Talk about the process and business of construction from huge towers to D.I.Y. with a Houston twist. Discuss your projects and get advice on problems that only seem to pop up in the Bayou City.
From flooding to Buffalo Bayou to air pollution to the rapidly disappearing Katy Prairie, talk about the city's impact on the environment and the environment's impact on the city.
Radio, TV, Newspapers, web, and more. Discuss Houston's home-grown media (KTRK, KIAH, KHOU, The Chron, The Press, KTRH, KUHF, etc...) and how the outside world sees Houston.
Census Bureau released July 1, 2023 metro area population estimates today:
July 1, 2020: 7,168,723
July 1, 2021: 7,245,134 (1.1%)
July 1, 2022: 7,370,464 (1.7%)
July 1, 2023: 7,510,253 (1.9% in 1 year; 4.8% in 3 years)
Someone on this board last year told us Houston's days of adding more people per year than Austin were coming to an end. There is still no evidence that day is in sight.
Houston metro growth per year:
'20-'21: 76,411
'21-'22: 125,330
'22-'23; 139,789
Austin metro growth per year:
'20-'21: 58,499
'21-'22: 64,536
'22-'23: 50,105
Austin Metro estimates:
July 1, 2020: 2,300,135
July 1, 2021: 2,358,634 (2.5%)
July 1, 2022: 2,424,170 (2.7%)
July 1, 2023: 2,473,275 (2.1% in 1 year; 7.5% in 3 years)
DFW metro estimates:
July 1, 2020: 7,666,418
July 1, 2021: 7,774,647 (1.4%)
July 1, 2022: 7,947,439 (2.2%)
July 1, 2023: 8,100,037 (1.9% in 1 year; 5.7% in 3 years)
Surely Houstonians didn’t “super love it” when pedestrians died prior to the adoption of Vision Zero. It’s the “means” to an end that are in contention and yes it is safe to assume that Mayor Whitmire is not on board. This is obvious with the Washington Avenue reversal and the soon to be 11th Street reversal, and the departures in City Hall of the proponents of this strategy. So no big surprise here.
Vision Zero reminds me of “Lean Manufacturing” or other philosophies that are in vogue at one time or another. From the website:
Vision Zero is a strategy to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries, while increasing safe, healthy, equitable mobility for all. First implemented in Sweden in the 1990s, Vision Zero has proved successful across Europe — and now it’s gaining momentum in major American cities.
Considering that the teeth of Houston's Vision Zero was basically that we don't super love it when pedestrians die, it would be a pretty wild move to abandon it.