Washingtonpost – excerpt (via email)

Houston faces choices confronting many US cities. Billions of federal dollars available for them to upgrade rail and bike transit, but some are balking.

“Houston – This epicenter of the oil and gas industry was ready to shed its reputation of being a car-centric city. Bicycle infrastructure projects were underway and the city had secured federal funding to expand public transit. Voters in Harris County, home to Houston, had approved billions of dollars to improve public transportation.

But after Mayor John Whitmire took office in January, everything changed. The city’s chief transportation planner left, bike infrastructure projects were stalled, and the region’s transit authority — largely appointed by the mayor — delayed parts of a $7.5 billion public transit expansion.

Advocates for transit and “safer streets” in Houston say they now suffer from whiplash, and fear the city is turning the clock back on transportation alternatives. It comes at a critical time for many U.S. cities that want to be part of the climate solution and make a meaningful shift away from reliance on the automobile. Whether America can make this shift could depend on the outcome of city-by-city battles.”… (more) behind a paywall

Houston is at the epicenter of the rising tides and frequently floods. The mayor knows how important a hasty retreat out of some areas is and the best way to evacuate is by private vehicle. People can take care of themselves when they have that option. The mayor may have witnessed streams of people driving away during one of their many disasters and figured that there is no way the public transit systems can handle this. People need their cars.