2011 Year in Review: Looking Ahead
Looking Ahead to 2012
"This is D.C.?"
This October we constantly heard that pleasantly surprised exclamation from the attendees to the national Rail~Volution conference, which CSG helped organize. They rode Metro and loved it. They explored both the new and the revitalized walkable, bikeable, and transit-friendly neighborhoods in our city and surrounding suburbs, and they learned how we got it done.
Sometimes the best way to measure our progress is to hear from visitors to our community. The guests at the conference made us realize that the progress in our region in the 14 years since the founding of the Coalition for Smarter Growth has been nothing short of phenomenal.
We aim to continue that forward movement in 2012, with the help of our broad-base of supporters and the elected officials, government staffs, and private sector leaders who make it happen.
Look for us to:
- Continue our fight for VDOT reform and for wiser spending of our scarce transportation funds in both Maryland and Virginia. We'll fight the Outer Beltway because it is ineffective, wasteful, and diverts funding from critical needs.
- Work in as many communities as we can to help residents win smart growth plans and to support well-designed, walkable, inclusive, and transit-accessible development.
- Work for stronger policies and funding to ensure that we invest in a range of housing options for all levels of our workforce, improving access to jobs and transit, and enhancing employee productivity and business competitiveness.
- Continue our public education efforts through our Walking Tours and Forums Program, reports, and policy papers -- sharing the benefits and how-to's of smart growth and transit-oriented development.
- Launch a campaign for the next generation of transit for the Washington D.C. region. From bus rapid transit to streetcars, light rail, Metrorail, and commuter rail, we will advocate for the transit our region needs to meet the demands of growth and a changing market, ensuring more efficient land use, greater energy efficiency, and increased economic competitiveness.
Thank you again for your help and we hope you'll join with us in making the greater Washington D.C. region a national model of smart and sustainable growth.
