Comments on: Peter Brown’s Traffic Plan http://www.neohouston.com/2009/08/peter-browns-traffic-plan/ advocating urbanism in the opportunity city Mon, 16 Jan 2012 11:06:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Keep Houston Houston http://www.neohouston.com/2009/08/peter-browns-traffic-plan/#comment-414 Keep Houston Houston Mon, 24 Aug 2009 17:13:28 +0000 http://www.neohouston.com/?p=1348#comment-414 Using more of the grid / creating "couplets" is an unassailable idea that we should start working on *tomorrow*. That said: Average 2035 commute time = 175 minutes? Really? I find that impossible to believe. So long as Houston has no zoning, any such gross imbalance in work-housing distribution would automatically trigger a flurry of real estate development to rectify that. The only way commutes could get that long is if we started restricting height/density/land-use, through zoning or "form-based codes," which is... oh right, that's part of Peter Brown's platform too! It's good to know he's got a traffic plan to compensate for at least part of the additional congestion that would surely be created by his proposed development restrictions. Using more of the grid / creating “couplets” is an unassailable idea that we should start working on *tomorrow*. That said:

Average 2035 commute time = 175 minutes? Really?

I find that impossible to believe. So long as Houston has no zoning, any such gross imbalance in work-housing distribution would automatically trigger a flurry of real estate development to rectify that.

The only way commutes could get that long is if we started restricting height/density/land-use, through zoning or “form-based codes,” which is… oh right, that’s part of Peter Brown’s platform too!

It’s good to know he’s got a traffic plan to compensate for at least part of the additional congestion that would surely be created by his proposed development restrictions.

]]> By: KP http://www.neohouston.com/2009/08/peter-browns-traffic-plan/#comment-413 KP Fri, 21 Aug 2009 21:33:44 +0000 http://www.neohouston.com/?p=1348#comment-413 I think if the city were to take this approach they should pick the low hanging fruit first. However, with all the new development (this includes new stuff that require demo of the old) the city could have improve the street network dramatically. I think if the city were to take this approach they should pick the low hanging fruit first. However, with all the new development (this includes new stuff that require demo of the old) the city could have improve the street network dramatically.

]]> By: august http://www.neohouston.com/2009/08/peter-browns-traffic-plan/#comment-412 august Fri, 21 Aug 2009 04:29:22 +0000 http://www.neohouston.com/?p=1348#comment-412 I'd be curious to find out exactly how a major push to get a well-connected grid would happen. Much of the city build before WWII has grid street patterns already. Much of the city built after WWII has the typical suburban cul-de-sac design that was deliberately set up to not allow through traffic. I don't see many of those neighborhoods agreeing to the opening up their streets and even if they do the street network isn't designed for it and you'd have to condemn property to make more thru-ways. I’d be curious to find out exactly how a major push to get a well-connected grid would happen. Much of the city build before WWII has grid street patterns already. Much of the city built after WWII has the typical suburban cul-de-sac design that was deliberately set up to not allow through traffic. I don’t see many of those neighborhoods agreeing to the opening up their streets and even if they do the street network isn’t designed for it and you’d have to condemn property to make more thru-ways.

]]> By: KP http://www.neohouston.com/2009/08/peter-browns-traffic-plan/#comment-411 KP Mon, 17 Aug 2009 22:08:16 +0000 http://www.neohouston.com/?p=1348#comment-411 I love how the most basic ideas can make such a huge difference, I think this and other traffic calming measures can improve mobility and quality of life in the city. I love how the most basic ideas can make such a huge difference, I think this and other traffic calming measures can improve mobility and quality of life in the city.

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