That’s why we support transit communities, revitalization of aging commercial corridors, and transit investments in Fairfax, Arlington, Alexandria, Loudoun, and Prince William.
Yet, some still push for a return to 1950s-style development and an outer beltway that will gobble-up farms and forests, and divert resources from existing transportation needs. That’s why we must also fight for reform in transportation policies at the state level and encourage smart growth policies statewide.
Outer Beltway
Once again, lobbyists are pushing for an unneeded and wasteful Outer Beltway, seeking to divert scarce tax dollars from the needs of existing commuter roads like I-66 that are choked with traffic. Besides costing hundreds of millions of dollars, the Outer Beltway would do nothing to solve our current traffic problems. Instead, it would open new land to sprawling development, adding yet more traffic to existing commuter routes.
Transportation Reform
The Outer Beltway is just one symbol of a state transportation program which has gone off-track. Instead of fixing existing traffic problems, funding transit, and supporting better patterns of land use, the state is diverting billions of dollars to rural highways and seeking to reignite sprawling development.
Alexandria
The City of Alexandria was a smart growth community 200 years ago, with its grid of walkable streets and mix of residential, civic and business activity. Recognizing that the only way to deal with modern traffic and it’s limited land area is to apply a similar approach today, the city is focused on creating walking and biking-friendly, mixed-use, transit-oriented redevelopment.
Arlington
Winner of the first EPA Smart Growth Award and the Coalition for Smarter Growth’s Capital Region Visionary Award, Arlington County is a national leader in transit-oriented development, affordable housing, transit, and street design.
Fairfax, City of Fairfax, & City of Falls Church
Fairfax County is the largest jurisdiction in Virginia and the Washington region, and is embarking on a remarkable transformation, long encouraged by the Coalition for Smarter Growth. The small cities of Fairfax and Falls Church, along with the towns of Vienna and Herndon, are focused on walkable, appropriately-scaled, mixed-use redevelopment, enhancing social and economic activity.
Loudoun
A mixture of suburban communities and rural, historic farmland, Loudoun County has experienced extraordinary growth over the past decades, making it a hot spot for tension about development.
Prince William
Once rich in forests, farms and history, Prince William County’s rapid and often poorly planned growth has created serious traffic and infrastructure problems.
