It Burns

I was… having an enjoyable evening. Exploring my new neighborhood, dining at a new place, enjoying the food, the drink. I stopped into a japanese book store: interesting nick knacks, a nice pen, an intriguing book. I stepped into the japanese market: looked at the deli items, the varieties of fish cake, the baking ware. … Read more

Open Letter on Bike Path Diversion

Mayor Sylvester Turner
sylvester.turner@houstontx.gov
@SylvesterTurner

Council Member Ellen Cohen
districtc@houstontx.gov
@EllenCohen1

Dear Mayor Turner and Council Member Cohen,

When I read the Chronicle article attached below, I understood the need for a detour around the often used route, and appreciated the thought put into it. It seemed like a good solution.

The article states “The detours will not be continuous, but periodic throughout the construction project when construction nearby could create unsafe conditions along the original bike trails” as well as “the detour and reroute are expected to begin between April and May and will last through the third quarter of 2017.”

However there seems to be either,

  1. a miscommunication,
  2. a failure to execute, or
  3. deception by someone

going on in this situation.

There are already signs up along the path redirecting users to use the detours. They have been up for over 10 days. There is also signage that appears to indicate that cyclists should use the sidewalk on the west side of Houston Avenue as the detour.

This is neither safe, nor acceptable.

I would like to know if the original decision has been changed or if there is a timing and communication failure occurring. Please remedy the situation.

Your Constituent,
Bill Shirley

Heights Area Bike Trails to be Rerouted to Houston Avenue“, Tara White, Houston Chronicle,  Wed Mar 9 2016

CC:
Council Member Karla Cisneros (as the detour is in your district)
districth@houstontx.gov
@Karla4Houston

Deidrea George, TxDOT Houston Public Information Office (quoted in the article)
Email via web-form
@TxDOTHoustonPIO

Tara White, freelance writer for Chronicle (author of the article)
viewpoints@chron.com
@houstonchron

Read more

Politically Correct Incorrectness

Recent Reuters coverage by Emily Flitter of the 2016 campaign was asking Donald Trump supporters why they liked and supported Trump. Many of the answers were “he’s not Politically Correct”, that he “says what he thinks, I like that, he’s not political [sic] correct”, “he’s not afraid to say what he thinks”, and “he’s speaking for … Read more

Saint Arnold and Art Cars

Thursday August 6th, 2015 was IPA Day. Also commonly referred to as National IPA Day or International IPA Day, Craft Beer says IPA Day is opportunity for all breweries, bloggers, businesses and consumers to connect and share their love of craft beer. Bars and breweries around Houston and the world set to celebrating. Saint Arnold … Read more

Who ever thought … not, Scalia

The United States Supreme Court today affirmed the right of marriage for all people in a 5-4 judgement in Obergefell v. Hodges. Justice Antonin Scalia dissented. Among other things he wrote: Who ever thought that intimacy and spirituality … were freedoms? In his heavy-handed need to disparage his associates, he seems to have forgotten some of our … Read more

Mobility Study of The Heights and Surrounding Areas

“Pedestrian facilities along Studewood Street are in great condition north of White Oak Drive, but virtually nonexistent along the 4-lane segment of the roadway south of White Oak Drive which includes a 4-lane bridge. However, the use of this segment by pedestrians is evident by foot paths flanking both sides of the corridor. The contra-flow … Read more