Urban Edge

Research consistently shows that higher education pays — for both individuals and society. There’s a direct correlation between the level of postsecondary education and the amount of money a person makes, how much they pay in taxes, their degree of civic engagement and even their health. On average, those with a bachelor’s degree earn 31% more than those with an associate degree and 62% more than those with a high school diploma alone.

Near Northside residents’ perception of safety and the quality of streets and sidewalks are assessed in a pair of new reports from the Kinder Institute. The findings show subpar infrastructure and fears of crime and cars are endangering many in the neighborhood.  

For the past six years, Andrea Roberts has been dispelling misconceptions about the history of African American placemaking in Texas through her Texas Freedom Colonies Project.

If the Trust for Public Land’s annual ParkScore rankings mean anything to you, Houston’s steady slide over the past seven years may surprise, concern, frustrate or alarm you. The nonprofit’s evaluation of “park access and quality” — based on an assessment of access, investment, acreage and amenities — puts Houston at No. 85 among the nation’s 100 largest cities. Overall, the city’s parks get a score of 35.3.

The Acres Homes Health Action Team is contending with food insecurity, health disparities and climate change and more. It’s also excited and passionate about the Acres Homes community and making it stronger.

Research from Rice University sociologists shows urban areas and predominantly white neighborhoods that are at risk of flooding in cities benefit the most from FEMA’s voluntary buyout program.

When work to address challenges at the neighborhood level is aligned with broader citywide efforts, communities and residents are better able to respond to and recover from long-term stresses and sudden shocks.

On average, Houston offers women tech workers more income equality than all American cities except Long Beach, California, where women earn more than men. But how does the city rank overall?

When it comes to health care, most people know they can either put in the work of maintaining a healthy diet and getting enough exercise now or pay a much higher price — physically and fiscally — later in life. The same is true when it comes to the health and well-being of a city and its residents. In the long run, it’s smarter and less expensive for local governments to invest now to ensure they are prepared to handle unexpected disasters and possibly prevent problems altogether in the future.

Writer and transit advocate Steven Higashide says buses provide affordable mobility, combat climate change and address inequalities in American cities.

One day before the release of the city’s Resilient Houston plan on Wednesday, a new network of resilient cities was publicly announced at the UN-Habitat World Urban Forum in Abu Dhabi. Houston will be a member of the network.

IndyGo opened its Red Line last year, connecting many important parts of Indianapolis along a 60% bus-only rapid transit route.

Transit equity benefits all of society — both those who use it and those who don’t. It provides access to jobs, schools and other opportunities to underserved communities, people who can’t afford the costs related to owning a car as well as those who use it because of convenience or to limit their contribution to the problems of congestion and pollution. In turn, the reductions in traffic and emissions they represent benefit those who drive. But we should also consider the equity of infrastructure such as sidewalks, crosswalks and drainage, all of which affect connectivity, accessibility and safety for people who walk, roll and ride bikes in Houston.  

Metro Transit, which operates public transportation service in the Twin Cities metropolitan area, launched the region’s first bus rapid transit line (BRT) in 2016 with its METRO A Line. Last year, a second BRT line was added and more are planned for the future.

It will take 20 years to implement the METRONext plan but if done correctly, getting riders where they want to go will be the top priority and the entire Metro system will work in concert to provide the best service possible.      

Bus rapid transit — BRT for short — is part of METRO’s plan for improving public transportation in the Houston area. It will feaure 75 miles of MetroRapid service on dedicated, bus-only lanes. Here’s a breakdown of BRT.

Ridership in most major metropolitan areas of the U.S. has been steadily declining in recent years. And transit experts worry about the trend’s impact on cities — economically and socially. But when you improve buses, as the experience in Houston and in so many other places shows, ridership and relevancy increase.

How much do you know about the 45-year-old federal housing assistance program that was created to help those with the nation’s lowest incomes access better opportunities and escape poverty?

As Houston strives to improve transit, shrink its carbon footprint and make streets safer for all modes of transportation, it may be struggling to rise above the status quo in some areas.