Texas
TxDOT Faces Lawsuit from Harris County Over I-45 Plan
The lawsuit over the controversial I-45 project, which has been plagued by local opposition, calls for a new environmental review.
Visions of the Future Houston
An ongoing exhibition in Houston imagines a city on the cusp of a new, more prosperous future.
San Antonio Doubles Down on Public Housing
The San Antonio Housing Authority has been working for years to replace the Alazán-Apache Courts with mixed-income housing using a tax-credit deal. But that plan is now scrapped in favor of keeping the apartments as public housing.
Texas Grid Operator to Be Investigated by Congressional Subcommittee
Texas' costliest natural disaster will be the subject of a congressional investigation by a House Oversight subcommittee thanks to Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., who is concerned about ERCOT's lack of preparation for extreme winter weather.
Tracking Resilient Houston's Progress
The Resilient Houston initiative promises to strengthen the city's infrastructure and increase its capacity to thrive and adapt under crisis.
Texas Lifts Coronavirus Restrictions, Ends Mask Mandate, Despite CDC Warning
Gov. Greg Abbott announced that he is reopening Texas 100% and lifting the state mask mandate, as is Gov. Tate Reeves of Mississippi. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning of a variant-induced fourth surge.
A Fourth Coronavirus Surge is Likely
The plunge in daily new coronavirus cases has ceased and may be climbing again, but the news is brighter when looking at the summer. Most of the public health experts interviewed by The New York Times believe a surge is likely but not inevitable.
Dallas Council Begrudgingly Keeps Downtown Streetcar Alive
Council members complain that the Oak Cliff Streetcar is a "vanity project" that drains money from other potential transit improvements.
Lone Star Grid
The Arctic blast that shut down power to millions of Texas households last week has brought renewed attention to the isolated Texas power grid that prevented the operator from importing out-of-state electricity.
Blaming ERCOT
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), the nonprofit, independent power grid operator for 90 percent of the nation's second-largest state, has become the convenient fall guy for the epic power failure caused by an extreme weather event.
Infrastructure Isn't an Abstract Concept. It's Very Personal
Living in Texas this week has reminded me how dependent we are on infrastructure—and how interdependent these systems are. It's time we started investing in infrastructure as if it really matters to our daily lives.
California-Style Rolling Blackouts Come to Texas
As bad as the power outages are in Texas, they would be much worse if the independent energy grid operator hadn't initiated rolling blackouts. In an extensive interview with CBS Austin, Bill Magness, the head of ERCOT, explains what went wrong.
High Hopes for the Future of Biking in Houston
Despite Houston's reputation for sprawl, the city has made impressive efforts to build out its bike infrastructure.
California's Stringent Coronavirus Restrictions Worked
Public health experts credit the controversial L.A. County public health order and the state's regional order, both of which banned outdoor dining, with reducing the viral spread that overwhelmed hospitals with COVID patients last month.
Austin Reallocates Police Funding to Homeless Housing and Services
The city is using the redistributed money to purchase hotels for permanent housing and provide supportive services.
TxDOT Approves I-45 Widening Despite Local Opposition
Despite every manner of local opposition, the Texas Department of Transportation is pushing forward with a plan to widen Interstate 45 north of the city of Houston, demolishing and displacing thousands of homes, businesses, and community facilities.
Opinion: 'Performative' Pedestrian Improvements Need Deeper Scrutiny
Minor pedestrian-oriented improvements alone won't improve walkability if infrastructure still prioritizes fast-moving vehicles, according to this article.
Dallas City Council Will Consider Food Carts
As the pandemic leaves restaurants and food businesses struggling to make ends meet, the Dallas City Council will evaluate a proposal legalizing detached food carts.
The Shifting Demographics of Homeownership
Hispanics are the only racial group projected to increase their rate of homeownership over the next two decades, according to a new analysis.
Dallas' First-Ever Strategic Mobility Plan Ties Land Use to New Transportation Ideas
The Connect Dallas Strategic Mobility Plan is open for public comment. Expect more big plans from Dallas soon—the ForwardDallas! comprehensive plan update will also kick off this year.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
City of Moreno Valley
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland
