The grant will make the freeway-bounded park more accessible to pedestrians and cyclists.
An $18.5 million award from the Texas Transportation Commission will fund the bulk of a $22 million pedestrian and bike trail that will connect Uptown Houston to Memorial Park, writes Hailea Schultz on Houston.org.
The project, still in the design phase, “would include a new route along Post Oak Boulevard with wide sidewalks to accommodate pedestrians and bicycles and then a new bridge crossing over Buffalo Bayou, eventually leading into Memorial Park.” The city hopes to open the project to bids by December 2024.
Memorial Park, one of the city’s most popular green spaces but also surrounded by freeways, is difficult to access from many neighborhoods. “In September, a $13.5 million project to connect Memorial Park and Buffalo Bayou Park between the west and east sides of Harris County via a new pedestrian-friendly trail was announced.”
According to a paywalled Houston Chronicle article, “The funding for the Loop 610 crossing was part of a record $345 million for sidewalks, bike trails and other improvements approved last week by the Texas Transportation Commission, which controls the federal funds coming to Texas from federal coffers.”
FULL STORY: https://houston.org/news/new-project-connect-pedestrians-cyclists-uptown-memorial-park
Public and Private Collaboration Advances Park Development in Houston
Houston may be known to some as a concrete jungle, but its greenspaces continue to expand thanks to combined support from the public, private, and philanthropic sectors.
Houston Developers Question Mayor’s Stance on Pedestrian Projects
The new mayor’s reversal of road safety projects, some already underway or completed, is raising eyebrows among developers who say residents want walkable, mixed-use streets.
Pedestrian-Friendly Cities: The Impact of Walkability Grants
Explore how walkability grants are transforming cities into pedestrian-friendly environments, enhancing urban livability, boosting local economies, and improving public health.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Waymo Gets Permission to Map SF’s Market Street
If allowed to operate on the traffic-restricted street, Waymo’s autonomous taxis would have a leg up over ride-hailing competitors — and counter the city’s efforts to grow bike and pedestrian on the thoroughfare.
Parklet Symposium Highlights the Success of Shared Spaces
Parklets got a boost during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the concept was translated to outdoor dining programs that offered restaurants a lifeline during the shutdown.
Federal Homelessness Agency Places Entire Staff on Leave
The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness is the only federal agency dedicated to preventing and ending homelessness.
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.
Caltrans
Smith Gee Studio
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service