10 replies to this topic

[ironchapman]

Texas has so many well planned cities. Just wanted to see what you think is the best.

Please consider:

-Street plan
-Rapid transit (not absolutely necessary, but helps; well planned streets can make up for it)
-Highway plan
-Pedestrian-friendly?
-Postion of skyscrapers (in a single area, or does a supertall building appear out of nowhere?)
-Parks (size and/or number and if they are well maintained)
-Infrastructure
-Other important assets to a well-planned city


I voted for Dallas. It has some of the best in many areas.

[rantanamo]

Don't know which city has the best.  Just know that Dallas is very strictly zoned and this is usually done a neighborhood at a time, which is why I guess it seems well planned.  Everything from store appearances, setbacks, heights, etc for every neighborhood and street.  According to the city of Dallas, they don't really have a plan, though I disagree.  Its simply a collection of micromanaged to death zones, that happen to be working well right now.

[Nigel]

I havent seen that many Texan cities , but my pick would  put San Antonio well ahead
of Galveston or Houston .

[colin]

Houston has no zoning, so I don't think it should even be on there.
I say Lubbock, not because it's the most beautiful city in the state (in fact, I think it's just barely above Amarillo for ugliest), but it's well-laid out and well-planned.
There is a good grid system in place, with high-speed surface roads going off in different directions. There is also the loop freeway and freeway running through the city. Traffic flows very well there.
I've never seen any problems with zoning, but lots of abandoned buildings.
Lubbock sucks, but I think it's best in this category.

[Florida]

Its all about Austin baby!!!!!!

Its a Capital City thing... I'll teach ya about that lata.

[txstate25]

I really don't see how Austin came out ahead of San Antonio. When Austin's highway system can't catch up to it's population. San Antonio has one of the best smart hightway systems in the nation. We have two loops in San Antonio and near downtown upper and lower levels of hwy 35 and I-10. Austin is still working on completing a loop that does have stop lights

[txstate25]

txstate25, on Mar 19 2006, 10:09 PM, said:

I really don't see how Austin came out ahead of San Antonio. When Austin's highway system can't catch up to it's population. San Antonio has one of the best smart hightway systems in the nation. We have two loops in San Antonio and near downtown upper and lower levels of hwy 35 and I-10. Austin is still working on completing a loop that does have stop lights

SORRY, last sentence was wrong: here's the new version

I really don't see how Austin came out ahead of San Antonio. When Austin's highway system can't catch up to it's population. San Antonio has one of the best smart hightway systems in the nation. We have two loops in San Antonio and near downtown upper and lower levels of hwy 35 and I-10. Austin is still working on completing a loop that does NOT have stop lights

[NIKKI]

Nigel, on May 18 2005, 10:54 PM, said:

I havent seen that many Texan cities , but my pick would  put San Antonio well ahead
of Galveston or Houston .

Galveston's street plan is actually based off of New York and Philadelphia's back in 1838.

Edited by NIKKI, 28 March 2006 - 09:10 PM.

[rad707]

I would consider transportation the main factor for "best city plan."  I vote for Austin, but not for the reasons listed on this thread.

First of all, is it so bad that a city not play to the masses of commuters by building a swath of highways?  Austin is the only city in Texas that has focused on other city-plan factors such as access to green space/parkland, quality of water/streams, and affordable housing (ranked as one of the best in the country.

Moreover, our downtown grid system is mostly intact and is undergoing dramatic changes with new residential development.  Furthermore, Austin never had to deal with the white flight issues that faced Dallas and Houston (and polarized their city centers,) so Austin is now in a position to grow from the outside in rather than the inside out.

I don't know of another Texas city where I can swim in a creek, walk home, and walk to work.  All on a downtown grid system.  THAT is a city plan.

[b3nr]

txstate25, on Mar 20 2006, 04:09 AM, said:

I really don't see how Austin came out ahead of San Antonio. When Austin's highway system can't catch up to it's population. San Antonio has one of the best smart hightway systems in the nation.

Well agree, but for different reasons. My knowledge of Texas is pretty limited, i only went to FW, Dallas, SA, Austin and Texakana (oh my goodness that place needs some work).

San Antonio was a real shock, an absolutely amazing downtown and lots to see and do, Austin is great for going out in, but the downtown seemed pretty small before the sprawl started.

[Urbane]

Dowtown San Antonio is easier to navigate (and understand) if you live there, while Austin's is more grid-like and can be understand more quickly by visitors.