I. Check point

Houston was the host city for our second American exploratory walk.

We did not really know what to expect before coming to Houston, appart from the clichÃ©s about Texas. Yet from the moment we landed, we knew that we would enjoy the city; the people are really nice and helpful (especially if you are lost).

We also had the chance to meet extraordinary people, such as Janet Sadik-Khan,Â who gave us an interview about her work in New York City, and Annise Parker, the former mayor of Houston.

Houston Tomorrow, which is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life in Houston, did an amazing job in organizing the walk.Â Everything was ready before we arrived – the route, Facebook event, flyers, etc.

We organized the training session three days before the walk. Well…four days before. Indeed, it was the first time we had to postpone the walk because of terrible rain. That was the right choice, however, because the sun came out the next day and we had an amazing walk.

We used a lof of chalk to show what and where improvements are needed in Houston’s public spaces.

In Houston, the main issue is cars. Houston is a car-oriented city, where parking lots steal space from housing and public space. The city is becoming more pedestrian-friendly step-by-step, as the recent public transport renovation (tram) show us. Nonetheless, to improve the feeling of security, it is essential that people use public space by working, playing and relaxing in the street. This is whatÂ Houston Tomorrow is working on.