Why is Houston Better Than Dallas? (Fort Worth, The Woodlands: moving, transportation, horses)

[ch4l]

Ddeal, thanks for your comment. I didn't realize when I posted the thread that I didn't put it under Houston. Thanks!

[BCB]

This could certainly go on forever, so, to keep it short:

Dallas/Fort Worth: ~7M people, Alpha- global city, generally newer, generally cleaner/better kept, better mass transit light rail, traffic, much more progressive highway development/reconstruction, has ghettos (duh), higher development standards, a LOT of suburbs, world's fourth busiest airport, occasional snow, much more new growth, 16 indoor malls, many lakes, a "pretentious" stereotype, country's largest light rail system, more white collar, shorter skyline although buildings have more square footage, more lavish neighborhoods, more oak trees, drier climate, and a history of zoning.

Houston MSA: ~6+, Beta+ global city, older, bigger core city, 9 indoor malls, has ghettos (every city does), proximity to the Gulf, horrible traffic, a few suburbs, closer together, smaller/less busy airport, hurricanes, more diverse in race and religion, tends to look "junky", taller skyline, more pine trees, and more of a humid climate.

I prefer DFW, but am glad that Houston is in Texas.

[JJG]

Originally Posted by BCB

This could certainly go on forever, so, to keep it short:

Dallas/Fort Worth: ~7M people, Alpha- global city, generally newer, generally cleaner/better kept, better mass transit light rail, traffic, much more progressive highway development/reconstruction, has ghettos (duh), higher development standards, a LOT of suburbs, world's fourth busiest airport, occasional snow, much more new growth, 16 indoor malls, many lakes, a "pretentious" stereotype, country's largest light rail system, more white collar, shorter skyline although buildings have more square footage, more lavish neighborhoods, more oak trees, drier climate, and a history of zoning.

Uh yeah... you do know that The Metroplex is more than one city and several of these descriptions you have here only apply to one of them, right?

[BCB]

Originally Posted by JJG

Uh yeah... you do know that The Metroplex is more than one city and several of these descriptions you have here only apply to one of them, right?

I'm sorry you don't like my post. I was born and raised in DFW and know it inside and out. Maybe since you're from Fort Worth you don't like Dallas.

[dallasboi]

Originally Posted by BCB

I'm sorry you don't like my post. I was born and raised in DFW and know it inside and out. Maybe since you're from Fort Worth you don't like Dallas.

No..He was just curious as to why you never mentioned one thing about Ft.Worth...hence DFW

[stoneclaw]

Originally Posted by BCB

This could certainly go on forever, so, to keep it short:

Dallas/Fort Worth: ~7M people, Alpha- global city, generally newer, generally cleaner/better kept, better mass transit light rail, traffic, much more progressive highway development/reconstruction, has ghettos (duh), higher development standards, a LOT of suburbs, world's fourth busiest airport, occasional snow, much more new growth, 16 indoor malls, many lakes, a "pretentious" stereotype, country's largest light rail system, more white collar, shorter skyline although buildings have more square footage, more lavish neighborhoods, more oak trees, drier climate, and a history of zoning.

Houston MSA: ~6+, Beta+ global city, older, bigger core city, 9 indoor malls, has ghettos (every city does), proximity to the Gulf, horrible traffic, a few suburbs, closer together, smaller/less busy airport, hurricanes, more diverse in race and religion, tends to look "junky", taller skyline, more pine trees, and more of a humid climate.

I prefer DFW, but am glad that Houston is in Texas.

Alot of what's in your post is falsification and misrepresentation. Pretty much the things that stuck out for me was the bolded sections. Dallas has not hit 7 million people mark. Dallas is far behind Houston on highway development and HOV while Houston is far behind Dallas on rail and TODs. Dallas has a shorter skyline but primarily has one building that can be described as being the biggest in Texas, not several other buildings (at least no more than Houston).

I don't have a problem with your perception of Houston. Not to disrespect you, but alot of what you describe makes you seem a little ignorant about Houston. A few suburbs? Really? Between Houston and Galveston are an endless array of Suburbs. Houston is on the verge of becoming boxed in by its suburbs. But the only source that gives Dallas the Alpha-global city status is the Gawc. So i thought that might be interesting for you to know.

stoneclaw

[R1070]

Originally Posted by stoneclaw

Alot of what's in your post is falsification and misrepresentation. Pretty much the things that stuck out for me was the bolded sections. Dallas has not hit 7 million people mark. Dallas is far behind Houston on highway development and HOV while Houston is far behind Dallas on rail and TODs. Dallas has a shorter skyline but primarily has one building that can be described as being the biggest in Texas, not several other buildings (at least no more than Houston).

I don't have a problem with your perception of Houston. Not to disrespect you, but alot of what you describe makes you seem a little ignorant about Houston. A few suburbs? Really? Between Houston and Galveston are an endless array of Suburbs. Houston is on the verge of becoming boxed in by its suburbs. But the only source that gives Dallas the Alpha-global city status is the Gawc. So i thought that might be interesting for you to know.

stoneclaw

Give us a couple years we will be over 7 million. The CSA is 7.1 Million as of January 2013.

I really used to believe the Houston roads were better from reading on here and the pics posted, etc. However upon visiting I found that certain roads were better and others were worse. 610 on the west side, The Katy Freeway and I-45 North and portions of US 59 are the best roads in Houston. The rest are looking pretty anitquated. I was really shocked at how bad the northern stretch of Beltway 8 and I-10 heading East.

Dallas just has a lot more freeways. With the current improvements taking place in the DFW area it will not be long before there is no question that DFW has the better roads.

Also, about suburbs it's funny how you mention Houston to Galveston. The entire eastern edge of the Houston area has lots of open land from the NE side near Summerwood all the way to Galveston. Yes, there's some burbs and development in there, but still lots of open land. Which is fine, however this is never mentioned when people from Houston post about all the wide open land that separates Dallas and Ft Worth and how far and disconnected they are (which is not actually true). You can look at a google satellite map and actually see reality.

[stoneclaw]

Originally Posted by R1070

Also, about suburbs it's funny how you mention Houston to Galveston. The entire eastern edge of the Houston area has lots of open land from the NE side near Summerwood all the way to Galveston. Yes, there's some burbs and development in there, but still lots of open land. Which is fine, however this is never mentioned when people from Houston post about all the wide open land that separates Dallas and Ft Worth and how far and disconnected they are (which is not actually true). You can look at a google satellite map and actually see reality.

Your post was fair. But the area you mention is pretty much the boondocks. It has oil refineries nearby along with the ship channel and is in the industrial makeup of town. It makes sense that there is not a ton of development, but it is not just open land. There's older houses and older businesses, warehouses nestled in those areas. If you drive down Wallisville through Northshore, there's older homes and new shopping centers leading up to the beltway. Then on the other side of the BW East, you're in Channelview

When I first saw this area, I assumed the same thing. But you do have to get off the freeway.



stoneclaw

[BCB]

Originally Posted by stoneclaw

Alot of what's in your post is falsification and misrepresentation. Dallas is far behind Houston on highway development and HOV while Houston is far behind Dallas on rail and TODs.
I don't have a problem with your perception of Houston. Not to disrespect you, but alot of what you describe makes you seem a little ignorant about Houston.

No it's not. DFW has numerous billion dollar highway projects under construction or in planning. The LBJ Express, North Tarrant Express, DFW Connector, I-35W Expansion, the 27mi+ Chisholm Trail Parkway, and the approved Loop 9. Besides Loop 9 and Chisholm Trail Parkway, all of these projects incorporate managed lanes which are accessed by paying tolls; they are usually in the middle of the highways. LBJ Express is a complete from-scratch redevelopment and has a double-deck highway concept, something Houston doesn't not have. Also, the Dallas North Tollway is adding an additional lane, bringing the total number of lanes to four each way. Speaking of lanes, I have been on the Katy Freeway many times at all different times of the day and am still impressed on how large it is. However, I am thoroughly displeased with the frequency of traffic jams on a ~15 lane highway (I'm not sure of the exact number of lanes.) The DFW Connector in the Grapevine area of DFW will have 20 lanes, which is larger than the Katy Freeway. So your comment that "Dallas is far behind Houston on highway development and HOV" is simply comical.

LBJ Express:

LBJ Express Project Video - 01.08.2013 - YouTube

DFW Connector Western Portion:

DFW Connector - eastbound - YouTube

North Tarrant Express Western Portion:

North Tarrant Express - West Segment - YouTube

North Tarrant Express Eastern Portion:

North Tarrant Express - East Segment - YouTube

I-35W Reconstruction:

I-35W Design Visualization - YouTube

And if you still don't think DFW is progressive on highway infrastructure, here's a commentary:

Dallas Ft. Worth and Texas Road Building Innovations - YouTube

[R1070]

You didn't mention "the Horseshoe" in downtown Dallas that will bring two more signature bridges and correct antiquated freeways starting this yea. Also, the DFW Connector may wrap up sooner than expected and open fully in 2013. I-35E Expansion that is to start this year and the current expansion projects of Central Expressway in Collin County. The expanded Bush Turnpike recently opened in 2012 Connecting the Eastern edge to I-30 and the Western/Southern Edge to I-20. The plan is for it to eventually be a full loop. There were also some major interchanges completed along The Sam Rayburn Tollway at Central Expressway and Dallas North Tollway recently.

Where did you hear that Dallas North Tollway is adding another lane on each side? That would be a mess to build South of 635 and in the North Dallas/Addison section! The city is built up all the way to the freeway edge.