Optimism over city’s streets
Ex-New York official says Houston can be transformed
Everywhere Janette Sadik-Khan goes, she said she sees streets that look a lot more inviting than the ones she remade as New York City’s transportation commissioner. Perhaps surprising to some, that includes Houston.
“I think it is a major moment when Houston says we are going to be expanding mobility, says we’re adding bike lanes and reclaiming streets for all the users,” SadikKhan said Wednesday during a two-day stop in the area. “Houston, where car is king.”
Largely credited with adding pedestrian and bicycling amenities to New York’s landscape — overcoming skepticism from politicians, business owners and residents — Sadik-Khan was in Houston on Tuesday and Wednesday for meetings with local officials and a speaking engagement at Rice University.
During a lunchtime talk and walk through some of Houston’s central business district, Sadik-Khan said the conversation Sylvester Turner started with his “state of mobility” speech Tuesday is the right one for Houston at the right time.
“It is an interesting moment in time that a lot of cities are creating safer environments and reclaiming streets,” she said. “Taking roads that are a big sea of congestion and giving them back to everyone.”
Looking around Houston, and relying on her own experience, Sadik-Khan said it is possible to make the changes Turner describes, though it takes political will and willingness to change things.
Here’s four points from her to consider.
Everyone has skeptics
In Houston, plans to add bike lanes to streets or raise awareness about cycling are sometimes shouted down by those who say Houston should be about cars.
“A lot of New Yorkers felt the same way,” Sadik-Khan said.
Aside from Manhattan, the four other boroughs have residential streets, rows of houses, shopping centers and freeways just like Houston. Bringing pedestrian amenities to them was greeted with the same skepticism about slowing traffic, she said.
“We tried it, and what we saw is it worked,” she said. “The streets are safer, and it didn’t kill businesses. Now some of the opponents are some of the biggest fans of what we tried.”
Slower is safer
Almost everything about adding pedestrian and cycling amenities is slowing things down. The amenities are supposed to slow traffic so people feel safer riding on the street.
At the same time, officials need to be slow, but committed, SadikKhan said.
“New York wasn’t there,” she said of having a reputation as a bikefriendly place. “We created a backbone and people could see it over time. It is about showing the public what’s possible so they want it, too.”
On Ninth Avenue, which was restriped with a protected bike lane a little more separated from traffic than Houston’s Lamar bike lane through the central business district, total injuries to all street users declined 58 percent from before and after the lane. Retail sales in the area increased 49 percent over the same two-year period.
Earn your stripes
Former Mayor Annise Parker, who is credited with growing Houston’s cycling culture, had a stated preference for off-street bike facilities. Sadik-Khan said trails are wonderful, but painting stripes might be the most effective tool.
Change can be cheap
You don’t need to spend mega billions of dollars to get work done,” Sadik-Khan said.
Compared to widening streets or adding parking, bicycle lanes and pedestrian plazas are inexpensive.
oads that need to be maintained anyway get a little sprucing up and people get another option to travel.