Houston is a city with a population of over 2 million people and a great deal of them have cars. Houston is not a walking city by any means, but Mayor Annise Parker wants to give this car city a much needed culture shock.
The city of Houston has recently adopted the “Open Streets” program which has slowly been growing across the United States with almost 100 programs currently. The program originated in Bogota, Colombia over 30 years ago and was created to allow pedestrians to feel safe in their city.
The program, which is titled SundayStreetsHTX, closes major Houston streets to all vehicular traffic on the first Sundays of every month to encourage pedestrian traffic. The blocked off streets allow pedestrians and cyclists to safely roam through and enjoy the city from somewhere other than their cars. Mayor Parker says the program “will help people see the city at a different speed and from a different perspective.”
The main reason Mayor Parker pushed for SundayStreetsHTX was to promote physical activity around the city and she believes this is a big step towards her “Go Healthy Houston” program. She is hoping this idea will support recreation and physical fitness in a fun, family friendly environment. In addition to the push for recreation, the Open Streets program will also benefit many businesses as there will be a major increase in pedestrians who are more than likely to visit surrounding stores.
SundayStreetsHTX will begin this Sunday on April 6th and continue on the first Sunday of every month after that, from 11am-3pm. Walking in Houston is not an easy task, but this the perfect opportunity to create a new lifestyle in Houston. Join other Houstonians on the first Sunday of every month to see Houston like you’ve never seen it before!
Via: ABC 13
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