2021 July newsletter

Record heat waves, climate change, and our fight for a sustainable region

Dear {{FirstName or 'Friend'}},

Amid record high, deadly temperatures in the Pacific Northwest and New England we must unify in the fight against climate change. At CSG, we work everyday to press for climate solutions, including slashing emissions from transportation by investing in transit, walking and biking, transit-oriented communities, and affordable homes closer to jobs and transit.

Fund CSG’s fight for local climate solutions!

Starting with this newsletter, we’re launching a mid-year fundraising campaign to support our efforts. If you believe CSG’s work for climate solutions and a more sustainable region is important, please consider donating today. You can also

set up a recurring donation of as little as $2.50 a month. We depend on individual donors like you to continue winning campaigns like the ones highlighted below.

Regional

Our win on climate at the TPB

The National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB) voted on June 16th to address climate change in the regional transportation plan by 2024. Climate was also a key factor in the vote to remove the I-495/I-270 toll lane project. The historic vote comes on the heels of relentless CSG advocacy to the TPB about the climate. Read our press release and blog post.

The fight over the I-495 & I-270 toll lanes

We need a solution for the American Legion Bridge and Beltway, but MDOT rushed to judgement for 4 toll lanes -- impacting hundreds of acres of parkland, wetlands, streams, and historic sites, increasing air and climate pollution. Reducing driving with transit-oriented communities, especially on the east side of the region, is a better long-term solution. Ask the Maryland Board of Public Works to reject the premature toll lane contract.

Baltimore joins opposition to Maglev

Baltimore City officially recommended against building the Maglev train between DC and Baltimore. The city cites concerns similar to those raised by CSG about equity and impact on the environment, and the greater benefits from improving Amtrak and MARC. We’ve joined with partners to ask Congress to reject further funding.

Learn more and take action.

D.C.

Park Morton redevelopment is back on track, Bruce Monroe advocacy continues

Mayor Bowser added $23 million to the Park Morton public housing redevelopment plan! Together with the Bruce Monroe plan, it means 297 affordable homes (147 of which replace aging public housing), and includes parks and reconnected streets. We’ll

now work for final approval of the Bruce Monroe plan at the DC Zoning Commission (see CSG’s 2018 Friend of the Court brief).

DC invests in a community land trust

We’ve joined the push for community land trusts (CLT) as one tool for permanently affordable housing, including supporting language in the Comprehensive Plan and funding. So we were thrilled that the Mayor's budget proposed $2 million to support the city’s leading CLT, the Douglass Community Land Trust. Douglass CLT supports permanently affordable homes, local businesses, and equity-building opportunities for residents in DC.

Maryland

Ride the new bike lanes on University Boulevard

Three of our most recent Community Heroes, Peter Gray, Alison Gillespie, and Kristy Daphnis, scored another advocacy win!

Montgomery County converted part of University Boulevard in Wheaton to protected bicycle lanes. Be sure to try them out so you can get counted!

Join Montgomery for All

Join us on July 29 at 6pm for an (in-person!) outdoor picnic at Acorn Park/Newell Street Closure in downtown Silver Spring! We will hear from Planning Commissioner Partap Verma about his thoughts on the direction of Thrive 2050 and Montgomery County's future. More details on masking/social distance requirements to come.

Better Buses for Prince George's County

Join us July 20 at 7pm (via Zoom) for a discussion with local and regional bus experts to understand where we are and where we want to be with Prince George's bus service.

Virginia

Support the West Falls Church Metro plan!

Transit-oriented communities reduce driving and emissions. Our campaign helped win the unanimous support of the Fairfax County Planning Commission for the mixed-use plan for the Fairfax County portion of West Falls Church Metro Station. Next up: the Board of Supervisors hearing on July 13th. Send an email and sign up to testify. Learn more by viewing our forum.

Our fight for safer streets continues

For the past year, we have partnered in a series of educational forums to address the unsafe biking and walking conditions in Northern Virginia. Fairfax County is now developing a Safe Streets for All program to reduce traffic fatalities and injuries on its roads.

Stay tuned for opportunities for public input.

Meanwhile, our partners at the Northern Virginia Families for Safe Streets released their Near Miss / Dangerous Location Survey, which allows community members to report dangerous incidents on streets, sidewalks, and trails. The data will help spark safety improvements before serious injuries or deaths occur.

Better transit for Duke Street

The City of Alexandria’s Duke Street IN MOTION project is focused on improving transit from I-395 to Old Town. This is one of the city’s planned high frequency bus corridors and critical for east-west travel between homes, work and services. Join local advocates at Liveable Alexandria in taking the city’s survey to ask for better transit, walking, and biking facilities.

Together, we can shape a more sustainable and equitable region. Your involvement and support for this work is critical.

Thanks for all you do, Stewart Schwartz

Executive Director Coalition for Smarter Growth

Images from Urban Turf, William Anders (NASA), TPB, Lane Construct, WTOP, BizJournals, Douglass Community Land Trust, MDOT, Coalition for Smarter Growth, Prince George's County, West Falls Church, City of Alexandria, Fairfax County

Support a thriving D.C. region today by donating!

Visit us online at smartergrowth.net

Coalition for Smarter Growth

P.O. Box 73282

2000 14th Street NW

Washington, DC 20009

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