There are two opportunities for you to speak up for a more vibrant, walkable, and inclusive Duke Street as the city updates its Duke Street Land Use Plan.
Category: Virginia
Talking points: Arlington 2050 Comprehensive Plan update (VA)
Arlington 2050 is an initiative to update Arlington County’s Comprehensive Plan, which will guide the direction of the county’s long-term community and economic development. Updated every five years, this is an opportunity to share your vision for the future of Arlington. If you would like to promote a vibrant, walkable Arlington that prioritizes opportunity, inclusion, and affordability, we have developed several talking points you can include in your feedback under each county principle.
Speak up for a walkable, housing-rich Duke Street
Join us at the upcoming Sep 25th community meeting to support a more vibrant, inclusive Duke Street! Alexandria is updating its Duke Street corridor land use plan from west of Old Town to Landmark/West End. This plan will guide future redevelopment, housing, public spaces, and the general character of Duke Street.
Event: Fault Lines. Screening of a housing documentary, followed by a panel discussion and a social hour
A screening of Fault Lines, a documentary exploring housing and policy, followed by a panel of regional leaders and a community social hour. The panel will examine Northern Virginia’s housing challenges and explore strategies to build more inclusive and livable communities in our region.
CSG primer: Visualize 2050, our region’s 25-year transportation plan
The draft Visualize 2050 plan, our region’s long-range transportation plan, has too many highway and arterial road expansions that will increase driving and climate emissions. We will miss our region’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 – even if there’s a rapid switch to electric vehicles.
Get informed so you can take action on key decisions this fall:
- Upcoming key vote on flawed 495 Southside Express Lanes project
- Comment period on failing status quo Visualize plan
Source: TPB, with annotations by the Coalition for Smarter Growth
Background on Visualize 2050
- Visualize 2050 is our region’s long-range transportation plan, prepared by the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB), a regional body overseen by our local and state officials and transportation agencies.
- CSG background article
- From March 2024, on draft project list that is now being presented for final approval this fall along with its performance results.
- 48 organizations criticized the previous plan, Visualize 2045 with very similar projects Letter by 48 regional organizations on Visualize 2045 (May 2022)
495 Southside Express Lanes Project
- The TPB board will vote in October on whether or not to include the Virginia Department of Transportation’s flawed highway expansion project in the final plan.
- Background on the project’s flaws, questions that VDOT has not answered, and better alternatives that need to be studied and advanced.
Stay tuned for actions you can take this fall!
- Be on the lookout for CSG action alerts in September and October ahead of the TPB vote on the 495 Southside Express Lanes project.
- Formal public comment on the entire draft Visualize 2050 plan will take place in late October through mid-November. CSG will provide a more in-depth overview of the draft plan – stay tuned.
Fault Lines Screening with Post-film Panel and Social Hour
We invite you to an exclusive screening of the groundbreaking documentary, “Fault Lines,” followed by an expert panel discussion with regional leaders and a social hour to continue the conversation.
RELEASE: We know we have traffic congestion. The real news is that we have more solutions to congestion than most regions of the country – and can do better.
Consumer Affairs released its ranking of the cities with the worst congestion and DC ranked #1. “These rankings routinely show DC in the top four, so it’s not news that our region has congestion. For one thing, it’s a sign of a healthy economy, and in our case, the return to office requirement,” said Stewart Schwartz, Executive Director of the Coalition for Smarter Growth.
CSG in the News: Critics press their concerns as vote on I-495 Southside Express toll lanes plan looms
July 30, 2025 | Scott McCaffrey | FFXnow
“From the beginning, VDOT’s study has been fatally flawed,” said Stewart Schwartz, executive director of the Coalition for Smarter Growth.
Without more analysis, there is no logical reason for the proposal to move forward, he said.
“The project is not ready,” Schwartz said.
Read the full story here.
In-Person Testimony: 495 Southside Study
From the beginning the VDOT study has been fatally flawed by a conclusions-first approach – defining their purpose and need as “extending express toll lanes” which forecloses other alternatives. Moreover, they have not provided all the information necessary for an informed decision – particularly the traffic impact on connecting roads. Given the missing information and strong concerns expressed by Fairfax, Prince George’s, Alexandria, Charles, WMATA, and state legislators in Virginia and Maryland, this project is not ready for inclusion in the regional plan.
Our condolences to the family of Congressman Gerry Connolly
Photo of Gerry Connolly receiving CSG’s 2009 Livable Communities Award
The Coalition for Smarter Growth is deeply saddened by the passing of Congressman Gerald “Gerry” Connolly, a fighter for his community and our democracy. We extend our sincerest condolences to his wife Cathy and their family.
Congressman Connolly was a champion for transforming Fairfax County and our region with walkable, transit-oriented communities and an advocate for connecting people and communities through transit.
- Congressmen Connolly spearheaded the replanning of Tysons Corner creating a vision for a walkable, bikeable, vibrant community now emerging around four Silver Line stations.
- He led the creation of the Dunn-Loring/Merrifield transit-oriented community plan, which led to the successful and vibrant MOSAIC District.
- The Congressman led the expansion of the local bus network, and was a leader in the push for the Metro Silver Line, which now connects Tysons, Reston, Dulles International Airport, and Loudoun County.
- He was a strong proponent of affordable housing and a healthy environment, spearheading the 1 penny fund for affordable housing and 1 penny fund for water quality improvements.
- His vision for the Cross County Trail now provides an active transportation gem connecting through the heart of Fairfax County from Mount Vernon to Great Falls.
- In Congress, he continued his advocacy for Metro and Metrobus at the Federal level.
CSG proudly supported and campaigned for these initiatives, and in 2009 awarded then Fairfax County Chairman Connolly our Livable Communities Leadership Award.
Congressman Connolly cared about making the world a better place and he made things happen. We are forever grateful for his leadership of Fairfax County and in Congress, and his unwavering commitment to the environment, transit, affordable housing, and transit-oriented development.
We mourn his passing and extend our deepest condolences.
Stewart Schwartz
Executive Director
Coalition for Smarter Growth