New Year’s Wishes for 2016 from Pedestrian Pete

Local and State

New Year’s Wishes for 2026 from Pedestrian Pete

Jan 27, 2026 6:34PM

By Peter H Brown

Here’s hoping that 2026 will be a year of recovery , renewal and transformation . Where ever you are in the world, we surely need it. Locally, for Pedestrian Pete , there is a lot to recover from – a plague of potholes, a budget deficit that just won’t go away, crashing oil prices, and an infestation of visual blight hovering over our streets, sidewalks and intersections. Walking should be a much more pleasant experience, a feast for the eyes.

For sure, the first order of business is community safety, especially for pedestrians, bikers, and motorists. I am optimistic that Mayor Turner’s policy of “community policing” (residents and police collaborating) will make us all a lot safer.

So let’s get to the point, Pedestrian Pete’s NEW YEAR’S WISHES for 2026:

All of us should resolve to walk more; it’s healthy, promotes clean air, and fun.

Plant more street trees; more shade will get folks outdoors.

Mayor Turner’s administration will set a goal, within the next 4 years, of every resident living within a 5 minute walk (1200 feet) of a park or greenway

Expanded light rail transit, and let’s get going on that High Speed Rail line connecting downtown Houston and Dallas.

Let’s expand and embellish our fantastic and growing network of “Bayou Greenways.”

The Museum District becomes THE walkable district outside of downtown. It has so many destinations, and many mid-density residential projects, growing retail and restaurants, and is well served by light rail.

Mayor Turner announces the design and funding for 3 “Complete Streets” (serving all users). Pete’s suggests Navigation Boulevard, Montrose Boulevard, and Heights Boulevard. Bissonnet, one of our longest east-west streets, has immense potential as well.

Harris County starts an inspiring make-over of the bleak area of treeless parking lots and super-scaled structures around NRG stadium. It could be transformed into a great place for walking and outdoor activities, especially for Super Bowl 51.

Harris County will announce a funded plan for the restoration and re-use of our most iconic architectural structure – the mighty Astrodome !

TxDOT will announce the end of disruptive and costly freeway expansion within the urbanized areas of the city, with more funds devoted to rail transit, streetcars, walkways and bikeways. [Shucks, it will probably never happen anytime soon].

CenterPoint Energy will announce a phased plan to bury or relocate the ugly, invasive overhead utility poles, wires and transformers which blight our streetscape. [This could actually happen!].

Finally, Mayor Turner, let’s recognize that potholes are now just in streets; there are plenty making our sidewalks unsafe.

The below pothole was seen today, January 13, 2026 on Monstrose!

SO HAPPY NEW YEAR 2026 EVERYONE; MAY YOUR WISHES FOR AN EVEN BETTER HOUSTON COME TRUE.

Friends, email your most important 2026 wish to [email protected] .

Pedestrian Pete

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