those downtown. The scooters, … Continue reading

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Scooters come to San Antonio

Let’s kill fewer pedestrians and bicyclists

Crazy idea, right? Houston officials will find the 10 most dangerous intersections in the city and make safety adjustments where possible following a series of fatal bicycle crashes in 2018. Mayor Sylvester Turner announced the initiative on Bike to Work … Continue reading

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

The most dangerous places for pedestrians in Texas

There are a lot of them. Pedestrian safety is a priority driver safety issue in Texas – where non-motorist fatalities have steadily increased every year since 2012. At the Hill Law Firm, we wanted to be a part of the … Continue reading

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on The most dangerous places for pedestrians in Texas

RIP, Peter Brown

A dedicated public servant and a heck of a nice guy. Former Houston city councilman, mayoral candidate and civic leader Peter Brown has died, his family said Tuesday. Brown, an architect and urban planner, was 81. “A loving father, committed … Continue reading

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Uber pulls driverless cars from San Francisco

Score one for the California DMV. Uber pulled its self-driving cars off San Francisco’s streets Wednesday after the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles revoked their registrations, effectively ending the company’s controversial pilot program after just one week. The move marked … Continue reading

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

What makes transit successful?

It’s pretty basic, as this report lays out. A new report released [Tuesday] by TransitCenter, a foundation dedicated to improving urban mobility, finds that developing transit in walkable areas and offering frequent, fast bus and rail service is the key … Continue reading

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The latest attempt to kill the Uptown BRT line

Whatever. “See this right turn lane filled up?” asked consultant Wayne Dolcefino to about a dozen angry Uptown residents, standing along Post Oak Boulevard near the intersection with San Felipe Street on Monday morning. “That’s going away. The right lane … Continue reading

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Uptown BRT construction officially begins

Here we go. Crews are relocating trees in preparation for two years of construction, starting in July. The Uptown Dedicated Bus Lanes Project will unfold in three phases, moving from north to south and starting with the West Loop to … Continue reading

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Reimagining Lower Westheimer

This ought to be interesting. Lower Westheimer is one of Houston’s most well-known streets, but on some fronts its reputation isn’t a positive one. Narrow and bumpy, the street is both a hub of retail and recreation activity and also … Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

My vision for Metro: Buses

I’ve said before that I would have some suggestions for new Metro Board Chair Carrin Patman and her team as they take their places. This post is where I start sharing those suggestions. The idea is to focus on proposals … Continue reading

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Feds rescind Universities line funding

Not a surprise at this point. A proposal for a light rail line along Richmond Avenue, long left for dead because of strong opposition and years of languishing, has lost its shot now for funding from the Federal Transit Administration. … Continue reading

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Feds rescind Universities line funding

Meet the toucan light

The first of its kind in Houston, though maybe not the last. The new traffic signal suspended above Appel at Yale and Seventh is a first for Texas, but also an adjustment for residents – some of whom are unsure … Continue reading

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

What do you do with a problem like I-10?

From a conversation that Cite Editor Raj Mankad conducted with Andrew Albers and Ernesto Alfaro, who co-teach a survey of landscape architecture at the Rice School of Architecture. Mankad: Let’s come back to I-10 and the failure of its… Alfaro: … Continue reading

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on What do you do with a problem like I-10?

Turner wants to rethink transportation

I like the way he’s thinking. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, in less than a month on the job, has hit the streets at full speed. First he tackled potholes. Last week he tackled a state transportation department that’s spent the … Continue reading

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Houston Tomorrow presents its Vision Zero plan

Here you go. Following other “vision zero” programs nationally, Houston Tomorrow encouraged officials – especially Houston lawmakers – to crack down on speeding and distracted driving while investing more in rebuilding streets so that vehicles can share them safely with … Continue reading

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Houston Tomorrow presents its Vision Zero plan

Metro bus system tweaks coming

From the inbox: You spoke, and METRO listened. Beginning Jan. 24, 2016, METRO will put in place a series of route and schedule modifications based on feedback received from riders and bus operators since launching the New Bus Network Aug. … Continue reading

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Metro bus system tweaks coming

Uptown living

It’s a thing that is happening. Home to the city’s glittering epicenter of retail, with a dramatic skyline dominated by the towering Williams Tower and other office buildings, Uptown Houston is best known for the places where people work and … Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

San Antonio implements Vision Zero

Good for them. Tuesday marked the official launch of San Antonio’s Vision Zero, a multi-national awareness and educational initiative that calls for zero traffic fatalities. It’s a lofty goal, but proponents of the plan say these deaths, especially those of … Continue reading

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on San Antonio implements Vision Zero

Allen Parkway 2.0

Changes are a-comin’. Lane closings are scheduled to start soon along Allen Parkway – slowing traffic – so workers can complete a redesign of the road – meant to slow traffic. The long-planned overhaul, which will add parking along Buffalo … Continue reading

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Allen Parkway 2.0

Pushing for Vision Zero

Jay Crossley opines in the Chron for a lower speed limit in Houston. Texas law requires a 30 mph speed limit in the city of Houston on local residential streets unless a different speed limit is posted. If you are … Continue reading

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Fixing sidewalks

I like this. Houston’s leaders often decry the condition of city sidewalks, whether missing, overgrown or buckled by tree roots. Then there’s the safety risks when pedestrians are forced to walk on the crumbling concrete or adjacent streets. But the … Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

One way to lower speed limits

Purple City makes an interesting observation. One of the quieter actions of the late Parker administration has been to slowly alter speed limits from 35 or 40mph to 30mph. These reductions aren’t based on an engineering study or field measurements, … Continue reading

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Uptown needs bikes

So says this op-ed. Always susceptible to gridlock, especially at Christmastime, the traffic jams now happen year-round and last longer each day. Clearly, Uptown badly needs convenient, reliable alternatives to cars for the tens of thousands of workers and residents … Continue reading

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Uptown needs bikes