Parks and public spaces: How Houston ranks and some of our favorites
URBAN EDGE : February 23, 2020
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.
Bus rapid transit is coming. Here’s what you need to know.
URBAN EDGE : February 3, 2020
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.
Greens Bayou resiliency plans tie engagement and technical expertise together
URBAN EDGE : November 27, 2019
Public engagement and sharing information with members of a community help as critical steps of any planning effort or public project. Too often, though, that engagement asks residents to communicate with professionals or experts about subjects they are not adept in. When discussing a technical topic such as flood control or transportation planning, residents can get lost in a sea of acronyms or complicated renderings. Finding ways to offer residents meaningful information that they can digest and use to shape their opinions is essential to making engagement meaningful.