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

What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.

‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.

What Trump’s Executive Orders Mean for US Housing Programs
Orders related to DEI and accessibility, among others, may threaten housing programs for those who need them most.

University of Hawai‘i Appoints New Architecture School Dean
The University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa has named Mo Zell as the new dean of its School of Architecture, bringing over two decades of experience in academia, innovative educational programs, and industry partnerships to advance design education.

Part of San Francisco Waterfront Highway to Become Pedestrian-Only in April
Two miles of the ‘Great Highway’ will be permanently closed to cars, in part due to erosion that makes the road unsafe for vehicles.

El Paso Wastewater Purification Facility Breaks Ground
As water supplies become strained and technology advances, cities look to wastewater as a viable source of drinking water.
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.
North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA)
Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research