Why is Houston so ghetto? (Center, Rice: new home, professionals, price)

[Bobdreamz]

^ Some of the street views in the Google maps above show large sections without sidewalks.
How does a major city like Houston not have sidewalks?

[lotophage]

Originally Posted by Bobdreamz

^ Some of the street views in the Google maps above show large sections without sidewalks.
How does a major city like Houston not have sidewalks?

In Houston, property owners are responsible for maintaining the sidewalks in front of their property. That works about as well as you'd imagine.

[3shipguy]

Originally Posted by Bobdreamz

^ Some of the street views in the Google maps above show large sections without sidewalks.
How does a major city like Houston not have sidewalks?

I’m more concerned about the ditches than the lack of sidewalks...

While we’re at it, how about traffic lights hung by wires as opposed to cantilevered poles?

[RocketSci]

Originally Posted by lotophage

In Houston, property owners are responsible for maintaining the sidewalks in front of their property. That works about as well as you'd imagine.

Here is a city-installed and not really maintained cobblestone "sidewalk" on Richmond, considered a "walkable" neighborhood and a bus route:

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.7342...7i13312!8i6656

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.7343...7i13312!8i6656

I often see people in wheelchairs having to go into the street to get past the trees and off the really bad cobblestone. The street is also quite bad, and there is usually standing water after any rain, and sidewalks, where they exist, also get muddy and standing water.

I attended a planning meeting in 2007 where they were looking for public input on better sidewalks, and I was told at the time that Richmond was going to get the metro rail, and would be totally rebuilt by 2012, so no money would be spent on making the sidewalks accessible. (Obviously, that never happened.)

Oh, and this area land values are over $100/sf, homes go for $600k to >$2M, and many property owners are speculators who don't maintain their properties, or old timers who just don't give a crap about their neighbors.

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.7343...7i13312!8i6656

[lotophage]

Originally Posted by RocketSci

Oh, and this area land values are over $100/sf, homes go for $600k to >$2M, and many property owners are speculators who don't maintain their properties, or old timers who just don't give a crap about their neighbors.

We could do a whole thread on shaming rich neighborhoods about their sidewalks. Here is Southgate Blvd.:

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.7092...7i13312!8i6656

No sidewalks at all! I had to walk my kids down this relatively busy street at night to visit one of their friends. Homes here start at around $2M. The neighborhood association has given guidance for pushing back against the city requirements to install 3 ft. wide sidewalks by claiming they would destroy the unique character of the neighborhood.

[Texyn]

Originally Posted by Bobdreamz

^ Some of the street views in the Google maps above show large sections without sidewalks.

How does a major city like Houston not have sidewalks?

Combine the rural/agricultural vernacular of Old South construction with the typical inner-city flight issues of the mid-century, and you have what you see in those street-views.

[Texyn]

Though, I'll have to say that the complaints about traffic light styles, overhead utility poles/wires, etc don't really register to me. Quite a few highly regarded cities have them:
https://www.google.com/maps/@35.6899...7i13312!8i6656

[3shipguy]

Originally Posted by Texyn

Though, I'll have to say that the complaints about traffic light styles, overhead utility poles/wires, etc don't really register to me. Quite a few highly regarded cities have them:
https://www.google.com/maps/@35.6899...7i13312!8i6656

Those are utility wires. All cities have them. I don’t see any traffic lights strung to them...

[Jack Lance]

Originally Posted by lotophage

We could do a whole thread on shaming rich neighborhoods about their sidewalks. Here is Southgate Blvd.:

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.7092...7i13312!8i6656

No sidewalks at all! I had to walk my kids down this relatively busy street at night to visit one of their friends. Homes here start at around $2M. The neighborhood association has given guidance for pushing back against the city requirements to install 3 ft. wide sidewalks by claiming they would destroy the unique character of the neighborhood.

Why would anybody want sidewalks in front of their houses in a setting like that ? Its going to cause lawn maintenance issues and give burglars cover for casing houses.

I'm all for walkable "urban" environments but trying to shame these people is going to far...

[Texyn]

Originally Posted by 3shipguy

Those are utility wires. All cities have them. I don’t see any traffic lights strung to them...

That's my point. These features (utility poles, span-wire traffic lights, etc) don't really register as concerns to me because you can find examples all across all cities.

Originally Posted by Jack Lance

Why would anybody want sidewalks in front of their houses in a setting like that? Its going to cause lawn maintenance issues and give burglars cover for casing houses.

The lawn maintenance should actually be easier with sidewalks, since there would be reduction in area needing to be cared for.