It is another beautiful day here in Houston. Originally, I was going to lead a Central City Bike Tour for @APA_Planning #NPC20 and show you all the cool things happening here in Houston 1/ 
But with no conference, I’ll do the next best thing, take you on the tour via twitter! Here is the route. I’ll try to tag folks involved with projects along the way. Note: I am unclear if reading this is eligible for CE credits. 2/
We start at the GRB, Houston’s Convention Center and planned home base for #NPC20. It was recently upgraded prior to Super Bowl LI (Pats over Falcons). 3/
Avenida (the street) was also transformed from a scary wide 8 lane street, to a much nicer front door to the GRB and connection to Discovery Green (more on that later). 4/
We head east on Polk on one of Houston’s early protected bike lanes under US 59. This freeway is part of TxDOTs $7B+ project to rebuild the downtown freeway ring. This section is proposed to be placed underground with a park on top, though Polk will we cut off. 5/
On Polk, look north to see Dynamo Stadium home of Houston’s MLS team; south to see a local dogpark along Bastrop Promenade 6/
Next stop is construction of a new bikeway corridor on Polk done as partnership between Harris County Pct One, the local improvement district and the City. It includes protect bike lanes, sidewalks and new floating bus stops like this one in construction. 7/
I had to give it a test run...nice ride 8/
Next we hit the Columbia Tap, one of Houston first rails-to-trails projects connecting east Downtown through the Third Ward, one of Houston’s oldest and most diverse black neighborhoods and home to Texas Southern University. /9
We’ll cut through the neighborhood along some low volume side streets. I don’t usually love sharrows but I like these that provide a bit of wayfinding direction. /10
We end up on Gray Street one of Houston’s newer two-way parking protected bikeways connecting Third Ward to Midtown. 11/
Gray Street, along with many of the bikeways you will see today, was built with funding provided by Harris County Cmr. Rodney Ellis which resulted in 18 miles of All Ages Bikeways going into to construction in a 12-month period. Here is the map. 12/
We turn onto Hutchins, another new bikeway 13/
And we arrive at Emancipation Park, establish in the 1870s to celebrate Juneteenth, and beautifully renovated in 2017. Designed by Phil Freelon. 14/
Back to Hutchins where new median with access for walking and biking were installed to make access to the park safer. 15/
We head back to the Midtown neighborhood and turn on Austin Street, another new protected bikeway project that will form a north-south spine for Midtown/Downtown trips. 16/
We cross Caroline Street, a complete street project currently under construction. Just utility work now but should be real nice when its done. 17/
18.We head west over to Midtown Park, a very nice park addition to give all the new residents in this area access to open space. 18/
Back north to Gray Street where we head over to Bagby Street. Bagby at Gray is one of the nicest walkable developments in Houston and would be normally be full of people. 19/
We head back to Main Street and follow the METRO Red Line, one of the busiest light rail lines in the US with over 50k boarding per day on a typical day. 20/
There has been many $Billions of new developments along the rail line that continues to this day. 21/
Quick Stop at Main Street Square, pretty close to the center of Downtown and the intersection the Red Line with Houston’s first protected bike lane along Lamar. Sometime the fountain shot over the trains. 22/
We head west to Bagby Street, another new complete street design under construction that will link parks, performing arts venues, and City Hall. I really like how they accurately placed renderings so you can see what the finish product should look like. 23/
We head over to Buffalo Bayou Park, a great 160 acres linear park along the Bayou. We stop at the Cistern which is definitely worth a visit when open. 24/
This amazing section of Buffalo Bayou Park is one of Houston’s most popular outdoor places (making spatial distancing harder). The view of downtown from the Waterworks is great. 25/
Next we head along the bayou trails on the west side of Downtown, check out the back of several performing arts venues, and pass through Sesquicentennial Park. 26/
A quick stop at the Mosbacher Bridge where we make sure to push the red button to see the Big Bubble. 27/
We leave the bayou and head over to the Historic District and Market Square Park, another great urban park that has led to significant reinvestment in Downtown along its edges. 28/
Be sure to check out the Sky Pool in Market Square Tower overhanging the sidewalk 40 stories overhead. 29/
There is my office right on Market Square. While I appreciate Zoom and Teams, I miss going in and seeing everyone. 30/
We head north toward UH – Downtown across White Oak Bayou. 31/
Here is where Buffalo Bayou and White Oak Bayou come together, Allen’s Landing, where Houston was founded, is across the bayou. METRO Rail runs overhead and freight rail below. 32/
The Bayou Greenways 2020 program has built and connected >150 miles of trails along Houston major bayous including White Oak, with planned completion for this year. The wildflowers are in bloom. 33/
Crossing into downtown we pass by the justice complex and jail and head over to Allen’s Landing. The mural is etched with some of the very truthful marketing the Allen brothers used to attract investors to Houston. 34/
The Sunset Coffee Building was built in 1910 and nicely renovated in in 2016. It is now home to Buffalo Bayou Partnership and has a great view. 35/
A quick stop to the intersection of Main and Congress, home to some of my favorite bars and the center of Houston’s original four wards. 36/
Some great buildings in this part of Downtown like the Cotton Exchange and the County Courthouse 37/
We pass by Minute Maid Park, home of the 2017 World Series Champion* Astros. The retractable roof is almost never open on game day but is today. I miss baseball. 38/
Back to Discovery Green, an incredibly successful urban park, attracting people from all over Houston for fun events and people watching. 39/
Discovery Green has also attracted billions in surrounding development including the Marriott Marquis, designed by Marris Architects, and home to the Texas Shaped Lazy river. That is El Paso peaking out on the 6th floor deck. 40/
We pass by the GRB and finish our tour nearby at 8th Wonder, one of many great local brewerys. Dome Faux’m and are favorites. The back patio is home to local artist David Adickes’ Fab Four Statue. 41/
Well if you have stuck around this long, thanks for letting me show off just a sample of all the cool things Houston has to offer. I was pretty bummed not to get to tour with you all so this was cathartic. I hope we get a chance to meet up in the future for a ride. end/
Fat thumbed this one....Marriott was designed by Morris Architects now part of Huitt Zollars
