Mads
@MadsPelzel
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Hoosier in Houston / transit + community planner / usually on two wheels
Joined March 2012
Thread starting here on some of my (developing) thoughts about what kinds of maps would be most useful to help those who are bike-as-transportation-curious, as well as how those who do bike as transportation can make our favorite routes and tricks more accessible to more people.
@MemorialPark Often, when helping people with their first few routes outside a vehicle, the most important thing to teach them and consider is not the route itself, but actually the roads that you absolutely should avoid being on. An attempt at mapping some of those inside 610:
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A new vision for our city is rising. To all those who have hoped for something different for Houston, but can't envision the road to get there... It's possible.
The first @HoustonChron editorial board endorsement of the 2025 election: Houston needs someone on City Council willing to stand up to the mayor https://t.co/tZWDQJaMKo
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I have a new side hustle. I do Texas Tortillas classes & my first 8 got fully booked within an hour of posting! I’ll soon start selling Butter Tortillas (from organic bleached flour & sweet cream butter) at markets. Follow to support friends. ❤️ love sharing my culture w everyone
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The latest on TX redistricting: a top TX Republican revealed in federal court Monday he didn’t tell legislators about a phone call with the national GOP operative who drew the state’s new gerrymandered congressional map https://t.co/UJRIMKbz84
democracydocket.com
Read more here.
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probably not on your radar because literally almost no one is covering this but......the mysterious mapmaker finally has to testify in the morning in federal court about the new TX gerrymandered congressional map that eliminates a handful of minority districts across the state 🧵
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Paris is protecting its children, using public space for the public good. New York City should do the same: School Streets outside every school will create safe pick-up and drop-off, along with a bubble of cleaner air.
🚸🌿 Paris will have 303 school streets by 2026! The promise made in 2020 (300 streets) has been exceeded. These car-free spaces around schools make the city safer, cleaner & more welcoming for children. ✅ 🗺 by Atelier Parisien d'urbanisme [1/4]
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New sticker just dropped. Come out to our events this #Biketober to get yours. https://t.co/1EGR8Kpq2s
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I’m so excited to bring this to more people and more places, and I would love to talk to anyone who has ideas or would like to collaborate. For now, I hope you visit the Bike Guide’s website https://t.co/rFSYT5E7Rg and enjoy the @HoustonChron profile
houstonchronicle.com
Frustrated with the lack of biking maps in Houston, a woman created her own community-sourced guide of where to bike.
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Everybody deserves to safely enjoy their neighborhoods, towns, and cities to the fullest, and a reliable Bike Guide is foundational to that enjoyment.
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The Bike Guide has expanded to include neighborhood-specific guides, a mapped network of ‘super-ways,’ the biking highways of Houston, as well as supporting community rides. I’ve even started to map out all the ‘on-ramps’ to the beautiful bayou network.
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It began by drawing the way I found myself consistently explaining, out loud to people, how to navigate by bike— by explaining which streets to avoid and how to get across them safely.
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This project has been near and dear to me, worked on late at night and on the weekends— with many collaborators— since 2020. It’s a project based on years of trying to use bike maps, wayfinding, and infrastructure in dozens of cities.
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Last month, I had the honor to be featured in the @HoustonChron for initiating and leading the Houston Bike Guide—the city’s only reliable reference guide for where to and not to bike.
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Have you ever been led astray on your bike by Google Maps? Popular wayfinding routes are often dangerous to use while biking. In Houston, they’ll commonly take you down streets on our High Injury Network — which is often someone’s last bike ride.
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https://t.co/OaywsY7pP9
@emilytakesnotes provides a critical service to our civic life and you should really donate!
emilytakesnotes.com
It has been five years of city council notes … time to have a party! Please join me on October 12 from 12pm-4pm as we raise funds so I can keep doing this work. These notes are used by journa…
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My first-ever fundraiser is October 12. Sometimes people ask me what I need to keep this project going and the answer is, of course, money. Thanks for your support, however it comes. https://t.co/zOGE4VaH7Z
emilytakesnotes.com
It has been five years of city council notes … time to have a party! Please join me on October 12 from 12pm-4pm as we raise funds so I can keep doing this work. These notes are used by journa…
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I am proud to be running alongside leaders like Michelle Wu, Zohran Mamdani, Omar Fateh, and others across the country who share a vision for affordability, reliable public transit, and affordable, abundant housing. Together, we can show the path forward for our country. Join us!
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Today is publication day! EXTRACTION: The Frontiers of Green Capitalism is officially out with @wwnorton - find it at a bookstore near you or order online💚📚 https://t.co/xLruQBWy8o
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I get that most people don’t follow City Hall drama that closely, but what’s happening under Houston Mayor John Whitmire is honestly kinda wild. It’s not just about “bike lanes”—he’s banning all kinds of basic public safety infrastructure.
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