COMMENTS ON 2035 TRANSIT PLAN ACCEPTED UNTIL JULY 16

By Ella Tyler

The Houston-Galveston Area Council has extended the deadline for pubic comments about its draft 2035 Regional Transportation Plan until July 16. The plan, which took 18 months to develop, represents long-range goals, needs and projected transportation projects for Harris County and the seven counties that surround it. All federally funded and regionally significant transportation projects must be included in the plan.

H-GAC projects more than 3 million new residents in the region over the next 25 years, a significant challenge for regional mobility. The plan includes proposed future roadway and transit improvements and identifies environmental and land use issues.

Anyone who feels as if they don’t have anything to say about the transportation plan may find ideas in two upcoming events.

On Thursday, July 5, Andres Duany will be speaking at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Duany is the founder “The New Urbanism”, a quality-of-place approach to growth and change in our cities and suburbs. In response to suburban sprawl and urban divestment, new urbanism promotes traditional neighborhood developments such as “Seaside,” “Romans Beach,” and “Celebration” in Florida. Duany was brought in by Governor Haley Barbour to oversee the plans for the reconstruction of Mississippi’s coastal towns after Hurricane Katrina. Austin and Galveston have adopted new urbanist codes.

In Houston, Duany’s firm, DPZ, has been engaged by Lovett Homes to prepare the master plans for a traditional neighborhood development in Spring Branch, the “Fannin-South” transit-oriented development, and a brownfields redevelopment in the Lower Fifth Ward.

The talk is sponsored by the US Green Building Council – Houston. It will be from 7 to 9 pm at 1001 Bissonnet.

On Wednesday, July 11, Rice Design Alliance is hosting EcoCity, Part 1, which will examine the issues involved in preserving and even increasing the city’s green space. Presenters include David Crossley, President, Gulf Coast Institute; Gloria Sanderson, Program Director, LISC Houston; and Kevin Shanley, President, SWA Group. The forum is at the Museum Fine Arts, 1001 Bissonnet at 7 pm. Admission is free and open to the public.

For information on the 2035 plan, its projects or to post a comment on the plan, visit the plan’s website or call (713) 627-3200.