We’ve added a Reston Town Center walking tour to our June line-up! Join us June 13th to get a first hand look at the recently opened Reston Town Center Metro Station and the continuing transformation of the area into a walkable, bike-friendly transit-oriented community.
Author: Ayesha Amsa

Fairfax and Arlington County 2023 Election Resources
The Democratic primary for both Fairfax and Arlington Counties is coming up on June 20th! The general election will be November 5th. Make sure you have the latest resources* on where the candidates stand on all things smart growth and a plan to vote! Please note that while our candidate questionnaires focus on County Board candidates, there are also candidates for State Senate, House of Delegates, Commonwealth Attorney and Sheriff on the ballot.
Testimony in Support of Proposed Takoma Metro Station Redevelopment
We are excited to express our strong support for the proposed plan to redevelop the Takoma Metro station by adding hundreds of new homes, improved public spaces and better transportation facilities.

TAKE ACTION: Speak up for homes, and a vibrant Takoma Metro station
The proposed mixed-use development at the Takoma Metro station is a bold proposal, but it has vocal opponents. The project will provide 440 new homes with at least 70 affordable homes and transform a surface parking lot into a vibrant, safer, walkable place with cafes, a plaza, and usable greenspace. It will also provide better bus, walk and bicycle facilities, and control stormwater runoff for the first time.
Event Materials: Friendship Heights walking tour
Thank you to everyone who joined us for our walking tour of Friendship Heights on a beautiful day! Check out the event materials!
CSG in the News: Virginia Reduces Speed Limit On Stretch Of Route 1 In Fairfax County
May 22, 2023 | DCist | Jenny Gathright
Sonya Breehey, the northern Virginia advocacy manager for the Coalition for Smarter Growth, says the speed limit reduction is a “win for a safer Richmond highway and the communities along the corridor.”
“The Richmond Highway corridor is just dangerous, and routinely sees higher than average crashes and fatalities,” Breehey tells DCist/WAMU. “So this is certainly a step in the right direction that will help make the roads safer for everybody no matter how you travel — but most especially for our vulnerable road users: those who are walking and biking.”
Breehey added that additional improvements are still needed.
“Dropping the speed limit along won’t be enough,” she says. “It’s one tool in the toolbox.”

Thank you for joining us for our Livable Communities Leadership Awards reception!
We are thrilled and touched by the great turnout and your enthusiasm.
It was wonderful to see so many old friends, meet new friends, and celebrate Mayor Justin Wilson and our Community Hero awardees – Bernard Holloway, Kyle Reeder, Tina Slater, Michelle Krocker, and Kim Hosen.
Opinion: The answer to a more vibrant downtown D.C.? Not more cars.
Ultimately, this is about quality of life and attractive, competitive communities for residents of D.C. and the region, enhanced by having alternatives to hours spent driving and sitting in traffic and reducing the air pollution harming us — life and work enhanced by a green, sustainable and people-oriented downtown.
Letter: Urgent action needed on traffic violence in Washington, D.C
We urge you to pursue the following actions at the legislative and executive levels in order to reduce risks from traffic violence while enhancing economic and racial equity.
Event Materials: Addison Rd-Seat Pleasant walking tour
Thanks to everyone who joined us for our walk around the Addison Road-Seat Pleasant Metro station area. We were fortunate to have a great turnout with an array of public officials and local developers to discuss how the area is on the cusp of more change than we’ve seen since the Metro station opened in 1980.