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OP is in Houston, Tx, which is different culture compared to Northeast. Certainly this is not true in NYC, CT or MA.
For the most part, CT suburban areas are car centered place where everyone is driving around. The difference is that the driving traffic or the experience is horrible. Traffic jams are everywere near NYC. Boston metro is huge pain to drive into.
People mostly drive to a train station, and take a ride to job or to NYC or to Boston. Bus are common even in small cities such as Hartford, New Haven or Stamford.
Well, I live in NE Texas, about four hours north of the OP, in Tyler TX.
For me - I have the best of both worlds. I have plenty of room and safety in my suburban neighborhood to walk for exercise or leisure, but if I go to the store, I drive. And I have a spacious garage to park that car when I am not driving to shopping, volunteer work, etc. Since I don't live in a huge metro area, I don't have to deal with traffic jams or standstills or tons of congestion.
We have a very successful program around here called "Rails to Trails" - converted RR tracks which are now walking/hiking/biking trails. These are for leisure but they also go straight to "town" and grocery stores, restaurants, amenities, etc. The "Rails to Trails" trail is about a mile or so from my house. I guess I'd have to "brave" going along a road that doesn't have a trail or sidewalk beside it, but I see people riding bikes along this road all the time so I guess it's not so bad. We just moved here though so I haven't done it yet. So far, all I've done is walk for exercise around my neighborhood, which has wide, safe streets.
Wide streets are notoriously unsafe because cars tend to go too fast. Also they take longer to cross.
I spent over four years growing up in a suburban subdivision, from age 9 to 14. It was a crappy place to grow up...couldn't walk to much other than other houses and a Circle K.
It makes no sense to place a high priority on walkability and in the mean time nobody is walking. I see most people in these areas sitting on their phones and laptops in their apartment or in a sitting area like at starbucks etc. If they need something they order from Amazon or wherever and have it delivered. If they need a ride they call an Uber etc.
In many of these new uptown and midtown areas or suburban walkable developments I only see people actually outside walking during rush hour or on the weekend. Even then I only see maybe 2 people walking on every block.
I say that they are "Walkable" but no one is actually "Walking" so what is the point? I compare this to buying a nice Nick-Nack just to sit it on a shelf and stare at it. Or maybe people want to be cool and live in a "Walkable" area even though they don't live a walkable lifestyle.
I see many urban style mixed use developments where the Garage is almost as big as the Residential building. WHAT IS THE POINT? IS it all just hype?
I see people paying $3000/mo. to live in a super cool apartment tower in uptown or wherever. I checked one out and NOBODY was in the rec room, pool, bar, TV room or anywhere else. EVERYONE was in their apartment on their computer?
I live in Atlanta and walk a bunch. During the work week I mostly drive, but I spend my entire weekend walking. I walk to the coffee shop (local, not Starbucks), out to eat, out for a drink, and even to a friend's house. Much of Atlanta is very walkable. Shame Houston has missed their opportunity, it sounds like...
Wide streets are notoriously unsafe because cars tend to go too fast. Also they take longer to cross.
I spent over four years growing up in a suburban subdivision, from age 9 to 14. It was a crappy place to grow up...couldn't walk to much other than other houses and a Circle K.
LOL they won't go fast in our neighborhood. The wide streets are great here. As for "taking longer to cross them" honestly, this is a ZERO issue. We have very little traffic and no thru traffic.
It's a gated community with about 45 houses and about 75 kids - there are kids everywhere, people walking with strollers, dogs, people riding bikes, scooters, etc. Vehicles go very slowly. It's a very active and interactive neighborhood.
Different bites for different likes. I grew up in suburban neighborhoods and I liked them and still like them. When I think of my childhood, I think of riding my bike or playing with neighborhood kids for hours every single day. It makes me happy to see how many kids in our current neighborhood are doing the same thing.
There is a lot across from our house that hasn't sold. It has a lot of trees on it. The neighborhood kids have built forts out there. I think that's cute.
It's a gated community with about 45 houses and about 75 kids - there are kids everywhere, people walking with strollers, dogs, people riding bikes, scooters, etc. Vehicles go very slowly. It's a very active and interactive neighborhood.
Different bites for different likes. I grew up in suburban neighborhoods and I liked them and still like them. When I think of my childhood, I think of riding my bike or playing with neighborhood kids for hours every single day. It makes me happy to see how many kids in our current neighborhood are doing the same thing.
There is a lot across from our house that hasn't sold. It has a lot of trees on it. The neighborhood kids have built forts out there. I think that's cute.
This sounds great until all the kids age out and then it just becomes sad. Very rarely do young families with kids move back into these subdivisions, unless they are very close to amenities or job centers, but typically they are not.
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