Talking Headways Podcast: Cowboys on Light Rail

Christof Spieler joins me again to continue our discussion of Houston. This time we talk transportation and all the great things Houston is working on. Uptown, home to the highest building in the U.S. outside of a central business district, will soon be getting true Bus Rapid Transit, and people on bikes are now rolling next to the bayous and connecting to Houston’s new downtown protected bike lane.

We talk about the eminent domain powers of railroads, public or private, as Texas looks at high-speed rail, and how Houston was founded with real estate speculation. And in a must-listen segment, we get into what it will take to implement Houston’s bus network reimagining project and how we need to focus on getting more riders on buses across the country. As Christof mentions (and Jarrett Walker has also pointed out), it was hard work, but Houston has mapped the way for other cities to move forward on these issues.

I hope everyone takes a listen — I certainly learned a few things about my former home.