CSG News: Celebrate but Act!

25 years! But we’re not done yet.

Dear {{FirstName or 'Friend'}}, Thank you to all of our supporters, volunteers, sponsors, and host committee members for a great 25th Anniversary Celebration on May 12th! Aside from a brief period of misty-drizzle, we had a beautiful night with beautiful views of Union Station and the Capitol, great friends, and fun being back together again. Check out the pictures from the event, taken by Hugh Kenny of the Piedmont Environmental Council and Chadisia Stadler, CSG Spring Intern and student at Howard University (remember to credit them if you share).

We are energized by your commitment to CSG and urge you to keep taking action! This month is nearly all about transportation. As you’ll see, we really do have two paths to choose from – more highways and auto-dependency, or a more sustainable, walkable, transit-oriented future. Your elected officials need to hear from you.

Regional

Fixing our long-range transportation plan (take action) You sent over 170 comments to the Transportation Planning Board (TPB) urging them to fix the region’s long-range transportation plan, Visualize 2045. The current plan allocates $28.8 billion for bigger highways, twice as much as expanding transit and other modes. While the comment period has ended and they are locked in on their project list, we can still win commitments for reducing emissions and vehicle miles traveled.

D.C.

Our chance to weigh in on DC’s Build Back Better plan (share your ideas) Cheryl Cort, CSG’s Policy Director, is co-chairing the committee responsible for assessing how to spend the $1.5 billion in new infrastructure dollars. The task force is looking for infrastructure projects that are transformative, equitable & sustainable. Our recommendations: a citywide Bus Priority Network, a comprehensive bicycle lane and trails network, fixing the 15 identified Vision Zero high crash corridors, and bus electrification.

Is the K Street Transitway “off track”?

For over 20 years, the K Street Transitway has been envisioned to be a “Great Street” – green, people-oriented, and economically vibrant. We're investigating what looks like a major retreat from the Great Street vision. The latest design plans for the transitway show far fewer trees than promised in earlier plans and less attention to important placemaking details. Standby for updates.

Maryland

We won unanimous Council support for housing above the Chevy Chase Library! (learn more) When we learned the County Executive was pursuing renovation of Chevy Chase Library without housing, we jumped into action. We crafted an organization sign-on letter, and teamed with Action in Montgomery to host a 100person rally, and generate 1,500 letters. On May 12, the County Council voted unanimously to require housing above a new Chevy Chase Library. A huge step forward, but not the end of the fight!

Weigh in on the MD 355 Flash Bus Rapid Transit Project The MD 355 Flash BRT service will provide fast and reliable transit service in dedicated lanes along Wisconsin Avenue/Rockville Pike/Frederick Road. The project will create new connections and support redevelopment at key activity centers. Be sure to attend one of the pop-up events or virtual chats, join the telephone office hours, or take the online survey.

$1 Fares for Montgomery County’s Ride On bus We spoke too soon last week when we shared an email about winning free fares for Ride On in the 2023 budget.

Unfortunately, despite a 7-1 straw vote to continue free fares, the Council ultimately decided to go with $1 fares, starting in July 2022. This is down from $2 fares prior to the pandemic. Our advocacy with the Montgomery Better Buses coalition also secured construction funding for both Veirs Mill and part of MD-355 bus rapid transit routes!

Event: Street Design for Transit-Oriented Communities (June 1 at 7pm; RSVP) Prince George’s has ambitious goals for transit-oriented development, especially for its Blue Line corridor. But building walkable, transit-oriented places is often thwarted by wide, high-speed roads. Join us for a discussion with transportation engineer Randy Dittberner, PE, PTOE to understand how to design streets that serve community goals.

Event: Capitol Heights Metro Station Area Walking Tour (June 17 at 5:30pm; RSVP) Join us to learn about their mixed-use development project and green street, and County Executive Alsobrooks’ Blue Line Corridor Initiative. We’ll explore the potential for creating a dynamic, walkable neighborhood at the Capitol Heights Metro station with a mix of new housing and businesses.

No New Highways Webinar (watch the recording) Check out the recording of our May 17th event, and learn why a sustainable, equitable future is tied to walkable, transit-oriented communities, not new highways or expansions.

Virginia

97% of NoVa’s transportation funding for expanding roads? (take action) The Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) led by your local elected officials, will soon vote on its 6-year regional program. Their rankings prioritize moving cars, and would fund over $600 million in highway and roadway expansion compared to just $17 million for everything else, leaving out important regional transit, complete streets, and trails projects.

Coming soon: Safe Streets for Bailey’s Crossroads Report An overwhelming number of Culmore residents say they don’t feel safe walking, biking, or getting to bus stops in Baileys Crossroads. They cite crime, dangerous driving, poor lighting, and the lack of connected sidewalks and safe crossing options. Keep an eye out for the report’s release and our push with CASA to get the safety improvements the community deserves!

Help Protect the Health of the Occoquan Reservoir (June 2 at 7pm, register) Sprawl development and a proposed revival of a highway in the Rural Crescent threatens our parks, drinking water, and quality of life. Our friends at the Prince William Conservation Alliance are hosting a townhall to discuss how sprawl would harm drinking water and what we can do to build a sustainable, just future.

Stadium Games Recently, the Washington Commanders football team announced a land purchase in Prince William County – with two potential sites about 23 and 34 miles respectively from the heart of DC. This is in addition to a site mentioned in Loudoun. We were quoted on the locations’ distance from the heart of the region, traffic impact, and lack of transit.

See Washington Post articles here and here.

Thanks for all you do,

Stewart Schwartz

Executive Director Coalition for Smarter Growth

Images from Hugh Kenny, BeyondDC, Adam Fagen, Bekah Richards, Jane Lyons, BeyondDC, Chadisia Stadler, Sonya Breehey, County Executive Alsobrooks, urbandispute, Jada Thomas, Hugh Kenny, Bossi

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