How I Got Into Urban Planning (and Why I Hate Houston)

[Spade]

FM 1960 is the worse example of urban planning in the US.

Ironically regulation could help Houston. First thing is getting rid of minium parking requirements and extending the law to make parking lots as an extension of the business.

From my understanding, there is a plan to get rid of minimum parking lots for the entire city by 2030. That’s one of the biggest things Houston can and should do.

 

[Tflasha]

Damn seeing that video of the walking through Houston is giving me flashbacks. As a kid when I lived in Houston, I used to wander around the city on my bike and by foot all the time while hanging with friends. I forgot how frequently if I was walking somewhere there would be plenty of places on the side of roads with no sidewalks and doing that very delicate straddle along that narrow path between the grass, walls, or railings and fast-moving traffic.

Walking/busing/Biking in Houston is a death wish

 

[Dusty Bake Activate]

Been living in DC area for a decade now. Every time I go back to ATL, I look at it like


The only reason I’m relocating back is because most of my friends and fam are there. Otherwise, I’d stay my ass here.

They need to fix those fukking roads. Every time I drive to ATL I feel I need to replace my shocks and struts when I get back. How does anyone drive on those fukked up roads?

 

[Voice of Reason]

Most of the lack density of southern cities is the result of straight up racism.


Atlanta is the same way.

 

[TELL ME YA CHEESIN FAM?]

Walking/busing/Biking in Houston is a death wish

Depends on where you live
Plenty of people walk, ride Metro and bike here with no issues

 

[Noriega]

Still don’t understand how Houston is the 4th largest city and has no commuter rail or subway type system

 

[StatUS]

fukk Access Roads!!!

That’s all.

 

[Responsible Allen Iverson]

Still don’t understand how Houston is the 4th largest city and has no commuter rail or subway type system

METRORail

 

[Noriega]

METRORail

Thats light rail

Houston doesn’t have a CTA, Metra, SEPTA, MTA etc type rail service

 

[Responsible Allen Iverson]

Thats light rail

Houston doesn’t have a CTA, Metra, SEPTA, MTA etc type rail service

Nobody is building subways anymore.

 

[Miles Davis]

Had to bring this back because I didn’t know this was discussed on here. I do the same thing as you every time I go and visit family and friends in Texas and Florida. I sit there like man this is just a terrible way to build cities. Every southerner I’ve met said they liked the QOL when they moved up to more urban cities.

If I moved back to Texas, I would only live inside loop 610 in Houston or loop 12 in Dallas. But quite honestly, I don’t plan on moving back. America royally fukked up building cities post world war 2. They built cities around cars instead of human beings. Destroyed inner cities and built these monstrous freeways just so people can drive 45 minutes to their suburb.

All by design breh, highways to fukk over black and brown neighborhoods. Can’t remember if it was Robert Moses who started it and then ran down south with the shyt.

 

[☑︎#VoteDemocrat]

density, density DENSITY

 

[Spade]

fukk Access Roads!!!

That’s all.

They are convenient for missing traffic or an accident. That's the only nice things I have to say about them. Everything else is bad.

Thats light rail

Houston doesn’t have a CTA, Metra, SEPTA, MTA etc type rail service

The FTA likely will never build another Metro type system in America again. It costs billions to build them. So if your city has them, congrats and you can expand on it. If your city doesn't, you have to stick with light rail. If some day the FTA does build another one, I would be cities like Houston, Dallas, Seattle, would get them.

 

[Noriega]

They are convenient for missing traffic or an accident. That's the only nice things I have to say about them. Everything else is bad.


The FTA likely will never build another Metro type system in America again. It costs billions to build them. So if your city has them, congrats and you can expand on it. If your city doesn't, you have to stick with light rail. If some day the FTA does build another one, I would be cities like Houston, Dallas, Seattle, would get them.

Light rail

Chicago is GOAT for public transit

 

[DonFrancisco]

Light rail works if your dedicated to prioritizing light rail like you prioritize freeway construction.

This where sociological factors come into play. People will complain to no end for any expansion of light rail or BRT. They will point out how corrupt Metro is or how much it is a disruption to daily life. Any freeway expansion and you don't hear a peep out of folks. They treat freeway expansion and builds as part of daily life. Even though freeways in a growing city like Houston isn't very smart.

Light rail works if you invest the right amount of money and Public will. Image the positive outcomes of having light rail and elevated rail along Richmond and/or Westhiemer