Landscaping most freeways part of Super Bowl plan It was just three words in a 2,500-word essay in The Economist magazine a couple of years ago, but to Charles McMahen they still sting: "Houston is ugly." Though the article about the city was largely positive, and the ugly reference was aimed broadly at Houston's sprawl, lack of zoning and other issues, McMahen cites the sentence when talking about an initiative to improve the city's gateways. "Clearly, 59 North, the Hardy Toll Road and 45 North are really in need of some work," said McMahen, chairman of the Quality of Life...