Many large cities have been so successful in revitalizing downtown areas, it’s now extremely difficult to find parking, to secure restaurant reservations or lease retail space. People wait for years to lease condos in revitalized urban areas and real estate prices have increased significantly. In far too many other American cities, however, downtown areas are anything but vibrant. Some are eyesores because of vacated buildings and a few almost feel like ghost towns. When cities languish, municipal revenues become strained and the downward spiral escalates even more quickly.
View this complete post...Posts Tagged ‘Houston’
Cities: where the action is…
Monday, December 4th, 2017Funding flowing to Texas resulting soon in hundreds of immediate contracting opportunities
Thursday, November 9th, 2017When the Hurricane Harvey federal disaster relief funding spigot finally opens in Washington, D.C., Texas cities and counties with recovery projects – some of which will be mega-million dollar projects – are hopeful their projects will be among those funded. And when the funding starts flowing, contracting opportunities will be abundant. Private-sector firms throughout the country willing to bring their experience and resources to the Texas Gulf Coast will be called on to contract with public-sector entities to help with the rebuilding of Texas.
View this complete post...How a tech startup and nimble non-profit exposed toxic releases during the Houston flood
Thursday, October 5th, 2017As Hurricane Harvey bore down on the Texas coast, Tony Miller, chief executive of a Silicon Valley startup, wondered how he could help. His company, Entanglement Technologies, can measure levels of air pollution in real time, important information for emergency responders and people living near storm-damaged refineries and chemical plants. On Aug. 31, Miller called Elena Craft, Environmental Defense Fund’s Texas-based senior health scientist, and the two quickly came up with a plan to monitor neighborhoods near industrial facilities in and around Houston. Miller was on the road the next day.
View this complete post...Governor announces Commission to Rebuild Texas
Tuesday, September 12th, 2017Construction, machinery, building products and engineering firms will be in high demand. Following Hurricane Katrina alone, a $100 million emergency FEMA contract was awarded to a construction and engineering firm for housing management and construction. Another similar firm also earned a $100 million contract to provide temporary housing and communications tools to hurricane victims. And a $30.9 million contract was awarded for repair of a bridge on Interstate 10.
View this complete post...Streetfilms: Discovering Houston’s Brays Bayou Greenway
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2016Clarence Eckerson of Streetfilms explores the cycling network of Houston, TX, and discovers a true gem: the Brays Bayou Greenway.
View this complete post...Identifying Transit Deserts in Texas Cities
Wednesday, July 15th, 2015CENTER FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE
This study builds on previous research that has been done on “transit deserts.” This concept is similar to the popular and thoroughly studied concept of a “food desert,” which is a geographic area where there is no or limited access to fresh food (Clark et al. 2002; Jiao et al. 2012; Whelan et al. 2002; Wrigley 1993; Wrigley et al. 2002). The food desert concept has received a lot of attention and influenced planning policies and practices. By applying the same idea to transit systems within urban areas, geographic areas can be identified where there is a lack of transit service. There are three main steps to this process. This involves identifying the transit dependent populations as a measure of transit demand, calculating the transit supply, and then subtracting the supply from the demand to measure the gap (Jiao & Dillivan 2013).
Guest on The Infra Blog: Annise D. Parker, Mayor of Houston
Tuesday, December 17th, 2013Mayor Parker is Houston’s 61st mayor and one of only two women to hold the City’s highest elected office. As the City’s chief executive officer, she is responsible for all aspects of the general management of the City and for enforcement of all laws and ordinances…In addition to her duties as mayor, Parker is a member of President Obama’s Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience and the U.S. Conference of Mayors, serves as a member of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary’s Advisory Council and on the boards of the Texas Environmental Research Consortium and Houston Galveston Area Council.
View this complete post...PHOTOS: Ports, Ships, Canals and Cargo
Tuesday, October 12th, 2010The Globalization of Traffic Congestion
Wednesday, July 21st, 2010IBM
The question now is: what is to be done? More fuel efficient cars, more public transportation, more ridesharing, more telecommuting are all good steps – but hardly enough. And it is clear that the traditional remedies for road congestion – adding a lane or building a new road – have proven to be just a temporary fix before congestion returns. Technology can help. For the first time in history, digital and physical infrastructures are converging. As a result, we are now able to understand large, complex systems that previously resisted investigation – systems as diverse as waterways, oilfields, and transportation networks.
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