History of Sprawl in the D.C. Region

Over the past several decades, sprawl development has increased at a dramatic pace throughout the D.C. Region. Commercial and residential developers are leaving metropolitan areas such as D.C. and Baltimore, and are spreading out to the suburbs of Northern Virginia and Maryland. This shift affects the economic, social, and ecological dynamics of the Capitol Region.

A Sprawling Region
The road projects that have been proposed and built in the region have played a major role in spurring on sprawl. Nearly all of the growth that has occurred in the region has been focused on raod building or expansion and not around transit. The first major road project, the Capitol Beltway (I-495), encircles the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and was completed in 1964. The expansion of I-495 made areas such as Fairfax, Montgomery and Prince George's Counties more accessible and initiated a tremendous wave of development.

Other regional projects include a 12-lane Woodrow Wilson Bridge, an expanded Springfield Interchange (at the I-95 and I-395 intersection with the Beltway), and widening I-81 and I-66. A lightrail Purple Line has been proposed which would encircle the Capitol area, but this project is overshadowed by the road-building enthusiasm of developers and politicians.

In the past decade, environmentalists, economists, and concerned citizens throughout the region have recognized that sprawl is threatening the character and traditional landscapes of Virginia and Maryland. Residents, politicians and planners are now at a pivitol point to work together to change the trend in development from car-oriented to smart growth oriented so that the region can can grow wisely and can continue to prosper in the future.

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