If we are considering high speed rail in the Texas Triangle, all of these same questions apply, but on an even grander scale, and with the added crucial element of stations needing to be tied directly into the heart of effective local transit grid networks in each metro region.

TIL that "squeek" is actually spelled "squeak," and it just seemed really fun – just like a nice little tune up for my little brain engine. You gotta take the wins you can get, I suppose.

I live in a state (Texas) w/ horribly mismanaged transportation spending that’s left us with a worthless pedestrian transportation system. The rare snow and sleet accumulation on the ground in Austin yields a sneckdown kind of effect showing the desire lines where people walk on missing sidewalks.

"I'm so sorry that we could not have done this earlier...to have saved the loved ones in your life. But I thank you fopr the work that you have done...to ensure that this pain not be felt by others who call this same city home." — Mayor Mamdani at McGuinness Blvd. presser youtube.com/shorts/uwAYI...

Books I’m reading or read this year The Triumph of the City Edward Glaeser Started during Thanksgiving break Arbitrary Lines Nolan M. Gray Started 12/5/25 at Arturo’s underground Phenomenology of Spirit Hegel Reading selected passages. Nov/Dec 2025

When your punk band is over 25 years old, it’s important to play at least one show a year. I’ll be doing that tomorrow 12/20/25. We — Woozyhelmet — play at 6pm. Free. Kids welcome. It’s a dive bar and we’ll be loud, but also there will be informative short PowerPoints. (This is in Austin)

Mondays, ammirite?

Collin County Connects Committee members dissent against alternative options proposed

Austin would have had public fiber internet infrastructure connecting every building in the city in the 1990s (allowing private & public entities to provide services), but the same people who kept Austin from building a great transit system around that time (led by Mike Levy) killed that plan.

I was asked (in a mail survey) to speak to my city’s leadership and took that opportunity to suggest a regional equitable transit-oriented development strategy.

“Too many families in Houston have lost a loved one to a violent, unexpected event just trying to use the transportation system,” said Jay Crossley, executive director of the nonprofit Farm & City who has worked statewide on traffic safety improvements. www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston...

If you live in between San Antonio & Texarkana (specifically San Marcos, Austin, Taylor, Temple, McGregor, Cleburne, Fort Worth, Dallas, Mineola, Longview & Marshall) you’ve really got to try hopping on the Texas Eagle for 2-4 day trips. It’s lovely as long as you’re not in a hurry to miss it all.

If you live anywhere in the City of Houston, please remember you get to vote for Jordan Thomas for City Council on Tuesday! www.houstonchronicle.com/opinion/endo...

Some very interesting polling numbers regarding Plano and Farmers Branch's calls to withdraw from DART here.

One of my low-key favorite parts of the Mamdani campaign is that he walks around the city. People who love cities walk around their cities, but few political candidates do so.

To me, everybody who demagogued about crime when they wanted a 28% pay hike for Austin police should STFU about opposing a tax increase to pay for it if they have any integrity at all. But obviously, that's not what's happening. The loudest voices for spending the $ are now against paying the bill.

Where I’m at at this time.

Stop scrolling and go to bed! But first look at the comedy wildlife photo finalists from this year www.comedywildlifephoto.com/gallery/fina...

Biden's domestic agenda was 100% correct. The problem was his inability to sell it, due to old age and lack of understanding of mass communications in the '20s. (Also, his foreign policy handed Trump the election.) Efforts to force Dems back into a '90s-'00s agenda are both wrong and unnecessary.

So you’re telling me that Austin could paint some more rainbow crosswalks and then the Governor will halt the plan to waist $6-10 billion to allow for more traffic on I-35 through the heart of Austin? Sounds like a good deal. Let’s do this!

People of Austin (in Travis or Williamson County - ie constituents of CTRMA)! Please fill out this push poll that wants to justify roadway expansions by October 10, but argue for safety. Click on the map & add comments! Stop sprawl subsidy! End freeway expansions! wspengages.com/290Extension...

This is the current story of my life.

🚨 Final day to apply to the @SafeStreetsAustin Board! Want to help shape a safer, more accessible Austin for all? This is your chance. 🕛 Apply by midnight: buff.ly/1hDMPA1 #SafeStreets #ATX #TransportationEquity #BoardRecruitment #LastCall

I wish advocates would stop using the phrase “people over cars.” It’s divisive & lacks empathy & I believe significantly sets progress back. We want a system that is safe & comfortably for people. Some people are inside cars. Don’t demonize people. Work w/ people to make streets safe for all of us.

Join our first Happy Hour TODAY 6-8pm! We'll be just off 2nd & Congress at Ellis Bar outdoor area (pictured). Come meet with us, hear the latest updates, and meet fellow supporters. See you there! RSVP: www.safestreetsaustin.org/upcoming-eve...

Random thought in the airport: My perception is that love of football has allowed a significant shift in American media normalizing black men talking on television, being seen as experts and valuing their takes. It seems a really good thing that seems to have happened over the last decade or so.

America’s approach to gun violence policies is bad. Every senseless death from these policies is sad.

I’m headed on an adventure across the country, so you may get to enjoy excited posts about riding a bus, train, or a tight curb radii. I started out walking a half mile to North Lamar with my luggage to catch the #1 bus to my office. It’s a completely packed bus. Thanks @capmetroatx.bsky.social!

I keep thinking about lately how maybe the best next thing TxDOT or cities could do really is simply putting as much money as possible into good roundabouts. Like maybe it’s that simple in terms of the next big transportation policy shift in Texas: thousands of roundabouts every year.

I’ve got limited amounts of my first batches of hot sauce for the year. Anyone in need of some good and some weird hot sauce will have to find me in the real world. Free but donations to @farmandcity.bsky.social are always appreciated.

My family & I just landed in the museum district of HOU to walk around a bit before heading to the Gold Cup & at the first intersection I noticed unfortunately there aren’t leading pedestrian intervals & I remembered City of HOU is officially anti pedestrian comfort & safety & i became sad about HOU

I believe I’m part of this movement. I love Texas cities. Texas cities need some love from #txlege to continue propping up and carrying Texas forward.

Happy Juneteenth everyone. May you and yours enjoy the pure joy of freedom throughout your life and may we all work together to keep it that way, for all of us.

When you don’t understand how anything works then everything is a conspiracy

Funding to implement Dallas's Master Bike Plan Update could be de-prioritized by the city manager based on the results of an ongoing community survey. We suspect the survey will close on Saturday, May 31st- take action now to protect the budget for biking and walking in Dallas!

The Texas House gaveled out at midnight at the top of page 13, but SB 1013, the Safe Driveways bill was at the bottom of the page, so that little traffic safety bill will have to wait 2 years. Thanks if you supported the bill & support Farm&City & Vision Zero Texas & ending traffic deaths in Texas.

The Texas House will vote on SB 1013, the Safe Driveways bill, on Tuesday or Wednesday! Please write your rep right now! secure.everyaction.com/oIQrPSOS1UuY... #txlege

What a boring disappointment today will bring for Austin’s future. Council members representing car-dependent lifestyles limiting the city’s future abundant urbanism, in an attempt to continue the long inequitable shoveling of funding to their wealthier constituents’ never ending perceived needs.

I hope ATXCouncil votes today for the possibility of sustainable, equitable development of the urban core & doesn’t kill the possibility of all the caps to reconnect Austin across the I-35 canyon. Don’t be fooled again by the naysayers who kept you from having a great light rail line in 2014.

“The U.S. Department of Transportation has pointed to parking reform as a way for cities to meet climate goals by reducing reliance on cars and eliminating emissions, and curbing the “heat island” effect in areas with a lot of concrete.” www.keranews.org/news/2025-05...

I think a dude just posed for a portrait with a POO. #txlege

Texas House votes 123-12 for Taco Trucks on Every Corner, sin permiso municipal. HB 2844 #txlege

Yay! The Texas House passed SB 2039, the “Sidewalk Users” bill, (on 2nd reading) which will insure people and kids riding bikes, skateboards, rollerblades and similar little human powered vehicles enjoy the protections of the Lisa Torry Smith Act, like pedestrians do in Texas today. #txlege

Congratulations to all the folks who worked so hard over so many years to win parking reform in Dallas! dallascityhall.com/departments/...

On Dallas, Sue Ellen is out for a stroll with an old flame, reminiscing about their first date at the Starlight Room at the Grand View. He casually mentions how he tore it down to make way for a downtown parking garage for cars. Cars, ruining Dallas for everyone. Watch to the end. 😂

Yay! I think that Defund DART (HB 3187) and Safe Streets Ban That Also Defunds Housing (HB 4348) and Defund Cap Metro (HB 3643) are officially dead! (I think) Yay! #txlege #badtransportationbills

I don’t know why but I believe that Pantera’s Walk is playing in the House gallery during a POO on HB 493 and no one is stopping it. I just stopped into the gallery to relax and check out the scene a little. Has this been happening all day? #txlege

"I hope that one day we can operate this body in a way that doesn't find people to hurt in order to help other people get more power. Vote no." - Texas State Rep Gene Wu @genefortexas.bsky.social in opposition to anti-trans legislation (HB 229) likely about to pass the Texas house. #txlege

Live feed from the meeting of the Texas House Committee on Transportation that was supposed to start ten minutes ago. Perhaps #txlege is just very tired of all this.