Houston
Remodel of the Village Arcade a Sign of the Urban Times in Houston
The Houston Chronicle presents a lesson in how (and why) to convert the aesthetic of a university-adjacent retail center from suburban to urban.
Grassroots Support for a Swimming Hole in Houston
In a city as hot in the summers as Houston, the idea of a swimming hole probably seems pretty appealing. Can an idea floated in a local newspaper column and backed by interested and passionate locals come to fruition?
Rural Texans Air Objections to High Speed Rail
Parts of rural Texas sound a bit like the outspoken high speed rail opponents in California's Central Valley in their reaction to the Texas Central Railway's bullet train which maintains strong support at the terminal cities of Houston and Dallas.
The Twin Cities Offer Free Election Day Transit—Does it Matter?
There is little, or no, evidence that offering free transit on election day improves voter turnout. Today the Twin Cities will do it anyway for the sake of, hopefully, improving the democratic process.
Lesson from Houston: Crashes Double after Red Light Cameras Removed
Red light cameras are usually controversial. In Houston voters chose to remove 50 cameras at high-risk intersections. Since then, crashes have increased 117 percent.
An Evolving Houston Plans for its Future
Houston is preparing for a new wave of population growth by preparing a comprehensive plan. The question is what kind of city Houston wants to be.
Lessons Learned from Decades of California Planning
Since the 1980s, California has been both a beacon of cutting-edge urban policy and an example of the ways planning can go awry.
Coming Soon to Downtown Houston: the City's First Dedicated Bike Lane
Reflecting a series of recent initiatives by city leadership in Houston to promote bike safety and road diets, a vehicle lane will soon be removed and handed over to bikers in Downtown Houston.
Arriving in Texas: the Shinkansen Bullet Train
The Houston to Dallas high speed rail train will be built with the cooperation of Japan's Central Railway, a longtime successful and profitable operator of Shinkansen bullet train lines. Securing the private financing is key to the project.
Sating Food Deserts with Frequent Transit Networks
According to Jarrett Walker, one solution to alleviating food deserts is by providing residents access to frequent transportation networks.
The Value of Fast Transit—Under Construction in Paris
The proposed Grand Paris Express program, which began construction this summer and is expected for completion in 2030, will serve 2 million people a day at "wildly fast speeds." Then there's light rail in the United States.
Houston's Municipal Golf Courses Struggling to Make Ends Meet
Many cities around the country are facing the question about whether they should subsidize city-owned golf courses as the game's popularity declines. Supporters of "munis" say they provide an affordable location for outdoor recreation.
Ranking the Cities Leading the Industrial Revival
Forbes has produced a list of 'The Big Cities Leading A U.S. Manufacturing Revival.'
The Texas-Sized Impact of the 'Prior Appropriations' Water Management System
Christian McPhate and Ashlea Sigman provide a thorough and insightful read about the environmental impacts of Texas' water management policies, especially along the Brazos River, a drought-stricken water supply that cuts across the state.
Commuter Rail Showdown: Houston versus Dallas
The rivalry between Dallas and Houston is well known, but Dug Begley recently made a compelling comparison between the two cities: their approach to commuter rail.
Texas High Speed Rail Proposal Gaining Momentum
An article by Amy Crawford details the prospects of a plan to build a private rail connection between Houston and Dallas—the Texas Central Railway—that would be modeled on lines in Japan, and funded by Japanese interests.
Light Rail Success Story for Houston's Red Line
With two new rail lines, serving east and southeast Houston, due to open later this year, early returns have been positive for the "North Line" extension of the city's Red Line.
Houston's Home Sales Juggernaut Slows—Lack of Supply Blamed
New data from the Houston Association of Realtors shows the end of an "unrelenting string of positive monthly home sales data." According to the Houston Chronicle, the group "attributed the decline to this area’s lack of housing inventory."
Addressing the Challenges of Houston's Exceptional Growth
Houston's incredible rate of growth since 2000 has created a demographic and economic milieu that presents a unique set of challenges, and potential, that is often ignored by federal policies.
Despite Rejection of Residential High Rise, Houston Still Open to Density
A recent ruling that favored local homeowners over a developer in Houston had some wondering whether Houston's days as a "development free-for-all" were over. Fear not, says Stephen J. Smith.
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.
Clanton & Associates, Inc.
Jessamine County Fiscal Court
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
