Bracing for a second day of fierce protests, local and state leaders deployed a heavy presence of law enforcement officers across Houston Saturday and were met with largely peaceful demonstrations — along with occasional clashes — by those angered over the death of former Houston resident George Floyd.By late evening, officials had yet to see a repeat of the chaotic events from Friday night that injured eight police officers, damaged 16 police cruisers and resulted in 137 arrests. The day began with Floyd’s classmates from Yates High School through the Third Ward neighborhood where he grew...…Bracing for a second day of fierce protests, local and state leaders deployed a heavy presence of law enforcement officers across Houston Saturday and were met with largely peaceful demonstrations — along with occasional clashes — by those angered over the death of former Houston resident George Floyd.By late evening, officials had yet to see a repeat of the chaotic events from Friday night that injured eight police officers, damaged 16 police cruisers and resulted in 137 arrests. The day began with Floyd’s classmates from Yates High School through the Third Ward neighborhood where he grew...WW…

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateMetro riders soon may need more than their Q card or $1.25 to board buses and trains as transit officials weigh making face coverings mandatory for all bus and rail users in a new set of safety procedures.Transit officials will resume collecting fares along all routes on July 12, as ridership rebounds and more routes return to normal, according to a briefing for Metropolitan Transit Authority board members.When fares resume, Metro will adjust the safety protocols it set in March, said Andrew Skabowski, Metro's chief operations...…This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateMetro riders soon may need more than their Q card or $1.25 to board buses and trains as transit officials weigh making face coverings mandatory for all bus and rail users in a new set of safety procedures.Transit officials will resume collecting fares along all routes on July 12, as ridership rebounds and more routes return to normal, according to a briefing for Metropolitan Transit Authority board members.When fares resume, Metro will adjust the safety protocols it set in March, said Andrew Skabowski, Metro's chief operations...WW…

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateTaking a page from some other cities, Houston officials are slowing traffic along about a mile of East End streets in a test to see if they can curtail zip-through drivers and offer a safe route for bicyclists and pedestrians.Houston Public Works crews on Wednesday installed six temporary signs along McKinney and Dumble, near Eastwood Park, alerting drivers that the street is for local traffic only. The plan is to keep the signs in the street until Labor Day, said David Fields, chief transportation planner for the city.It is the...…This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateTaking a page from some other cities, Houston officials are slowing traffic along about a mile of East End streets in a test to see if they can curtail zip-through drivers and offer a safe route for bicyclists and pedestrians.Houston Public Works crews on Wednesday installed six temporary signs along McKinney and Dumble, near Eastwood Park, alerting drivers that the street is for local traffic only. The plan is to keep the signs in the street until Labor Day, said David Fields, chief transportation planner for the city.It is the...WW…

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateSeventeen BCycle kiosks in the downtown Houston area ordered shut by Houston police and emergency management authorities will remain closed until June 10, operators of the bike rental system said Friday.“As a nonprofit that seeks to serve as many riders as possible, we disagree with this order and apologize to those who wish to use BCycle during the protests, as well as for the lack of bike share access throughout downtown,” officials said in a release.The 15 stations in the central business district and two in Eado were closed...…This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateSeventeen BCycle kiosks in the downtown Houston area ordered shut by Houston police and emergency management authorities will remain closed until June 10, operators of the bike rental system said Friday.“As a nonprofit that seeks to serve as many riders as possible, we disagree with this order and apologize to those who wish to use BCycle during the protests, as well as for the lack of bike share access throughout downtown,” officials said in a release.The 15 stations in the central business district and two in Eado were closed...WW…

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateLocal taxi businesses, already suffering from sagging use, have been gutted by the coronavirus pandemic, prompting some permit holders to work with Houston regulators to idle vehicles and cut costs.The number of taxicab trips to and from Houston’s two airports dropped 95 percent in April compared to February and 97 percent compared to a year ago, according to the city’s airport system and regulatory affairs department. The result was slightly more than 1,000 pickups and drop-offs last month.“They are waiting more than a day to get...…This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateLocal taxi businesses, already suffering from sagging use, have been gutted by the coronavirus pandemic, prompting some permit holders to work with Houston regulators to idle vehicles and cut costs.The number of taxicab trips to and from Houston’s two airports dropped 95 percent in April compared to February and 97 percent compared to a year ago, according to the city’s airport system and regulatory affairs department. The result was slightly more than 1,000 pickups and drop-offs last month.“They are waiting more than a day to get...WW…

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateMetro officials predict it will be months, and possibly years, before bus and rail service ridership in Houston returns to pre-COVID-19 levels as transit use suffers from economic uncertainty, a lack of firm dates for schools to reopen and commuters choosing to drive.“We have to understand some businesses are not going to reopen, period,” said Kurt Luhrsen, vice president of planning for Metropolitan Transit Authority.Bus and rail use in the region, always dwarfed by automobile use, now faces not only lost riders in fewer workers...…This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateMetro officials predict it will be months, and possibly years, before bus and rail service ridership in Houston returns to pre-COVID-19 levels as transit use suffers from economic uncertainty, a lack of firm dates for schools to reopen and commuters choosing to drive.“We have to understand some businesses are not going to reopen, period,” said Kurt Luhrsen, vice president of planning for Metropolitan Transit Authority.Bus and rail use in the region, always dwarfed by automobile use, now faces not only lost riders in fewer workers...WW…

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateA at Texas’ biggest freeway bottleneck will stymie trips in and around Uptown.North- and southbound Interstate 69 will be closed between Loop 610 and Weslayan from 9 pm. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. Officials are suggesting drivers find another route.Ramps from northbound I-69 to southbound Loop 610 and southbound I-69 to northbound Loop 610 will be open, said Danny Perez, spokesman for the project.Those ramps “will help with moving traffic more efficiently,” Perez said.PRICE OF...…This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateA at Texas’ biggest freeway bottleneck will stymie trips in and around Uptown.North- and southbound Interstate 69 will be closed between Loop 610 and Weslayan from 9 pm. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. Officials are suggesting drivers find another route.Ramps from northbound I-69 to southbound Loop 610 and southbound I-69 to northbound Loop 610 will be open, said Danny Perez, spokesman for the project.Those ramps “will help with moving traffic more efficiently,” Perez said.PRICE OF...WW…

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateFederal officials have issued final approvals to backers of a Houston-to-Dallas high-speed rail line, further clearing the way for construction of the proposed line, in a move all but certain to face ongoing challenges from opponents.Texas Central Railroad, the company planning to operate trains from Houston to Dallas with a stop near College Station, said early Monday that the Federal Railroad Administration had issued both the Record of Decision that ends the environmental analysis and the Rule of Particular Applicability that...…This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateFederal officials have issued final approvals to backers of a Houston-to-Dallas high-speed rail line, further clearing the way for construction of the proposed line, in a move all but certain to face ongoing challenges from opponents.Texas Central Railroad, the company planning to operate trains from Houston to Dallas with a stop near College Station, said early Monday that the Federal Railroad Administration had issued both the Record of Decision that ends the environmental analysis and the Rule of Particular Applicability that...WW…

The federal clock for the I-45 rebuild in Houston has started, as critics complain a 30-day final comment period is far too short for a $7 billion project set to displace hundreds of residents and businesses.Texas Department of Transportation officials , but notice of the , kicking off the mandatory 30-day comment window.Comments received by TxDOT by Nov. 9 will be included in the final report, but critical feedback rarely delays projects receiving final approval.Once the comment period closes, TxDOT can receive the go-ahead to hire a team of engineers and construction companies to do final...…The federal clock for the I-45 rebuild in Houston has started, as critics complain a 30-day final comment period is far too short for a $7 billion project set to displace hundreds of residents and businesses.Texas Department of Transportation officials , but notice of the , kicking off the mandatory 30-day comment window.Comments received by TxDOT by Nov. 9 will be included in the final report, but critical feedback rarely delays projects receiving final approval.Once the comment period closes, TxDOT can receive the go-ahead to hire a team of engineers and construction companies to do final...WW…

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateMetro riders need to cover up to hop aboard, following a decision by the transit agency Thursday to require masks on its buses and trains.Metropolitan Transit Authority board members approved the requirement at their monthly meeting Thursday morning, citing the need for all residents to protect themselves — and others — in public as COVID-19 cases in the Houston area increase.“We owe an obligation to each other to treat our neighbors as we treat ourselves,” Metro Chairwoman Carrin Patman said. “In order to flatten the curve we...…This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateMetro riders need to cover up to hop aboard, following a decision by the transit agency Thursday to require masks on its buses and trains.Metropolitan Transit Authority board members approved the requirement at their monthly meeting Thursday morning, citing the need for all residents to protect themselves — and others — in public as COVID-19 cases in the Houston area increase.“We owe an obligation to each other to treat our neighbors as we treat ourselves,” Metro Chairwoman Carrin Patman said. “In order to flatten the curve we...WW…