Transit expert speaks

Noted transit expert Christof Spieler will be giving a talk on the theme, “What makes high-quality transit?” Houston resident Spieler is the author of the book “Trains, Buses, People: An Opinionated Atlas of US Transit,” for which he analyzed every rail and bus rapid transit system in the United States. An urban planner and structural engineer, he is vice president and director of planning at consulting firm Huitt-Zollars and teaches courses on transportation in the architecture and engineering schools of Rice University. In his talk, which is hosted by Austin transit advocates and grassroots organizations and introduced by Mayor Steve Adler, Spieler will explore the lessons Austin might learn from other cities’ experiences. He will be taking questions after his presentation. Wednesday, Jan. 29, 6-9 p.m, Jessen Auditorium, Homer Rainey Hall, UT Austin.