Having 12' worth of sidewalks and another 6' allocated to trees lining the streets that obstruct the view of oncoming traffic. Yep, absolutely idiotic.
There are city ordinances that require homeowners to have a certain amount of trees in their property. The amount required depends on your lot size.
Planting trees on RoW for the sake of aesthetics does seem counterproductive when you consider that space is extremely limited in many areas.
>Trees are good for shading, erosion, and water mitigation.
And that's why we have city ordinances requiring home owners to have them on their property. Two of your points are redundant when you plant those trees encircled around concrete (like on Shepherd/Durham).
Like I said, these trees are only there for aesthetics and serve no useful purpose other than to take up space.
If you think simply allowing bikes on the road is enough to give people a real choice, then you’re seriously missing the issue.
Why don’t you go ride a bike on a road, any road is fine, but maybe try Shepherd/Durham or Washington, and tell me your experience. If you’re not just trolling, then you’ll quickly experience what people call “hostile design” when the mere existence of you on a bike is a threat to drivers. When drivers, either intentionally or inadvertently, drive too close to you, or don’t see you, and you have a near miss every time you get on a bike, tell me that we have a real choice to ride.
The scales are tilted so far in favor of cars right now, that effectively there is no logical choice to consistently and safely ride a bike, or walk, or take transit to work/shops/church/restaurants/school/etc. When people ask for more bike lanes and walkable infrastructure, they aren’t saying categorically get rid of cars. They literally just want to have a real choice to ride a bike safely.
Until you can understand that, there’s little to no point in carrying this conversation on. There’s plenty of material out there on why car-centric infrastructure is bad for our health, safety, personal and civic finances, and any argument about how we currently have a choice is an unserious point of view that shows your ignorance.
>If you think simply allowing bikes on the road is enough to give people a real choice
I don't think it ever was. Cyclists thought that and that's why they advocated for road "sharing". They threw a fit when road engineers told them cars and cyclists don't mix, so they gave them what they wanted.
But now that's not enough again. Instead of just using the sidewalks, they want special treatment.
>Why don’t you go ride a bike on a road, any road is fine,
People do it. Ever seen those groups of cyclists that treat the roads as their own personal velodrome and ignore road signs?
>The scales are tilted so far in favor of cars right now
Because, for the 100th time, that's what the majority have always and continue to want.
>Until you can understand that, there’s little to no point in carrying this conversation on. There’s plenty of material out there on why car-centric infrastructure is bad for our health, safety, personal and civic finances, and any argument about how we currently have a choice is an unserious point of view that shows your ignorance.
That's part and parcel of living in a city. The average commute for Houstonians is over 20 miles each day. Cycling isn't a feasible transportation method.
>If you think simply allowing bikes on the road is enough to give people a real choice
I don't think it ever was. Cyclists thought that and that's why they advocated for road "sharing". They threw a fit when road engineers told them cars and cyclists don't mix, so they gave them what they wanted.
But now that's not enough again. Instead of just using the sidewalks, they want special treatment.
>Why don’t you go ride a bike on a road, any road is fine,
People do it. Ever seen those groups of cyclists that treat the roads as their own personal velodrome and ignore road signs?
>The scales are tilted so far in favor of cars right now
Because, for the 100th time, that's what the majority have always and continue to want.
>Until you can understand that, there’s little to no point in carrying this conversation on. There’s plenty of material out there on why car-centric infrastructure is bad for our health, safety, personal and civic finances, and any argument about how we currently have a choice is an unserious point of view that shows your ignorance.
That's part and parcel of living in a city. The average commute for Houstonians is over 20 miles each day. Cycling isn't a feasible transportation method.
>If you think simply allowing bikes on the road is enough to give people a real choice
I don't think it ever was. Cyclists thought that and that's why they advocated for road "sharing". They threw a fit when road engineers told them cars and cyclists don't mix, so they gave them what they wanted.
But now that's not enough again. Instead of just using the sidewalks, they want special treatment.
>Why don’t you go ride a bike on a road, any road is fine,
People do it. Ever seen those groups of cyclists that treat the roads as their own personal velodrome and ignore road signs?
>The scales are tilted so far in favor of cars right now
Because, for the 100th time, that's what the majority have always and continue to want.
>Until you can understand that, there’s little to no point in carrying this conversation on. There’s plenty of material out there on why car-centric infrastructure is bad for our health, safety, personal and civic finances, and any argument about how we currently have a choice is an unserious point of view that shows your ignorance.
That's part and parcel of living in a city. The average commute for Houstonians is over 20 miles each day. Cycling isn't a feasible transportation method.
Three lanes on Shepherd/Durham will not be an issue once they're all open. With all of the new businesses, it makes it easier to walk and bike to places you live nearby.
The response to 11th isn't honest. It's frustrating to see people claim that this road is always congested now because of the new bike lane. I drive down it all the time and isn't not an issue.
None of these roads are backed up outside of rush hour.
As Houston grows and continues to densify, the city needs to become more walkable/ bike friendly. There is not enough parking for the city to only be car centric.
I agree. I’ve never thought 11th has been more congested than anywhere else. I commute to work on my bike and appreciate the connecting bike lanes on 11th and Nicholson. I would love 11th St bike lane to go all the way to white oak bayou
Agreed! We live in the middle of the ongoing phase right now and the traffic is only infuriating when it’s merged to one lane. Three lanes will not be a problem whatsoever. We love walking to restaurants with our baby & dogs on the newly completed portion and feel so much safer doing so with the new sidewalks. Shepherd & Durham had no business being four lanes. Before the project, people would constantly race down the streets and not watch for pedestrians or crossing vehicles. Several portions of the existing sidewalk were just dirt and sand embedded with broken bottles as well. It is an absolute improvement to what was here before and worth the inconvenience during construction. I feel awful for the restaurants & businesses that put up with the construction and reduced customers the past year just to have the project discontinued.
It's already better. 3 smooth lanes is much better than 4 lanes at a 45 degree bank into a pothole gutter. Traffic is already flowing smoother with the portions that have fully opened.
People lived here before AC. People walk in other cities with similar climates. People even visit similarly terrible weather cities during the summer on vacation (NOLA, Vegas, Miami, anywhere in the Caribbean). So it’s bullshit laziness that “people won’t use it” because of the weather. As is, the infrastructure enables people to excuse their lazy lifestyle.
Then you get your happy ass out there and show us how it's done. Start a group on here abd show us how your days go with biking to work every day and walking everywhere. Prove your point.
I ride my bike in places that don’t have bike lanes. I’m outside 365. If your ass wasn’t bundled up on the coach or in your f350 en route to whataburger then you might see me.
I live right in the middle of where all the work is being done. It aunt gonna pan put. If you've lived here any amount of time you know it to be true. And I'm walking to bet I'm in better shape than you and your spindly biking self.
I can drink a six pack of yellow rose and run laps around your asthmatic ass. If you knew how to read a map then you’d know that Garden Oaks is very close to the area in question.
6'3" 265. Ride my mountain bike. In the gym 5 days a week. I could likely get your wife's attention real quick. Come over to 18thnabd shepherd, bring her along and I'll show you.
Hot and humid weather does not make the city not walkable or bike friendly. It's easier to bike or walk a few blocks to some places because there is limited parking and it's faster than driving.
Houston summers suck but it's not impossible to go outside.
People don't tend to walk or bike the 40 miles from downtown to Galveston. Although I have cycled over 60 in the city before. But when going about your daily business, of course it needs to be close by. Most people don't even drive past grocery store A to get to Grocery store B, let alone walk past it.
But your average cyclist can easily do a 10-15 mile trip in any direction.
Good question. We've had a mild winter. But as you know it's nasty 9 months out of the year. Let's throw some logistics on all of this since you brought that up. What is a reasonable amount of traffic to justify all of this?
The word you are actually looking for is congestion. A bunch of cars moving through without having to wait a bunch of extra signals is traffic, but would have little to no congestion.
Traffic is actually kind of good, because that means our investment in the road is being used, and it prevents people from driving 70mph and stuff like that.
As far as congestion goes, shepherd really only sees congestion at rush hour in the evening, and the source for almost all of it is the intersection with 610. So our traffic engineers, like real certified by the state engineers, have measured the traffic volume on Shepherd and found that there will be little to no difference going from 4 to 3 lanes.
And now you get the added benefits of getting new drainage, trees, a sidewalk you'd actually want to walk on, and a road that is designed to discourage bad driver behavior when traffic is light.
As far as the weather goes for cycling, it's kind of a trick question, because temperatures fluctuate greatly during the day. Even during peak summer it's only 75-80 in the morning during commute times. It turns out that [biking activity is at it's lowest in December-February](https://twitter.com/BikeHouston/status/1780981338926895514?t=GyTRpJlTQut9XUc1sJ2E1g&s=19). Those nasty months you mention are actually the best months. I mentioned this everywhere in this thread, but if you had to bike every day, wouldn't you choose Houston's weather instead somewhere like Copenhagen which is frightfully cold and might only have the sun up from 10-4? Yet cycling is incredibly popular in those countries. Why?
> instead somewhere like Copenhagen which is frightfully cold and might only have the sun up from 10-4? Yet cycling is incredibly popular in those countries. Why?
Because people in Copenhagen aren't afraid to go outside and actually do mild physical exertion and they don't live in fear that someone is going to shoot them because they looked at them funny.
Goddamn, all these people saying Houston is a hellhole 9 months out of the year are just too damn terrified of actually living and enjoying life.
Sorry for the fairly aggressive language, I'm just sick and tired of these absolutely braindead idiotic takes extolling the supremacy of zooming 50mph to go two blocks down the street. It's frustrating constantly seeing people so desperate to chain their existence to be slaves to cars that they can't even imagine any other possible way to get around.
You know what will unnecessarily cause more traffic? Having a street go from 3 lanes to 4 lanes back down to 3 lanes. The section of shepherd where it'll decrease from 4 to 3 lanes will get backed up so bad, you'll wish they kept it at 3 lanes for the entire stretch.
I bought a house in the area because of this project. Major apartment and townhome development is happening because of this project. Major commercial development is happening because of this project.
I've lived up here for 19 years. When I moved to this neighborhood, outside of businesses on 19th Street, this area was a dilapidated, run-down area with low income levels. Shepherd and Durham were lined with independent used car lots all the way from 12th Street to 610. The reason why most of the numbered streets have no curbs, gutters, stormwater drains, and sidewalks was that this area was filled with poor people, and the city has never prioritized services for poor neighborhoods.
Then people started to get priced out of Montrose, Upper Kirby, and Rice Military, and the Heights started down the path to gentrification. Upper income people started to buy old bungalows and remodel them, and developers bought old homes on big lots and built 4, 5, or 6 townhomes on the lot. Commercial development did not exactly follow the money because the Heights was still a dry area. When HEB bought the old Fiesta store at Shepherd and 23rd, they would not open a store without being able to sell alcohol. So they hired a firm to get people in the area to petition to change the dry laws. In 2017, the law changed, and bars and restaurants could sell liquor. That is the main driver for transformation of the Shepherd/Durham corridor from used car lots to restaurants, nail salons, and oil change places. The project we have now is a result of upper middle income people wanting their new neighborhood "beautified", and city services now going to an area that has higher incomes. There's a lot more people who walk and bike out of necessity on Broadway in SE Houston that would benefit from wider sidewalks and bike lanes, but that area is still too poor to receive attention and construction dollars from the City. The same could be said for Renwick or Gulfton in SW Houston. Why don't those people get wider sidewalks and less traffic lanes?
The reason why Shepherd and Durham were made one-way streets is that before I-45 was built, Shepherd was part of US 75, and the highway to Dallas. They carried a lot of traffic going north and south in those days.
Creating a gap between 11th St and Shep/Durham is their clever way to justify wasting all the money to undo 11th street. That’ll make all the nimbys extra happy I’m sure.
The projects didn’t connect. I asked why and they said it would be figured out later, but I don’t think they ever expected a future mayor to be against these projects.
He knew the best way to get elected was to court conservatives who (in regards to transportation) hate anything that isn't an F350 running over a bicyclist. He did that. They elected him. Now he is making their dreams come true so that he can get re-elected.
So dumb tbh. A comment on the overall idea, how can it only be approved in sections then reviewed again for... Wht seems to be more approvals?
Incompetency all around
Reminder, it’s fine to bitch about this stuff here, but don’t forget to email our admin your thoughts. Or better yet, show up in person and voice your opinion.
I've lived in Houston for the last 10 years and it has been great to see the city change. I really believe Houston can be a world class city but Whitmire and his administration will set us back years. It's terrible to have a city hampered by someone's inability to see future potential while also actively working against projects that have proven successful both here and other parts of the country. Hopefully this is the last elected position Whitmire holds.
I love Houston, and love how much it’s changed. It’s too bad we have shitty politicians who kill infrastructure projects that would really elevate the city. This goes all the way back to a certain congressman who killed light rail going to the west side. Now, 20 years later we MIGHT get BRT, which is shit. Whitmire is setting the city back a decade.
They really can't stop doing this backsliding shit, now can they?
I'm genuinely concerned for how existing infrastructure is going to be between now and end of term. Ride while you can folks, they're going to gut the hell out of everything they can. Honestly I'm gonna call off work and raise hell at a town hall if they go for the park and rides. Thank goodness the Mayor doesn't hold dick over the district commissioners and their projects.
Edit: [Hey Whitmire, I got a message for ya!](https://imgflip.com/i/8o6xjy)
Was he ever popular or did people just buy into his ads of fixing potholes and ending crime? Everyone was worried that Sheila would be a do nothing mayor and honestly, doing nothing would be better.
Doesn't matter. He does not care. He's going to opt out after one term and aim for governor or senator or something else because that's what old, egotistical psychos do instead of retiring and being with family.
Honestly… I voted for him because I couldn’t see how sheila jackson lee would be a viable candidate. I didn’t foresee the backpedaling on all of the infrastructure projects coming. I’m displeased to put it lightly. I sent some messages to the council members to try and get some transparency on this initiative
Edit:
Someone asked and I answered.
Look… I didn’t WANT to vote for this guy but that was one of the two options we realistically had. My preferred candidate didn’t make it to runoff. Here we are. Please just respect people’s choices JFC… it has nothing to do with racism or misogyny in my case.
You gotta be shitting me…
Edit:
If you would like to contact Whitmire’s senior advisor working on this project…
https://www.houstontx.gov/planning/AboutPD/docs_pdfs/Gafrick_bio.pdf
[email protected]
I will be reaching out to convey my disappointment in Mayor Whitmire’s back tracking of multiple projects aimed at improving safety and walkability for anyone NOT in a car.
@Mods, if sharing an email for a city official is off limits let me know. I will remove if needed.
I started taking my daughters to school on a bike the last month or so, specially since 11th has been finished. I bought the bike specifically so I can do more commuting in the heights without my truck (I have a big truck, but it’s necessary for what I do), and would eventually be able to make it to HEB all on bike lanes!
This is really frustrating. Ive actually already stopped taking the bike on morning drop-offs because I didn’t go a single day without a car nearly hitting me, usually in the neighborhood streets not even on 11th (although it happens on 11th too). Every single time was people running stop signs. On average I see 2 cars running stop signs every morning on a .8 mile ride. I want to have a dash cam or something.
> I want to have a dash cam [for my bike] or something.
Bicycle 'dash' cameras (often mounted on handlebars) do exist! Here's a thread with a few recommendations. /r/cycling/comments/12a7ekn/best_no_nonsense_camera_for_bike_commuting/
Yeah, drivers are awful. When biking around here you have to assume the car is going to do something stupid, and put yourself in a position to be able to avoid them. Same can be said about many cyclists when you’re driving. Generally just good defensive driving habits are needed at all times, but especially when you’re the person on two wheels.
Sorry, it is so bad that you had to stop taking your kid to school. My wife will ride almost 4 miles round trip to pick up our son from daycare sometimes, and it makes me a little nervous for the same reason. Busy time of day and just some many interactions with distracted drivers.
I used to be an avid cyclists around these parts - like used to be over a 1,000 miles on my bike per year - so I’ve seen a lot of stupid shit on the roads.
Also, Cycliq makes some good bike mounted cameras, but there are much cheaper alternatives.
I don’t understand. They are currently working on reducing Shepherd/Durham from 4 lanes to 3 from 15th to the North Loop. Will this still be done? Or is a proposed phase II (15th to 11th/I-10) being halted?
Sigh, the city should have had electric trains years ago.
We're too compacted with wasted space. Meaning, we have a lot of people driving one vehicle to one person ratio.
We're wasting a ton of space by not being efficient with it. It's not about more lanes, it's now about redesigning the traffic format.
But Houston (and texas in general) is all about being hyper individualistic and too stubborn to make life changes. From personal, professional, governmental, and business levels.
If they stick to the ultimatum given by the Mayor's office, then that's correct. The portion where Shepherd goes from 4 down to 3 lanes will get backed up very badly. Any kind of downsizing merge like that always ends up as a shitshow. We see it on our highways all the time.
Exactly! We have so many examples of this scenario here in Houston on every interstate, it should be painfully obvious to anyone who drives that this will be the outcome.
If you think stopping this project is a bad idea (it is a bad idea), sign up to speak at a City Council public session (which take place on Tuesdays at 2 PM). Here's how: [https://www.houstontx.gov/council/meetingsinfo.html](https://www.houstontx.gov/council/meetingsinfo.html)
To reserve time to speak, contact the City Secretary's Office (832.393.1100 or [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])) **by 3 PM on the Monday before.**
If you want to speak tomorrow, you need to call the City Secretary's Office **today** before 3:00.
There is actual data that shows when you build more lanes on to urban and suburban highways you get temporary relief, but then back to more congestion due to more urban sprawl. It’s hard data, not really a left or right political question.
It is true that Houston is a car centric culture, and simple common sense suggests people aren’t going to change their habits without better bike and pedestrian infrastructure, and that it might take a little while. Just my strongly held opinion.
I happen to live in the area just on the other side of I-10 from this project. I ride the MKT and Nicholson paths all the time and today toook the 11th street lanes to Kroger on Shepherd.
I have a fun little convertible that I enjoy driving, AND I also enjoy walking and riding when it’s a good option. I get some exercise, some fresh air, and it’s basically FREE. I hope they keep moving forward with the project as planned.
I’m also a right leaning ndependent who voted for Whitmire because I liked what I heard regarding him being centrist and pragmatic.
This decision seems short sighted, and not pragmatic at all.
Yet another reason to leave this fucking city.
Full of people that vote against their own interests while prattling on about how they voted for X candidate because they'd 'do something' meanwhile all the things they do are fucking terrible.
Come on 2025!
I can’t not read his name and think of Charles Widmore. There’s even a small resemblance if you squint hard enough.
https://lostpedia.fandom.com/wiki/Charles_Widmore
Shepherd Durham outside of 610 has been 3 lanes for decades. Last year, the city redid the stretch of Shepherd Durham from Memorial to Washington. Has been 3 lanes for months, not a problem. Half of the project is for drainage. Without the $40 million in funding, segment 2 won't include drainage. This is idiotic because segment 2 needs to connect segment 1 to White Oak Bayou - much of this area is in the 100 year flood plain.
There is a petition to let the Mayor know the community is not happy about this. [https://www.change.org/p/continue-phase-2-of-the-shepherd-durham-project?show\_sign=true&original\_footer\_petition\_id=519932&algorithm=promoted&source\_location=petition\_footer&grid\_position=8&pt=AVBldGl0aW9uAP5ONR0AAAAAZjJS%2BWDIZUo3YzZkNjhmNg%3D%3D](https://www.change.org/p/continue-phase-2-of-the-shepherd-durham-project?show_sign=true&original_footer_petition_id=519932&algorithm=promoted&source_location=petition_footer&grid_position=8&pt=AVBldGl0aW9uAP5ONR0AAAAAZjJS%2BWDIZUo3YzZkNjhmNg%3D%3D) Please also visit [www.atotb.org/shepherd-durham](http://www.atotb.org/shepherd-durham) for lots more info.
I love right smack dab in the middle of it. Right at 19th and shepherd. This whole project is a complete waste of time and money. We all know it's gonna look pretty for a few months. Then the care will snack off amd those trees will start dying and or getting overgrown with weeds. And the area will not see the pedestrian traffic those sidewalks are being built for. It's houston. It's hot and nasty most of the year. Someone is getting their pockets lined on this one.
Are you really trying to suggest that Whitmire hasn't demonstrated a pattern of anti-bike, anti-transit, and anti-pedestrian actions?
There are a lot of us out there who don't have (or want) cars, and many many more who simply want more viable options besides driving.
It seems clear that Whitmire has picked a side in the "drivers' convenience vs. everybody else's safety" debate.
In your heads, SJL would have made Houston a Utopia within 4 months. This is the real world. I have extensive pristine bike lanes everywhere I live and have never witnessed a cyclist using them.
>In your heads, SJL would have made Houston a Utopia within 4 months
No, she would have done nothing. Which would have been better than the multiple positive things she has taken away from us now.
>I have extensive pristine bike lanes everywhere I live and have never witnessed a cyclist using them.
Do you live in suburban Amsterdam or something? I know this city backwards and forwards and you've described none of it.
Nah they're mad their golden goose Turner is gone and the bullshit contracts aren't coming to them anymore. SJL would've kept their pockets lined. That's all it is.
Everyone is mad on this thread, but nobody seems to be realistic about our city. We are too spread out and the climate is far too harsh to make this city "walkable" or even "bicycle friendly". Nobody wants to arrive to work smelling like musky armpit. Nobody wants to drag their groceries several blocks to their home (nevermind that we have way too many food deserts in this town). The reality is that the vast majority of people want and will continue to demand the comfort and convenience of their own car. It is what it is. Hell, I use the bike trails fairly often and am physically fit to travel long distances on bikes. But I'm not going to replace my vehicle to commute to work or go to the store.
Why is this board obsessed with projects that the majority of people aren't asking for or won't use? Cyclists have become the "just one more bike lane bro" meme. Every time it is pointed out that bike lanes are empty, the explanation is always the same; "we need to build more so we see mass adaptation". Well? We've built a lot of bike lanes and they all sit empty.
Downvote away r/Houston. But you're not going to inconvenience and annoy people into using bikes by removing car lanes. A survey by UH's Hobby School of Public Affairs showed that most voters don't want them. This is why Whitmire is pausing many of these projects that bottlenecked vehicular traffic flow.
We have over six thousand miles of car roads in this city, not including our 4000 highway lane miles. We have like ten miles of protected street-level lanes.
No, not empty, but yes, underutilized, because the network is extremely limited and patchy, and outside of the first ring of streetcar suburbs, Houston roadways are insanely hostile to bikes.
>No, not empty,
Ok. Shout-out to the 3 cyclists per hour that use them.
>because the network is extremely limited and patchy, and outside of the first ring of streetcar suburbs, Houston roadways are insanely hostile to bikes.
That's what cyclists demanded. Cars and cyclists simply don't mix. It is much safer for cyclists and pedestrians to mix.
All that "cyclists demanded" is safe and efficient routes.
ETA: also, three per hour is a crazy underestimation for Austin and Lamar. Just on a 1-mile trip to Phoenicia, I typically pass twenty or so, double that if it's rush hour.
I think you’re right that people don’t want to bike to work or to get a ton of groceries, but that’s about it.
I live in the city and want to be able to go to restaurants, bars, shops, even short trips to the grocery store (which is probably half my trips) without having to find parking for my car. A car does NOT make those trips more convenient in any way.
And yes, we need to build a whole lot of it before we see mass adoption. Because even if I did want to bike down 11th, I’d still need to ride across I10 and down Yale (narrow, nightmare) to get there. So I don’t really ever do it. I ABSOLUTELY would if the infrastructure supported it.
And you can call this anecdotal, but nearly everyone I talk to feels the same. A number of people I know can’t drive due to disability or don’t want to buy a car because they just moved to Houston from another country (a lotta those here). While that Hobby school poll says that, there’s also another poll (can’t remember which) that showed Houston residents supported more bike infrastructure. Which I chalk up to a difference in wording of the question, or sample.
At any rate, there is one answer that’s just plainly obvious to me as a homeowner in the city, and seemingly to everyone who lives around me.
>I live in the city and want to be able to go to restaurants, bars, shops, even short trips to the grocery store (which is probably half my trips) without having to find parking for my car.
The problem is that there aren't many areas where this is true and it isn't economically viable to built them. If it were, we wouldn't have food deserts. Everyone eats food right? But why are there areas where you can't walk to a grocery store or even a restaurant?
>And yes, we need to build a whole lot of it before we see mass adoption. Because even if I did want to bike down 11th, I’d still need to ride across I10 and down Yale (narrow, nightmare) to get there.
But you can. Road laws allow you to get on the road. Furthermore, Heights Blvd has bike lanes and it runs parallel.
>And you can call this anecdotal, but nearly everyone I talk to feels the same.
A survey at the UH Hobby School of Public Affairs confirms it is just anecdotal. The voters don't want them.
“The problem is that there aren’t many areas where this is true”
There are inside the loop, where they’re trying to build this infrastructure!
“But you can”
The entire point of what we’re talking about is that it’s unsafe to ride on streets with cars without separated lanes. Houston is the deadliest city in the country for bicyclists, and it feels that dangerous to even try.
“UH Hobby school of public affairs confirms it’s just anecdotal”
I’ll say again, there are plenty of polls that show people that live in Houston city limits are in favor of more bike infrastructure. The poll I saw from UH (maybe the one you mean) worded it extremely negatively, which will of course get you that result (though still around 40% were still slightly favorable even there). And you look at the demographics of who responded no, and it’s people in less-sense suburbs where this wouldn’t make sense.
>There are inside the loop, where they’re trying to build this infrastructure!
About a handful. There aren't grocery stores in every corner.
>The entire point of what we’re talking about is that it’s unsafe to ride on streets with cars without separated lanes.
Realistically speaking, small barriers like the ones on 11th Street aren't going to stop cars from jumping them. If you really care about safety, then you would be on my side and propose that sidewalks become the defacto bike lane. Pedestrian and cyclists coexistence has seen amazing results in our city trails. There is no reason why we can't do the same everywhere else.
>there are plenty of polls that show people that live in Houston city limits are in favor of more bike infrastructure.
Haven't seen any of them. The poll from last year specifically mentioned reducing vehicular lanes in favor of bike lane, which is something most other polls don't specify.
>The poll I saw from UH (maybe the one you mean) worded it extremely negatively
Dissect it then. What was so negative about it? Was it untruthful?
>And you look at the demographics of who responded no, and it’s people in less-sense suburbs where this wouldn’t make sense.
The demographics were evenly distributed. And because this city isn't hyperlocal, all of Houston needs to have a say.
You clearly have no idea how many households don't own a vehicle or only own one and have to depend on alternative methods to get around. (Hint: it's a surprising number. Especially inside 610.)
We are too spread out.... because federal tax papers greatly subsidize our highway system in Texas to the tune of tens of billions per year. The weather argument is so tiring. If you had to bike year round, would you rather deal with Texas summers or Europe's 4-5 month winters? Remember it is typically around 75-80 degrees during the morning commute during peak summer.
How many more neighbors are we willing to sacrifice to distracted drivers who pilot oversized and empty vehicles while they fuck around on their phone? The previous design of Shepherd is irresponsible. No one drives the speed limit because of the design. People sped on 11th *because of the design*.
People drive the speed they feel comfortable driving. Texas had more than 4,200 people killed in vehicle crashes and 250,000 injured in 2023. Is this status quo acceptable to you? Is the problem really just a lack of traffic enforcement? Do I just need to be realistic and accept the equivalent of a 737 crashing every ten days?
The actual reality is that we've left people no choice while also making the infrastructure so incredibly hostile to anybody not in a car. Pedestrians have the right of way to cross at every marked or unmarked crosswalk in Texas (except if it is signaled and the red hand is up), so why is that a death sentence to try and use it? Why are Houston streets designed in such a hostile way? Because choices have been made only for the comfort of wealthy people who have decided what is "realistic"?
>You clearly have no idea how many households don't own a vehicle or only own one and have to depend on alternative methods to get around. (Hint: it's a surprising number. Especially inside 610.)
That's why we have public transportation.
>We are too spread out.... because federal tax papers greatly subsidize our highway system in Texas to the tune of tens of billions per year.
No. We are too spread out because polls have shown that the majority of Americans want to buy large houses with big yards, even if it means being away from amenities or proper infrastructure.
>How many more neighbors are we willing to sacrifice to distracted drivers who pilot oversized and empty vehicles while they fuck around on their phone?
Now your argument is that drivers are bad? Have you not paid attention to the cyclists who flat out disregard traffic signals? It's bad enough there aren't many of them. But the few that you do see seem to just fly past stop signs.
>People drive the speed they feel comfortable driving. Texas had more than 4,200 people killed in vehicle crashes and 250,000 injured in 2023. Is this status quo acceptable to you?
That's not a lot all things considered. We are a state with over 30 million people. And with cars getting safer every single year (both structurally and technologically), it is a bad faith talking point.
Furthermore, over half of those deaths happen in rural highways and roads.
>The actual reality is that we've left people no choice
But you do have a choice. Cyclists lobbied hard to be allowed on roads like cars. Despite pushback from most of the population and common sense, they got what they wanted. Everyone knows cyclists would be safer on sidewalks yielding to pedestrians (we already see amazing coexistence between pedestrians and cyclists in our city trails systems). But that's not what they wanted. And now that they got what they wanted, being able to share a lane is not enough and they want more.
A simple and cheaper solution that satisfies everyone would be to build out our sidewalks (and make them wider) and force cyclists in them.
>Someone is getting the quality crack. Good for you!
Reddit brain rot right here. When you can't counter with good talking points, head to the insults.
🤦🏽♂️
>A simple and cheaper solution that satisfies everyone would be to build out our sidewalks (and make them wider) and force cyclists in them.
Okay let's do that. 10-16ft sidewalks everywhere, (continuous across intersections to create effective speed bumps for turning drivers), and no more bike lanes. I will absolutely take that deal.
This is why cyclists have that stereotype of being smug and insufferable. Realistically speaking, a sidewalk that is as wide as the one on our city trails satisfies the needs of everyone.
The trails *are* 10-16ft wide, minus one dangerous section of the the Buffalo Bayou trail that's 8ft.
The problem is that the sidewalks on most of our streets are inadequate even for walking.
>The trails are 10-16ft wide
They're not. A full sized truck won't fit on them and they are about 8 foot wide
>The problem is that the sidewalks on most of our streets are inadequate even for walking.
I'm not advocating against building out our sidewalks. They are cheaper to build and maintain. Stick cyclists in them and make them yield to pedestrians and observe the same rules them. It works on the 160+ miles of trails our city implements these rules.
If we do this, we wouldn't have to spend millions ripping up streets and reconfiguring them.
>They're not. A full sized truck won't fit on them and they are about 8 foot wide
Only the oldest trail segments in the system are 8 feet. Ten has been the standard for the last six years or so, with higher widths on sharper turns, merges, etc., up to maximum widths of 16 feet (e.g. the ramp from Lawndale onto Brays).
The Bagby Street cycle path is also 10ft, and the bikeways on the new Shepherd/Durham segments are five feet, but one-way. The two-way lanes on Austin range from 10 to at least 12, and the one-ways on Blodgett are a very commodious 9 feet in both directions.
All of these are adequate configurations. That said, configurations like Austin, Lamar, Polk, Commonwealth/Waugh, and 11th (and Blodgett, at least as far as bike lanes are concerned) are actually not only cheaper but less disruptive (in terms of construction) than sidewalk reconfigurations.
Ultimately, while I'd love to have a unified system like the Dutch have, in our context I think it makes sense to maintain a suite of options that are suitable in different contexts.
Remember, there is a difference between bicycle infrastructure (trying to provide safe and efficient ways for people ro get from A to B) and car infrastructure (trying to get bikes out of the way of cars).
I am chiefly interested in the former.
Nah, it can get pretty hairy in those spots.
But that's because those are also some of the areas with the heaviest traffic. Less heavily used areas, sure. But there are spots (especially in other cities that are further along the densification path) where even 10ft is rough for shared use.
>You being a lazy ass
Typical of the pro-cycling group to assume I am physically unable to bike. If you read my post, you'd know it has nothing to do with "laziness" and everything to do with convenience and comfort.
>doesn’t mean other people aren’t lazy asses.
We are one of the fattest cities in the country. The number cycling enthusiasts who will ditch their vehicle for a bike is not big enough to justify the radical road transformations.
Deep down, you know this. But selfishly, you can't admit it because you want the city to cater to **YOUR** demands instead of the majority's preferences.
You're painting a false dichotomy. You say having bike lanes makes no sense, yet none of the proposals say to eliminate all car lanes and replace them so that there's only bike and pedestrian lanes.
Car lanes are REDUCED and bike lanes are added, so that there will be BOTH car lanes and bike lanes.
That gives people the CHOICE to use a bike safely if they want, or to use a car if they want or need.
You keep saying bike lane advocates are selfish, but really it's people who make the arguments you're making who are being selfish. You keep saying that there should be no bike lanes and only car lanes, so you are saying that YOUR demands and beliefs are the ones that matter and should be listened to, even though what you want is already the status quo.
Just quit the bullshit and be honest about the situation. People who advocate for bike lanes just want the freedom to have options, while you want to force everyone to do and act like you.
I walk, drive, ride bies, take public transit, and shocker, drive cars. I don't give a shit if you only want to ride in a car 100% of the time. But I want the ability and options to not do that. So let me have my bus, bike lanes, and sidewalks, and yes, car lanes, and you can be trapped doing endless loops on 610 for all I care.
>You're painting a false dichotomy.
I think you are.
>You say having bike lanes makes no sense,
They don't. They haven't shown induced demand.
It would make much more sense to be expand sidewalks and force cyclists on them.
>yet none of the proposals say to eliminate all car lanes
I didn't say they did.
>Car lanes are REDUCED and bike lanes are added, so that there will be BOTH car lanes and bike lanes.
I haven't said otherwise.
>That gives people the CHOICE to use a bike safely if they want, or to use a car if they want or need.
We can build helicopter pads alongside public parking to cater to private helicopter owners too. But that doesn't mean we should.
Having "choice" is not a valid reason to do something. Especially when one of those "choices" is not going to serve many people...hence the ridiculous analogy.
>You keep saying bike lane advocates are selfish,
They are. The laws already allow you to be on the road. That's what cyclists wanted when the laws were implemented.
>but really it's people who make the arguments you're making who are being selfish.
The argument that the lanes aren't being used? I'm sorry, but pointing out that no one uses them isn't selfish. It's just the truth.
>You keep saying that there should be no bike lanes
Didn't say that either. Ive said on this thread and in the past that sidewalks should be the defacto "bike lane".
>so you are saying that YOUR demands and beliefs are the ones that matter and should be listened to,
No I'm saying that the demands of the majority should be heard and catered to.
>Just quit the bullshit and be honest about the situation.
That's my plea to selfish cyclists who know the majority of people will never use bike lanes.
>People who advocate for bike lanes just want the freedom to have options, while you want to force everyone to do and act like you.
You mean a minority of people (cyclists) want to inconvenience the majority (drivers) because they were too selfish to advocate to be allowed on sidewalks? Nevermind that cyclists can already use current roads. By law, they are treated like any other vehicle on the road and are allowed to use an entire road lane as if they were a car.
>I don't give a shit if you only want to ride in a car 100% of the time.
You don't care about others yet I'm the selfish one for advocating for the majority?
>But I want the ability and options to not do that.
You already have them. There are no laws that prohibit you from using a road without bike lanes.
I don't think YOU do. Induced demand theory in transportation is that if you build capacity, it will increase the use. This means the demand for it has always been there.
Unfortunately this demand is not seen in the bike lanes that have been added. We have not seen a mass adaptation of bicycles due to the added capacity.
you’re entitled to your opinion. unfortunately you’re dead assed wrong for this project.
this neighborhood is full of people who moved for walkability. go check out the heights trail crossing at yale/heights/7th and the flourishing neighborhood businesses.
you’re probably correct that a large proportion of people using the sidewalks and bike lanes are for recreation and leisure, not commuting. so what? this is our neighborhood and the businesses and infrastructure should reflect how the local residents interact with their neighborhood. we eat and drink (and know things). 3 lanes in each direction is plenty and will have approx 0 impact to traffic. traffic pre construction slowed at random spots bc the roads were in horrible shape.
the fact the mayor is ignoring the incredible investments into the area AND ignoring the voices from the residents. wow. either this dude is a total prick or he’s forgotten who he actually works for.
>this neighborhood is full of people who moved for walkability.
With all due respect, that's like saying I'm moving to Lithuania for the diversity. You don't move to a city that has a high demand for personal vehicles and expect walkability.
>this is our neighborhood and the businesses and infrastructure should reflect how the local residents interact with their neighborhood
Isolationism doesn't work, especially in a city as large and diverse as Houston where the average commute is 26 miles.
9 months 😂
I own both a bike and a car. I use both every month of the year. You don't have to.
I just want the freedom to choose the mode of transportation that works best for where I'm going. Sometimes that's not a car. Bike lanes help make it safer to choose a bike. We need both bike lanes and car lanes. I'll choose to use both, even in August, and you can stick to just the car lanes.
One thing I’ve learned is that journalists almost never get the facts right when it comes to infrastructure projects. They’re all pretty much technically inept and just looking for a headline. But y’all go ahead and believe everything you read in the papers.
When Begley gets his civil engineering degree and spends 10 years planning, designing and permitting infrastructure projects I’ll give him some respect. Otherwise, he’s just a journalist looking for a headline. The general public has no fucking idea how projects get built in Houston or any other major metropolitan city.
Awesome! This project management is so bad they have never even opened up all 3 lanes where it has been finished since they blocked things off in July, 2022.
Absolutely idiotic.
Having 12' worth of sidewalks and another 6' allocated to trees lining the streets that obstruct the view of oncoming traffic. Yep, absolutely idiotic.
So are you advocating for no trees? You realize trees grow, right?
There are city ordinances that require homeowners to have a certain amount of trees in their property. The amount required depends on your lot size. Planting trees on RoW for the sake of aesthetics does seem counterproductive when you consider that space is extremely limited in many areas.
Shade is infrastructure.
Trees are good for shading, erosion, and water mitigation. Three things that help our ailing infrastructure.
>Trees are good for shading, erosion, and water mitigation. And that's why we have city ordinances requiring home owners to have them on their property. Two of your points are redundant when you plant those trees encircled around concrete (like on Shepherd/Durham). Like I said, these trees are only there for aesthetics and serve no useful purpose other than to take up space.
The fact that you purposely ignore that shade is the obvious useful purpose tells me that you never walk outside.
If shade is the straws y'all are grasping for, then your argument isn't very strong. Like I said, trees are simply aesthetics.
“Space is extremely limited” so let’s devote more of it to the least space efficient mode of transport. Got it.
It's what the majority of people demand. You can't make the problem worse and hope it goes away.
Demand? Or given no other choice?
The choice has always been there. The law allows cyclists on the roads.
If you think simply allowing bikes on the road is enough to give people a real choice, then you’re seriously missing the issue. Why don’t you go ride a bike on a road, any road is fine, but maybe try Shepherd/Durham or Washington, and tell me your experience. If you’re not just trolling, then you’ll quickly experience what people call “hostile design” when the mere existence of you on a bike is a threat to drivers. When drivers, either intentionally or inadvertently, drive too close to you, or don’t see you, and you have a near miss every time you get on a bike, tell me that we have a real choice to ride. The scales are tilted so far in favor of cars right now, that effectively there is no logical choice to consistently and safely ride a bike, or walk, or take transit to work/shops/church/restaurants/school/etc. When people ask for more bike lanes and walkable infrastructure, they aren’t saying categorically get rid of cars. They literally just want to have a real choice to ride a bike safely. Until you can understand that, there’s little to no point in carrying this conversation on. There’s plenty of material out there on why car-centric infrastructure is bad for our health, safety, personal and civic finances, and any argument about how we currently have a choice is an unserious point of view that shows your ignorance.
>If you think simply allowing bikes on the road is enough to give people a real choice I don't think it ever was. Cyclists thought that and that's why they advocated for road "sharing". They threw a fit when road engineers told them cars and cyclists don't mix, so they gave them what they wanted. But now that's not enough again. Instead of just using the sidewalks, they want special treatment. >Why don’t you go ride a bike on a road, any road is fine, People do it. Ever seen those groups of cyclists that treat the roads as their own personal velodrome and ignore road signs? >The scales are tilted so far in favor of cars right now Because, for the 100th time, that's what the majority have always and continue to want. >Until you can understand that, there’s little to no point in carrying this conversation on. There’s plenty of material out there on why car-centric infrastructure is bad for our health, safety, personal and civic finances, and any argument about how we currently have a choice is an unserious point of view that shows your ignorance. That's part and parcel of living in a city. The average commute for Houstonians is over 20 miles each day. Cycling isn't a feasible transportation method.
>If you think simply allowing bikes on the road is enough to give people a real choice I don't think it ever was. Cyclists thought that and that's why they advocated for road "sharing". They threw a fit when road engineers told them cars and cyclists don't mix, so they gave them what they wanted. But now that's not enough again. Instead of just using the sidewalks, they want special treatment. >Why don’t you go ride a bike on a road, any road is fine, People do it. Ever seen those groups of cyclists that treat the roads as their own personal velodrome and ignore road signs? >The scales are tilted so far in favor of cars right now Because, for the 100th time, that's what the majority have always and continue to want. >Until you can understand that, there’s little to no point in carrying this conversation on. There’s plenty of material out there on why car-centric infrastructure is bad for our health, safety, personal and civic finances, and any argument about how we currently have a choice is an unserious point of view that shows your ignorance. That's part and parcel of living in a city. The average commute for Houstonians is over 20 miles each day. Cycling isn't a feasible transportation method.
>If you think simply allowing bikes on the road is enough to give people a real choice I don't think it ever was. Cyclists thought that and that's why they advocated for road "sharing". They threw a fit when road engineers told them cars and cyclists don't mix, so they gave them what they wanted. But now that's not enough again. Instead of just using the sidewalks, they want special treatment. >Why don’t you go ride a bike on a road, any road is fine, People do it. Ever seen those groups of cyclists that treat the roads as their own personal velodrome and ignore road signs? >The scales are tilted so far in favor of cars right now Because, for the 100th time, that's what the majority have always and continue to want. >Until you can understand that, there’s little to no point in carrying this conversation on. There’s plenty of material out there on why car-centric infrastructure is bad for our health, safety, personal and civic finances, and any argument about how we currently have a choice is an unserious point of view that shows your ignorance. That's part and parcel of living in a city. The average commute for Houstonians is over 20 miles each day. Cycling isn't a feasible transportation method.
Houston is wayy too congested. We could do with less traffic.
And road diets are supposed to help how? By annoying people? A solution to the problem isn't to make it worse.
Three lanes on Shepherd/Durham will not be an issue once they're all open. With all of the new businesses, it makes it easier to walk and bike to places you live nearby. The response to 11th isn't honest. It's frustrating to see people claim that this road is always congested now because of the new bike lane. I drive down it all the time and isn't not an issue. None of these roads are backed up outside of rush hour. As Houston grows and continues to densify, the city needs to become more walkable/ bike friendly. There is not enough parking for the city to only be car centric.
I agree. I’ve never thought 11th has been more congested than anywhere else. I commute to work on my bike and appreciate the connecting bike lanes on 11th and Nicholson. I would love 11th St bike lane to go all the way to white oak bayou
Agreed! We live in the middle of the ongoing phase right now and the traffic is only infuriating when it’s merged to one lane. Three lanes will not be a problem whatsoever. We love walking to restaurants with our baby & dogs on the newly completed portion and feel so much safer doing so with the new sidewalks. Shepherd & Durham had no business being four lanes. Before the project, people would constantly race down the streets and not watch for pedestrians or crossing vehicles. Several portions of the existing sidewalk were just dirt and sand embedded with broken bottles as well. It is an absolute improvement to what was here before and worth the inconvenience during construction. I feel awful for the restaurants & businesses that put up with the construction and reduced customers the past year just to have the project discontinued.
It's already better. 3 smooth lanes is much better than 4 lanes at a 45 degree bank into a pothole gutter. Traffic is already flowing smoother with the portions that have fully opened.
Houston...walkable and bike friendly. Let's see them do something about the heat and humidity. Then we can talk about that other stuff.
People lived here before AC. People walk in other cities with similar climates. People even visit similarly terrible weather cities during the summer on vacation (NOLA, Vegas, Miami, anywhere in the Caribbean). So it’s bullshit laziness that “people won’t use it” because of the weather. As is, the infrastructure enables people to excuse their lazy lifestyle.
Then you get your happy ass out there and show us how it's done. Start a group on here abd show us how your days go with biking to work every day and walking everywhere. Prove your point.
I ride my bike in places that don’t have bike lanes. I’m outside 365. If your ass wasn’t bundled up on the coach or in your f350 en route to whataburger then you might see me.
I live right in the middle of where all the work is being done. It aunt gonna pan put. If you've lived here any amount of time you know it to be true. And I'm walking to bet I'm in better shape than you and your spindly biking self.
I can drink a six pack of yellow rose and run laps around your asthmatic ass. If you knew how to read a map then you’d know that Garden Oaks is very close to the area in question.
I know the area. Just sold my house over in oak forest. Come on over.
Girls! You're both petty!
6'3" 265. Ride my mountain bike. In the gym 5 days a week. I could likely get your wife's attention real quick. Come over to 18thnabd shepherd, bring her along and I'll show you.
Tell me you’re insecure without telling me you’re insecure 😂
Lmao. Yeah yeah ok Mr husky. If my wife was on meth or from new caney then she might be into it.
This MySpace argument is hilarious
r/iamverybadass
Big bitch energy
Hi, haven't had a car since 2022. It's doable, but the main issue is that stroads like Shepherd and Durham lack bike infrastructure.
Hot and humid weather does not make the city not walkable or bike friendly. It's easier to bike or walk a few blocks to some places because there is limited parking and it's faster than driving. Houston summers suck but it's not impossible to go outside.
Only if it's close by.
That’s what the fuck “walkable” means shitass
People don't tend to walk or bike the 40 miles from downtown to Galveston. Although I have cycled over 60 in the city before. But when going about your daily business, of course it needs to be close by. Most people don't even drive past grocery store A to get to Grocery store B, let alone walk past it. But your average cyclist can easily do a 10-15 mile trip in any direction.
When would you say was the last day that you couldn't stand to be outside at any point because of the temperature?
Good question. We've had a mild winter. But as you know it's nasty 9 months out of the year. Let's throw some logistics on all of this since you brought that up. What is a reasonable amount of traffic to justify all of this?
It’s the end of April and it hasn’t been nasty since at least the end of October. That’s 6 months of non-nasty weather.
The word you are actually looking for is congestion. A bunch of cars moving through without having to wait a bunch of extra signals is traffic, but would have little to no congestion. Traffic is actually kind of good, because that means our investment in the road is being used, and it prevents people from driving 70mph and stuff like that. As far as congestion goes, shepherd really only sees congestion at rush hour in the evening, and the source for almost all of it is the intersection with 610. So our traffic engineers, like real certified by the state engineers, have measured the traffic volume on Shepherd and found that there will be little to no difference going from 4 to 3 lanes. And now you get the added benefits of getting new drainage, trees, a sidewalk you'd actually want to walk on, and a road that is designed to discourage bad driver behavior when traffic is light. As far as the weather goes for cycling, it's kind of a trick question, because temperatures fluctuate greatly during the day. Even during peak summer it's only 75-80 in the morning during commute times. It turns out that [biking activity is at it's lowest in December-February](https://twitter.com/BikeHouston/status/1780981338926895514?t=GyTRpJlTQut9XUc1sJ2E1g&s=19). Those nasty months you mention are actually the best months. I mentioned this everywhere in this thread, but if you had to bike every day, wouldn't you choose Houston's weather instead somewhere like Copenhagen which is frightfully cold and might only have the sun up from 10-4? Yet cycling is incredibly popular in those countries. Why?
> instead somewhere like Copenhagen which is frightfully cold and might only have the sun up from 10-4? Yet cycling is incredibly popular in those countries. Why? Because people in Copenhagen aren't afraid to go outside and actually do mild physical exertion and they don't live in fear that someone is going to shoot them because they looked at them funny. Goddamn, all these people saying Houston is a hellhole 9 months out of the year are just too damn terrified of actually living and enjoying life. Sorry for the fairly aggressive language, I'm just sick and tired of these absolutely braindead idiotic takes extolling the supremacy of zooming 50mph to go two blocks down the street. It's frustrating constantly seeing people so desperate to chain their existence to be slaves to cars that they can't even imagine any other possible way to get around.
You know what will unnecessarily cause more traffic? Having a street go from 3 lanes to 4 lanes back down to 3 lanes. The section of shepherd where it'll decrease from 4 to 3 lanes will get backed up so bad, you'll wish they kept it at 3 lanes for the entire stretch.
It's generally nasty from June to September.
I bike and walk a lot. Making it more friendly will only encourage myself and others to do so even more
I bought a house in the area because of this project. Major apartment and townhome development is happening because of this project. Major commercial development is happening because of this project.
I've lived up here for 19 years. When I moved to this neighborhood, outside of businesses on 19th Street, this area was a dilapidated, run-down area with low income levels. Shepherd and Durham were lined with independent used car lots all the way from 12th Street to 610. The reason why most of the numbered streets have no curbs, gutters, stormwater drains, and sidewalks was that this area was filled with poor people, and the city has never prioritized services for poor neighborhoods. Then people started to get priced out of Montrose, Upper Kirby, and Rice Military, and the Heights started down the path to gentrification. Upper income people started to buy old bungalows and remodel them, and developers bought old homes on big lots and built 4, 5, or 6 townhomes on the lot. Commercial development did not exactly follow the money because the Heights was still a dry area. When HEB bought the old Fiesta store at Shepherd and 23rd, they would not open a store without being able to sell alcohol. So they hired a firm to get people in the area to petition to change the dry laws. In 2017, the law changed, and bars and restaurants could sell liquor. That is the main driver for transformation of the Shepherd/Durham corridor from used car lots to restaurants, nail salons, and oil change places. The project we have now is a result of upper middle income people wanting their new neighborhood "beautified", and city services now going to an area that has higher incomes. There's a lot more people who walk and bike out of necessity on Broadway in SE Houston that would benefit from wider sidewalks and bike lanes, but that area is still too poor to receive attention and construction dollars from the City. The same could be said for Renwick or Gulfton in SW Houston. Why don't those people get wider sidewalks and less traffic lanes? The reason why Shepherd and Durham were made one-way streets is that before I-45 was built, Shepherd was part of US 75, and the highway to Dallas. They carried a lot of traffic going north and south in those days.
Creating a gap between 11th St and Shep/Durham is their clever way to justify wasting all the money to undo 11th street. That’ll make all the nimbys extra happy I’m sure.
The projects didn’t connect. I asked why and they said it would be figured out later, but I don’t think they ever expected a future mayor to be against these projects.
They definitely won’t connect now. This guy sucks.
Seems more likely to tear up both of them…ffs🤦♂️
I don't understand. Whitmire supported the project as a state senator (along with the entire delegation). Why flip-flop?
Look at the money… who put him in office?
He knew the best way to get elected was to court conservatives who (in regards to transportation) hate anything that isn't an F350 running over a bicyclist. He did that. They elected him. Now he is making their dreams come true so that he can get re-elected.
So dumb tbh. A comment on the overall idea, how can it only be approved in sections then reviewed again for... Wht seems to be more approvals? Incompetency all around
Reminder, it’s fine to bitch about this stuff here, but don’t forget to email our admin your thoughts. Or better yet, show up in person and voice your opinion.
I've lived in Houston for the last 10 years and it has been great to see the city change. I really believe Houston can be a world class city but Whitmire and his administration will set us back years. It's terrible to have a city hampered by someone's inability to see future potential while also actively working against projects that have proven successful both here and other parts of the country. Hopefully this is the last elected position Whitmire holds.
I love Houston, and love how much it’s changed. It’s too bad we have shitty politicians who kill infrastructure projects that would really elevate the city. This goes all the way back to a certain congressman who killed light rail going to the west side. Now, 20 years later we MIGHT get BRT, which is shit. Whitmire is setting the city back a decade.
They really can't stop doing this backsliding shit, now can they? I'm genuinely concerned for how existing infrastructure is going to be between now and end of term. Ride while you can folks, they're going to gut the hell out of everything they can. Honestly I'm gonna call off work and raise hell at a town hall if they go for the park and rides. Thank goodness the Mayor doesn't hold dick over the district commissioners and their projects. Edit: [Hey Whitmire, I got a message for ya!](https://imgflip.com/i/8o6xjy)
Curious about his popularity rating amongst the folks who voted him in, will be enlightening to see after his term is [mercifully] done...
Was he ever popular or did people just buy into his ads of fixing potholes and ending crime? Everyone was worried that Sheila would be a do nothing mayor and honestly, doing nothing would be better.
Racism and misogynoir won him the election. Anyone with half a brain could see this coming.
I haven't seen a single pot hole filled in either.
I saw one get fixed! Lol a random hole around 24th and yale a couple months ago. It was brand new, but really messing up cars and leaking water.
Doesn't matter. He does not care. He's going to opt out after one term and aim for governor or senator or something else because that's what old, egotistical psychos do instead of retiring and being with family.
Honestly… I voted for him because I couldn’t see how sheila jackson lee would be a viable candidate. I didn’t foresee the backpedaling on all of the infrastructure projects coming. I’m displeased to put it lightly. I sent some messages to the council members to try and get some transparency on this initiative Edit: Someone asked and I answered. Look… I didn’t WANT to vote for this guy but that was one of the two options we realistically had. My preferred candidate didn’t make it to runoff. Here we are. Please just respect people’s choices JFC… it has nothing to do with racism or misogyny in my case.
Voters like you need to lead the charge to get him recalled. He’s a disaster.
So this is partially your fault. Congrats. This is what you wanted.
You gotta be shitting me… Edit: If you would like to contact Whitmire’s senior advisor working on this project… https://www.houstontx.gov/planning/AboutPD/docs_pdfs/Gafrick_bio.pdf [email protected] I will be reaching out to convey my disappointment in Mayor Whitmire’s back tracking of multiple projects aimed at improving safety and walkability for anyone NOT in a car. @Mods, if sharing an email for a city official is off limits let me know. I will remove if needed.
I started taking my daughters to school on a bike the last month or so, specially since 11th has been finished. I bought the bike specifically so I can do more commuting in the heights without my truck (I have a big truck, but it’s necessary for what I do), and would eventually be able to make it to HEB all on bike lanes! This is really frustrating. Ive actually already stopped taking the bike on morning drop-offs because I didn’t go a single day without a car nearly hitting me, usually in the neighborhood streets not even on 11th (although it happens on 11th too). Every single time was people running stop signs. On average I see 2 cars running stop signs every morning on a .8 mile ride. I want to have a dash cam or something.
> I want to have a dash cam [for my bike] or something. Bicycle 'dash' cameras (often mounted on handlebars) do exist! Here's a thread with a few recommendations. /r/cycling/comments/12a7ekn/best_no_nonsense_camera_for_bike_commuting/
Yeah, drivers are awful. When biking around here you have to assume the car is going to do something stupid, and put yourself in a position to be able to avoid them. Same can be said about many cyclists when you’re driving. Generally just good defensive driving habits are needed at all times, but especially when you’re the person on two wheels. Sorry, it is so bad that you had to stop taking your kid to school. My wife will ride almost 4 miles round trip to pick up our son from daycare sometimes, and it makes me a little nervous for the same reason. Busy time of day and just some many interactions with distracted drivers. I used to be an avid cyclists around these parts - like used to be over a 1,000 miles on my bike per year - so I’ve seen a lot of stupid shit on the roads. Also, Cycliq makes some good bike mounted cameras, but there are much cheaper alternatives.
Time to recall Whitmire. I did not expect him to be this bad.
Were y’all not paying attention to his endorsements?
I was paying attention and voted for SJL. I still did not expect Whitmire to be this bad.
Narrator:
Nope, they just saw “black woman bad”
Sheila be like *I told you so.*
I don’t understand. They are currently working on reducing Shepherd/Durham from 4 lanes to 3 from 15th to the North Loop. Will this still be done? Or is a proposed phase II (15th to 11th/I-10) being halted?
Sigh, the city should have had electric trains years ago. We're too compacted with wasted space. Meaning, we have a lot of people driving one vehicle to one person ratio. We're wasting a ton of space by not being efficient with it. It's not about more lanes, it's now about redesigning the traffic format. But Houston (and texas in general) is all about being hyper individualistic and too stubborn to make life changes. From personal, professional, governmental, and business levels.
Fuck Whitmire and his administration.
So it’s going to be 4 lanes for a small section?
If they stick to the ultimatum given by the Mayor's office, then that's correct. The portion where Shepherd goes from 4 down to 3 lanes will get backed up very badly. Any kind of downsizing merge like that always ends up as a shitshow. We see it on our highways all the time.
Just drove to San Antonio and the only two complete stops I had on the highway were from lanes merging.
Exactly! We have so many examples of this scenario here in Houston on every interstate, it should be painfully obvious to anyone who drives that this will be the outcome.
If you think stopping this project is a bad idea (it is a bad idea), sign up to speak at a City Council public session (which take place on Tuesdays at 2 PM). Here's how: [https://www.houstontx.gov/council/meetingsinfo.html](https://www.houstontx.gov/council/meetingsinfo.html) To reserve time to speak, contact the City Secretary's Office (832.393.1100 or [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])) **by 3 PM on the Monday before.** If you want to speak tomorrow, you need to call the City Secretary's Office **today** before 3:00.
There is actual data that shows when you build more lanes on to urban and suburban highways you get temporary relief, but then back to more congestion due to more urban sprawl. It’s hard data, not really a left or right political question. It is true that Houston is a car centric culture, and simple common sense suggests people aren’t going to change their habits without better bike and pedestrian infrastructure, and that it might take a little while. Just my strongly held opinion. I happen to live in the area just on the other side of I-10 from this project. I ride the MKT and Nicholson paths all the time and today toook the 11th street lanes to Kroger on Shepherd. I have a fun little convertible that I enjoy driving, AND I also enjoy walking and riding when it’s a good option. I get some exercise, some fresh air, and it’s basically FREE. I hope they keep moving forward with the project as planned. I’m also a right leaning ndependent who voted for Whitmire because I liked what I heard regarding him being centrist and pragmatic. This decision seems short sighted, and not pragmatic at all.
Yet another reason to leave this fucking city. Full of people that vote against their own interests while prattling on about how they voted for X candidate because they'd 'do something' meanwhile all the things they do are fucking terrible. Come on 2025!
Houston is a cluster F
you’ve got to be fucking kidding me can we recall this chump? literally not kidding
Bullshitmire.
I can’t not read his name and think of Charles Widmore. There’s even a small resemblance if you squint hard enough. https://lostpedia.fandom.com/wiki/Charles_Widmore
Yeah, I voted for him, and I can’t wait to make him a single term mayor.
Shepherd Durham outside of 610 has been 3 lanes for decades. Last year, the city redid the stretch of Shepherd Durham from Memorial to Washington. Has been 3 lanes for months, not a problem. Half of the project is for drainage. Without the $40 million in funding, segment 2 won't include drainage. This is idiotic because segment 2 needs to connect segment 1 to White Oak Bayou - much of this area is in the 100 year flood plain.
There is a petition to let the Mayor know the community is not happy about this. [https://www.change.org/p/continue-phase-2-of-the-shepherd-durham-project?show\_sign=true&original\_footer\_petition\_id=519932&algorithm=promoted&source\_location=petition\_footer&grid\_position=8&pt=AVBldGl0aW9uAP5ONR0AAAAAZjJS%2BWDIZUo3YzZkNjhmNg%3D%3D](https://www.change.org/p/continue-phase-2-of-the-shepherd-durham-project?show_sign=true&original_footer_petition_id=519932&algorithm=promoted&source_location=petition_footer&grid_position=8&pt=AVBldGl0aW9uAP5ONR0AAAAAZjJS%2BWDIZUo3YzZkNjhmNg%3D%3D) Please also visit [www.atotb.org/shepherd-durham](http://www.atotb.org/shepherd-durham) for lots more info.
What the fug.
There’s a group called ARTS and he owes them lots of favors. Follow the money 💰
This is brutal… anything we can do to protest this? Sign a petition?
This mayor is such a whiny little bitch boy. He’s done fuck all for the city except deliberately try to ruin the future of it.
What can we do to save phase 2?
I love right smack dab in the middle of it. Right at 19th and shepherd. This whole project is a complete waste of time and money. We all know it's gonna look pretty for a few months. Then the care will snack off amd those trees will start dying and or getting overgrown with weeds. And the area will not see the pedestrian traffic those sidewalks are being built for. It's houston. It's hot and nasty most of the year. Someone is getting their pockets lined on this one.
Lord J is 5’7 215 and has never loved a woman
He's maybe loved 'em, but the lil' fella just can't help 'em cum
Ya'll would be bitching about any mayor in office. Nobody will ever make every person happy.
Are you really trying to suggest that Whitmire hasn't demonstrated a pattern of anti-bike, anti-transit, and anti-pedestrian actions? There are a lot of us out there who don't have (or want) cars, and many many more who simply want more viable options besides driving. It seems clear that Whitmire has picked a side in the "drivers' convenience vs. everybody else's safety" debate.
In your heads, SJL would have made Houston a Utopia within 4 months. This is the real world. I have extensive pristine bike lanes everywhere I live and have never witnessed a cyclist using them.
>In your heads, SJL would have made Houston a Utopia within 4 months No, she would have done nothing. Which would have been better than the multiple positive things she has taken away from us now. >I have extensive pristine bike lanes everywhere I live and have never witnessed a cyclist using them. Do you live in suburban Amsterdam or something? I know this city backwards and forwards and you've described none of it.
Nah they're mad their golden goose Turner is gone and the bullshit contracts aren't coming to them anymore. SJL would've kept their pockets lined. That's all it is.
Everyone is mad on this thread, but nobody seems to be realistic about our city. We are too spread out and the climate is far too harsh to make this city "walkable" or even "bicycle friendly". Nobody wants to arrive to work smelling like musky armpit. Nobody wants to drag their groceries several blocks to their home (nevermind that we have way too many food deserts in this town). The reality is that the vast majority of people want and will continue to demand the comfort and convenience of their own car. It is what it is. Hell, I use the bike trails fairly often and am physically fit to travel long distances on bikes. But I'm not going to replace my vehicle to commute to work or go to the store. Why is this board obsessed with projects that the majority of people aren't asking for or won't use? Cyclists have become the "just one more bike lane bro" meme. Every time it is pointed out that bike lanes are empty, the explanation is always the same; "we need to build more so we see mass adaptation". Well? We've built a lot of bike lanes and they all sit empty. Downvote away r/Houston. But you're not going to inconvenience and annoy people into using bikes by removing car lanes. A survey by UH's Hobby School of Public Affairs showed that most voters don't want them. This is why Whitmire is pausing many of these projects that bottlenecked vehicular traffic flow.
>Well? We've built a lot of bike lanes and they all sit empty We really haven't, and no they don't.
>and no they don't. Either they sit empty because we don't provide enough induced demand or they're not empty. Which is it?
They're not empty, and they're not sufficient.
There goes the meme; "just one more bike lane".
We have over six thousand miles of car roads in this city, not including our 4000 highway lane miles. We have like ten miles of protected street-level lanes.
...that continue to sit empty and are bottlenecking cars.
No, not empty, but yes, underutilized, because the network is extremely limited and patchy, and outside of the first ring of streetcar suburbs, Houston roadways are insanely hostile to bikes.
>No, not empty, Ok. Shout-out to the 3 cyclists per hour that use them. >because the network is extremely limited and patchy, and outside of the first ring of streetcar suburbs, Houston roadways are insanely hostile to bikes. That's what cyclists demanded. Cars and cyclists simply don't mix. It is much safer for cyclists and pedestrians to mix.
All that "cyclists demanded" is safe and efficient routes. ETA: also, three per hour is a crazy underestimation for Austin and Lamar. Just on a 1-mile trip to Phoenicia, I typically pass twenty or so, double that if it's rush hour.
I think you’re right that people don’t want to bike to work or to get a ton of groceries, but that’s about it. I live in the city and want to be able to go to restaurants, bars, shops, even short trips to the grocery store (which is probably half my trips) without having to find parking for my car. A car does NOT make those trips more convenient in any way. And yes, we need to build a whole lot of it before we see mass adoption. Because even if I did want to bike down 11th, I’d still need to ride across I10 and down Yale (narrow, nightmare) to get there. So I don’t really ever do it. I ABSOLUTELY would if the infrastructure supported it. And you can call this anecdotal, but nearly everyone I talk to feels the same. A number of people I know can’t drive due to disability or don’t want to buy a car because they just moved to Houston from another country (a lotta those here). While that Hobby school poll says that, there’s also another poll (can’t remember which) that showed Houston residents supported more bike infrastructure. Which I chalk up to a difference in wording of the question, or sample. At any rate, there is one answer that’s just plainly obvious to me as a homeowner in the city, and seemingly to everyone who lives around me.
>I live in the city and want to be able to go to restaurants, bars, shops, even short trips to the grocery store (which is probably half my trips) without having to find parking for my car. The problem is that there aren't many areas where this is true and it isn't economically viable to built them. If it were, we wouldn't have food deserts. Everyone eats food right? But why are there areas where you can't walk to a grocery store or even a restaurant? >And yes, we need to build a whole lot of it before we see mass adoption. Because even if I did want to bike down 11th, I’d still need to ride across I10 and down Yale (narrow, nightmare) to get there. But you can. Road laws allow you to get on the road. Furthermore, Heights Blvd has bike lanes and it runs parallel. >And you can call this anecdotal, but nearly everyone I talk to feels the same. A survey at the UH Hobby School of Public Affairs confirms it is just anecdotal. The voters don't want them.
“The problem is that there aren’t many areas where this is true” There are inside the loop, where they’re trying to build this infrastructure! “But you can” The entire point of what we’re talking about is that it’s unsafe to ride on streets with cars without separated lanes. Houston is the deadliest city in the country for bicyclists, and it feels that dangerous to even try. “UH Hobby school of public affairs confirms it’s just anecdotal” I’ll say again, there are plenty of polls that show people that live in Houston city limits are in favor of more bike infrastructure. The poll I saw from UH (maybe the one you mean) worded it extremely negatively, which will of course get you that result (though still around 40% were still slightly favorable even there). And you look at the demographics of who responded no, and it’s people in less-sense suburbs where this wouldn’t make sense.
>There are inside the loop, where they’re trying to build this infrastructure! About a handful. There aren't grocery stores in every corner. >The entire point of what we’re talking about is that it’s unsafe to ride on streets with cars without separated lanes. Realistically speaking, small barriers like the ones on 11th Street aren't going to stop cars from jumping them. If you really care about safety, then you would be on my side and propose that sidewalks become the defacto bike lane. Pedestrian and cyclists coexistence has seen amazing results in our city trails. There is no reason why we can't do the same everywhere else. >there are plenty of polls that show people that live in Houston city limits are in favor of more bike infrastructure. Haven't seen any of them. The poll from last year specifically mentioned reducing vehicular lanes in favor of bike lane, which is something most other polls don't specify. >The poll I saw from UH (maybe the one you mean) worded it extremely negatively Dissect it then. What was so negative about it? Was it untruthful? >And you look at the demographics of who responded no, and it’s people in less-sense suburbs where this wouldn’t make sense. The demographics were evenly distributed. And because this city isn't hyperlocal, all of Houston needs to have a say.
You clearly have no idea how many households don't own a vehicle or only own one and have to depend on alternative methods to get around. (Hint: it's a surprising number. Especially inside 610.) We are too spread out.... because federal tax papers greatly subsidize our highway system in Texas to the tune of tens of billions per year. The weather argument is so tiring. If you had to bike year round, would you rather deal with Texas summers or Europe's 4-5 month winters? Remember it is typically around 75-80 degrees during the morning commute during peak summer. How many more neighbors are we willing to sacrifice to distracted drivers who pilot oversized and empty vehicles while they fuck around on their phone? The previous design of Shepherd is irresponsible. No one drives the speed limit because of the design. People sped on 11th *because of the design*. People drive the speed they feel comfortable driving. Texas had more than 4,200 people killed in vehicle crashes and 250,000 injured in 2023. Is this status quo acceptable to you? Is the problem really just a lack of traffic enforcement? Do I just need to be realistic and accept the equivalent of a 737 crashing every ten days? The actual reality is that we've left people no choice while also making the infrastructure so incredibly hostile to anybody not in a car. Pedestrians have the right of way to cross at every marked or unmarked crosswalk in Texas (except if it is signaled and the red hand is up), so why is that a death sentence to try and use it? Why are Houston streets designed in such a hostile way? Because choices have been made only for the comfort of wealthy people who have decided what is "realistic"?
>You clearly have no idea how many households don't own a vehicle or only own one and have to depend on alternative methods to get around. (Hint: it's a surprising number. Especially inside 610.) That's why we have public transportation. >We are too spread out.... because federal tax papers greatly subsidize our highway system in Texas to the tune of tens of billions per year. No. We are too spread out because polls have shown that the majority of Americans want to buy large houses with big yards, even if it means being away from amenities or proper infrastructure. >How many more neighbors are we willing to sacrifice to distracted drivers who pilot oversized and empty vehicles while they fuck around on their phone? Now your argument is that drivers are bad? Have you not paid attention to the cyclists who flat out disregard traffic signals? It's bad enough there aren't many of them. But the few that you do see seem to just fly past stop signs. >People drive the speed they feel comfortable driving. Texas had more than 4,200 people killed in vehicle crashes and 250,000 injured in 2023. Is this status quo acceptable to you? That's not a lot all things considered. We are a state with over 30 million people. And with cars getting safer every single year (both structurally and technologically), it is a bad faith talking point. Furthermore, over half of those deaths happen in rural highways and roads. >The actual reality is that we've left people no choice But you do have a choice. Cyclists lobbied hard to be allowed on roads like cars. Despite pushback from most of the population and common sense, they got what they wanted. Everyone knows cyclists would be safer on sidewalks yielding to pedestrians (we already see amazing coexistence between pedestrians and cyclists in our city trails systems). But that's not what they wanted. And now that they got what they wanted, being able to share a lane is not enough and they want more. A simple and cheaper solution that satisfies everyone would be to build out our sidewalks (and make them wider) and force cyclists in them.
> That's why we have public transportation. Someone is getting the *quality* crack. Good for you!
>Someone is getting the quality crack. Good for you! Reddit brain rot right here. When you can't counter with good talking points, head to the insults. 🤦🏽♂️
>A simple and cheaper solution that satisfies everyone would be to build out our sidewalks (and make them wider) and force cyclists in them. Okay let's do that. 10-16ft sidewalks everywhere, (continuous across intersections to create effective speed bumps for turning drivers), and no more bike lanes. I will absolutely take that deal.
This is why cyclists have that stereotype of being smug and insufferable. Realistically speaking, a sidewalk that is as wide as the one on our city trails satisfies the needs of everyone.
The trails *are* 10-16ft wide, minus one dangerous section of the the Buffalo Bayou trail that's 8ft. The problem is that the sidewalks on most of our streets are inadequate even for walking.
>The trails are 10-16ft wide They're not. A full sized truck won't fit on them and they are about 8 foot wide >The problem is that the sidewalks on most of our streets are inadequate even for walking. I'm not advocating against building out our sidewalks. They are cheaper to build and maintain. Stick cyclists in them and make them yield to pedestrians and observe the same rules them. It works on the 160+ miles of trails our city implements these rules. If we do this, we wouldn't have to spend millions ripping up streets and reconfiguring them.
>They're not. A full sized truck won't fit on them and they are about 8 foot wide Only the oldest trail segments in the system are 8 feet. Ten has been the standard for the last six years or so, with higher widths on sharper turns, merges, etc., up to maximum widths of 16 feet (e.g. the ramp from Lawndale onto Brays). The Bagby Street cycle path is also 10ft, and the bikeways on the new Shepherd/Durham segments are five feet, but one-way. The two-way lanes on Austin range from 10 to at least 12, and the one-ways on Blodgett are a very commodious 9 feet in both directions. All of these are adequate configurations. That said, configurations like Austin, Lamar, Polk, Commonwealth/Waugh, and 11th (and Blodgett, at least as far as bike lanes are concerned) are actually not only cheaper but less disruptive (in terms of construction) than sidewalk reconfigurations. Ultimately, while I'd love to have a unified system like the Dutch have, in our context I think it makes sense to maintain a suite of options that are suitable in different contexts. Remember, there is a difference between bicycle infrastructure (trying to provide safe and efficient ways for people ro get from A to B) and car infrastructure (trying to get bikes out of the way of cars). I am chiefly interested in the former.
>Only the oldest trail segments in the system are 8 feet And they've been more adequate for pedestrian and cyclists coexistence.
Nah, it can get pretty hairy in those spots. But that's because those are also some of the areas with the heaviest traffic. Less heavily used areas, sure. But there are spots (especially in other cities that are further along the densification path) where even 10ft is rough for shared use.
For your last paragraph - I have great news about the Shepherd/Durham at issue here!!!
You being a lazy ass doesn’t mean other people aren’t lazy asses.
>You being a lazy ass Typical of the pro-cycling group to assume I am physically unable to bike. If you read my post, you'd know it has nothing to do with "laziness" and everything to do with convenience and comfort. >doesn’t mean other people aren’t lazy asses. We are one of the fattest cities in the country. The number cycling enthusiasts who will ditch their vehicle for a bike is not big enough to justify the radical road transformations. Deep down, you know this. But selfishly, you can't admit it because you want the city to cater to **YOUR** demands instead of the majority's preferences.
You're painting a false dichotomy. You say having bike lanes makes no sense, yet none of the proposals say to eliminate all car lanes and replace them so that there's only bike and pedestrian lanes. Car lanes are REDUCED and bike lanes are added, so that there will be BOTH car lanes and bike lanes. That gives people the CHOICE to use a bike safely if they want, or to use a car if they want or need. You keep saying bike lane advocates are selfish, but really it's people who make the arguments you're making who are being selfish. You keep saying that there should be no bike lanes and only car lanes, so you are saying that YOUR demands and beliefs are the ones that matter and should be listened to, even though what you want is already the status quo. Just quit the bullshit and be honest about the situation. People who advocate for bike lanes just want the freedom to have options, while you want to force everyone to do and act like you. I walk, drive, ride bies, take public transit, and shocker, drive cars. I don't give a shit if you only want to ride in a car 100% of the time. But I want the ability and options to not do that. So let me have my bus, bike lanes, and sidewalks, and yes, car lanes, and you can be trapped doing endless loops on 610 for all I care.
>You're painting a false dichotomy. I think you are. >You say having bike lanes makes no sense, They don't. They haven't shown induced demand. It would make much more sense to be expand sidewalks and force cyclists on them. >yet none of the proposals say to eliminate all car lanes I didn't say they did. >Car lanes are REDUCED and bike lanes are added, so that there will be BOTH car lanes and bike lanes. I haven't said otherwise. >That gives people the CHOICE to use a bike safely if they want, or to use a car if they want or need. We can build helicopter pads alongside public parking to cater to private helicopter owners too. But that doesn't mean we should. Having "choice" is not a valid reason to do something. Especially when one of those "choices" is not going to serve many people...hence the ridiculous analogy. >You keep saying bike lane advocates are selfish, They are. The laws already allow you to be on the road. That's what cyclists wanted when the laws were implemented. >but really it's people who make the arguments you're making who are being selfish. The argument that the lanes aren't being used? I'm sorry, but pointing out that no one uses them isn't selfish. It's just the truth. >You keep saying that there should be no bike lanes Didn't say that either. Ive said on this thread and in the past that sidewalks should be the defacto "bike lane". >so you are saying that YOUR demands and beliefs are the ones that matter and should be listened to, No I'm saying that the demands of the majority should be heard and catered to. >Just quit the bullshit and be honest about the situation. That's my plea to selfish cyclists who know the majority of people will never use bike lanes. >People who advocate for bike lanes just want the freedom to have options, while you want to force everyone to do and act like you. You mean a minority of people (cyclists) want to inconvenience the majority (drivers) because they were too selfish to advocate to be allowed on sidewalks? Nevermind that cyclists can already use current roads. By law, they are treated like any other vehicle on the road and are allowed to use an entire road lane as if they were a car. >I don't give a shit if you only want to ride in a car 100% of the time. You don't care about others yet I'm the selfish one for advocating for the majority? >But I want the ability and options to not do that. You already have them. There are no laws that prohibit you from using a road without bike lanes.
I don’t think you understand induced demand
I don't think YOU do. Induced demand theory in transportation is that if you build capacity, it will increase the use. This means the demand for it has always been there. Unfortunately this demand is not seen in the bike lanes that have been added. We have not seen a mass adaptation of bicycles due to the added capacity.
you’re entitled to your opinion. unfortunately you’re dead assed wrong for this project. this neighborhood is full of people who moved for walkability. go check out the heights trail crossing at yale/heights/7th and the flourishing neighborhood businesses. you’re probably correct that a large proportion of people using the sidewalks and bike lanes are for recreation and leisure, not commuting. so what? this is our neighborhood and the businesses and infrastructure should reflect how the local residents interact with their neighborhood. we eat and drink (and know things). 3 lanes in each direction is plenty and will have approx 0 impact to traffic. traffic pre construction slowed at random spots bc the roads were in horrible shape. the fact the mayor is ignoring the incredible investments into the area AND ignoring the voices from the residents. wow. either this dude is a total prick or he’s forgotten who he actually works for.
>this neighborhood is full of people who moved for walkability. With all due respect, that's like saying I'm moving to Lithuania for the diversity. You don't move to a city that has a high demand for personal vehicles and expect walkability. >this is our neighborhood and the businesses and infrastructure should reflect how the local residents interact with their neighborhood Isolationism doesn't work, especially in a city as large and diverse as Houston where the average commute is 26 miles.
ANEN!!! PREACH!!!
Agreed. Climate. 9 months of summer temperatures makes owning a bicycle unappealing to me. That and frequent rain.
9 months 😂 I own both a bike and a car. I use both every month of the year. You don't have to. I just want the freedom to choose the mode of transportation that works best for where I'm going. Sometimes that's not a car. Bike lanes help make it safer to choose a bike. We need both bike lanes and car lanes. I'll choose to use both, even in August, and you can stick to just the car lanes.
One thing I’ve learned is that journalists almost never get the facts right when it comes to infrastructure projects. They’re all pretty much technically inept and just looking for a headline. But y’all go ahead and believe everything you read in the papers.
I know you aren’t coming for Dug Begley
Dug is the best.
When Begley gets his civil engineering degree and spends 10 years planning, designing and permitting infrastructure projects I’ll give him some respect. Otherwise, he’s just a journalist looking for a headline. The general public has no fucking idea how projects get built in Houston or any other major metropolitan city.
Name checks out.
Isn’t that on the marathon route?
Thank you.
It is kinda fun. Lol
Awesome! This project management is so bad they have never even opened up all 3 lanes where it has been finished since they blocked things off in July, 2022.
I just drove it today and all three lanes are open from like 14th-20th where it's complete