Concrete and Rain
This was a post that got lost in the shuffle. I meant to post it when I was in Houston, but I got sidetracked by the Angolan Consulate and a side-trip to Austin (which was awesome, by the way).
I forgot to hit “Publish” … until now …
It’s been like a monsoon since I’ve arrived and all the water rushing down the streets makes you realize that this city is a concrete spider web. As we puddle-jump from strip mall to strip mall, I can’t help thinking about my time in Oregon a few months ago. Eugene is the diametric opposite of Houston … green space, mixed residential / commercial zones, small streets with bike lanes.
It’s conscious development vs unmitigated urban splat.
I’m not sure if there’s any solution, or if the people in Houston would even want a more accessible city. Thank goodness there are places in this country like Eugene and Portland and Minneapolis to remind us that we can be a bit smarter about development. Hopefully, it’s not too late for the rest of us.
