Category: Press Releases

RELEASE: Prince George’s adopts cutting-edge urban street designs to support transit-oriented development

Posted on by Charles Rudner

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 16, 2016

CONTACT
Cheryl Cort, Coalition for Smarter Growth
(202) 251-7516
cheryl@smartergrowth.net
Prince George’s adopts cutting-edge urban street designs to support transit-oriented development

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY – On Tuesday, November 15, the Prince George’s County Council voted to adopt state-of-the-practice urban street design standards. The new standards break with old highway rules by allowing the construction of safe, low speed streets that foster walkable streets in business districts and around transit stations.

“We applaud County Executive Rushern Baker and the Prince George’s County Council for adopting such progressive standards to help Metro station areas and other local centers thrive. These bold new street standards will allow transit-oriented development to be served by safer, low-speed streets where walking, bicycling and riding transit are easy options. The new standards also allow on-street parking on a major roadway – a first for the county. All these innovative urban street design standards are essential ingredients to creating successful walkable, transit-oriented business districts,” said Chery Cort, Coalition for Smarter Growth.

Until now, Prince George’s, like many jurisdictions, has used outdated rural road design standards that encourage high travel speeds and difficult crossings for people who are walking. Not only are these rural road standards unnecessarily dangerous in urban areas where people are walking or biking, they are also bad for business. Creating mixed use walkable places is the key to fostering high value transit-oriented development, and thriving traditional town centers. Without streets designed to slow down traffic to reasonable speeds, and create a comfortable walking environment, business districts and Metro stations will fail to thrive as places people will want to be. These new street designs solve this problem.

The new Urban Street Design Standards are intended to be used in the 8 Regional Transit Districts and 26 Local Centers, as established by Plan Prince George’s 2035 that have the necessary transit and transportation infrastructure to support future growth as mixed use centers.

The standards were adopted by the county following a law enacted last year asking the County Executive to provide proposed urban street design standards to the County Council in October 2016.

“The Baker administration took this assignment and ran with it. They have leaped ahead of other jurisdictions with its innovative urban street design standards. This a real boost for making transit-oriented development work with streets designed to encourage more walking, bicycling and riding transit,” said Cort. “Kudos to County Executive Baker and the County Council,” she concluded.

 

About the Coalition for Smarter Growth

The Coalition for Smarter Growth is the leading organization in the Washington DC region dedicated to making the case for smart growth. Its mission is to promote walkable, inclusive, and transit-oriented communities, and the land use and transportation policies and investments needed to make those communities flourish. Learn more at smartergrowth.net.

MEDIA ADVISORY: “Metro Money” panel discussion on WMATA dedicated funding with local officials and national transit experts

Posted on by Claire Jaffe

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 26, 2016

CONTACT
Aimee Custis
(202) 431-7185
aimee@smartergrowth.net

MEDIA ADVISORY:
“Metro Money” panel discussion on WMATA dedicated funding with local officials and national transit experts

What:

Coalition for Smarter Growth and Georgetown University’s Urban and Regional Planning Program present “Metro Money: A discussion on dedicated funding for Metro”.

Who:

Panelists include:

  • Jack Evans, Metro Board chair, and DC Ward 2 Councilmember
  • Robert Puentes, President and CEO, Eno Transportation Foundation
  • Marc Korman (D), Delegate, MD District 16
  • Kate Mattice, acting Executive Director, Northern Virginia Transportation Commission
  • Emeka Moneme, Deputy Executive Director, Federal City Council
  • Stewart Schwartz, Executive Director, Coalition for Smarter Growth
  • Uwe Brandes, Executive Director, Georgetown University Urban and Regional Planning Program (Moderator)

Cosponsors of tonight’s event include Action Committee for Transit, Crystal City Business Improvement District, Georgetown Business Improvement District, Greater Greater Washington, Golden Triangle Business Improvement District, NoMa Business Improvement District, Prince George’s Advocates for Community-based Transit, Sierra Club DC and VA Chapters

Where:

Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies Campus
640 Massachusetts Ave NW
Washington, DC

When:

TONIGHT: Wednesday, October 26, 2016, 6:00 – 8:00 PM. (Doors open at 5:45pm)

About the Coalition for Smarter Growth
The Coalition for Smarter Growth is the leading organization in the Washington DC region dedicated to making the case for smart growth. Its mission is to promote walkable, inclusive, and transit-oriented communities, and the land use and transportation policies and investments needed to make those communities flourish. Learn more at smartergrowth.net.

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RELEASE: GreenPlace program launches to show transportation benefits of new transit-oriented development

Posted on by Claire Jaffe

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 5, 2016

CONTACT
Chery Cort, Coalition for Smarter Growth
(202) 251-7516
cheryl@smartergrowth.net

GreenPlace program launches to show transportation benefits of new transit-oriented development

WASHINGTON DC – Today, the Coalition for Smarter Growth announced the launch of a new program to help decision-makers and consumers understand the positive impacts of living in new transit-oriented housing in the DC region.

The program, called GreenPlace, has already evaluated five District of Columbia projects during its pilot phase: 90-91 Blagden Alley, 15 Dupont Circle, 680 Rhode Island Avenue NE, 327 Cedar Street NW, and 1005 North Capitol Street NE. The project team hopes to evaluate more projects as soon as this November, according to Cheryl Cort, Policy Director at the Coalition for Smarter Growth.

GreenPlace offers people better information about the potential impact of new housing – encouraging locations, designs, and traffic reduction measures to reduce increase walking, bicycling and riding transit, and reduce traffic and pollution.

Through its certification process, GreenPlace provides people with objective, systematic evaluations of residential developments that significantly outperform regional averages in terms of:

  • CO2 emissions (the leading cause of climate change)
  • Traffic (vehicle-miles traveled)
  • Active transportation alternatives (encouraging walking, bicycling and transit use)
  • Health benefits to residents.

Households living in a GreenPlace-certified home drive only 56-67% of the regional average for daily driving (45 miles/day).

“Our region is growing. The question is how to create more homes in the right place and protect our environment,” said Cort. “GreenPlace helps answer this question by objectively assessing how much new residents will drive and how much C02 will be emitted from a new housing development. We measure the environmental performance of this new housing versus the region’s average.”

Along with community members and developers, decision-makers benefit from GreenPlace’s objective assessment. Public officials such Planning and Zoning Commissioners, Board of Zoning Adjustment members, City Council and County Board members, and other public officials need better tools for objectively evaluating the traffic and pollution reduction potential of more housing in transit-accessible locations. GreenPlace’s use of a validated land use and transportation model gives these decision-makers greater confidence in the benefits of approving more housing near transit, with the right features, making our communities and region more sustainable.

“This certification program empowers decision-makers and communities with a tool to objectively evaluate new housing. It helps assess if it’s in the right place and offering the right kinds of benefits to reduce traffic and pollution, and build a more sustainable and walkable community,” concluded Cort.

A full report detailing the methodology used to develop the program, as well as consumer-friendly one-page summaries of several pilot certifications, and information certification opportunities are available on the program’s website, smartergrowth.net/greenplace.

About the Coalition for Smarter Growth
The Coalition for Smarter Growth is the leading organization in the Washington DC region dedicated to making the case for smart growth. Its mission is to promote walkable, inclusive, and transit-oriented communities, and the land use and transportation policies and investments needed to make those communities flourish. Learn more at smartergrowth.net.

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RELEASE: Advocates Launch Campaign to Improve Pedestrian Safety in Pike District

Posted on by Claire Jaffe

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 20, 2016

CONTACT
Pete Tomao, Montgomery County Advocacy Manager
Coalition for Smarter Growth
(516) 318-0605
pete@smartergrowth.net

Amy Ginsburg, Executive Director
Friends of White Flint
(301) 919-1609
amy.ginsburg@whiteflint.org

Advocates Launch Campaign to Improve Pedestrian Safety in Pike District

NORTH BETHESDA, MD – Dozens of signs with safety tips are going up on sidewalks, near crosswalks, and other highly-trafficked areas in the Pike District (which surrounds the White Flint Metro station in North Bethesda), in an effort by advocates to make walking safer and more attractive in the burgeoning area.

The signs are the most visible part of a broader effort, called the Pike District Pedestrian Safety Campaign, launched today by the Friends of White Flint and Coalition for Smarter Growth. The campaign highlights needed pedestrian-friendly infrastructure improvements, educates pedestrians on the safest way to navigate the existing environment, and invites people who walk in the area to share their own suggestions for making the Pike District more pedestrian-friendly.

whiteflintcampaign1  whiteflintcampaign2

“The Pike District is in the midst of an exciting transition. Guided by the 2010 White Flint Sector Plan, the area is becoming a vibrant, livable community where residents and visitors can walk to the farmer’s market, meet up with friends at happy hour, or catch a movie without having to drive to every destination. We’ve already seen a significant increase in pedestrian activity thanks to walkable projects like North Bethesda Market, North Bethesda Gateway, and Pike & Rose,” said Amy Ginsburg, the Executive Director of Friends of White Flint.

Ginsburg continued, “While walkability is improving, the road network in this area was really designed for cars more than for people. That can create a pretty inhospitable, even dangerous, environment for people on foot. Fortunately, there are a number of ways we can improve this situation in the near-term with simple and affordable solutions. Increasing crosswalk visibility, adding pedestrian refuges, and making walk signals automatic will be a huge help. That’s what this campaign is all about: practical solutions for a better pedestrian experience. We look forward to working with Montgomery County and the State of Maryland to make walking in the Pike District safer and easier.”

“We continue to see strong demand for walkable neighborhoods across the DC region, and the Pike District is no exception,” said Pete Tomao of the Coalition for Smarter Growth, which works for more walkable communities and transit investments region-wide. “Improving conditions for pedestrians will not only make thing safer for those who are already here, it will help the area attract new residents and businesses. Implementing these solutions now moves us closer to the Rockville Pike that county officials envisioned in 2010. It is our hope that we are able to push the Pike District to live up to its potential as a transit-oriented, walkable downtown,” said Tomao.

To learn more about the campaign or to get involved please visit pikedistrictpeds.org

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RELEASE: Smart growth advocates push back against campaign for HOT lanes on Maryland’s I-270 with alternatives that acknowledge induced travel exists

Posted on by Claire Jaffe

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 19, 2016

CONTACT
Pete Tomao, Montgomery County Advocacy Manager
(516) 318-0605
pete@smartergrowth.net

Stewart Schwartz, Executive Director
(703) 599-6437
stewart@smartergrowth.net

Smart growth advocates push back against campaign for HOT lanes on Maryland’s I-270 with alternatives that acknowledge induced travel exists

MARYLAND – Today, as part of a mounting campaign for high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes on Maryland’s I-270, the Suburban Maryland Transportation Alliance (SMTA) proposed significant expansion along the entire highway from the American Legion Bridge on I-495, north into Frederick County.

In response, advocates at the Coalition for Smarter Growth voiced concern over the approach laid out by SMTA’s Richard Parsons and released a package of more effective alternatives for the I-270 corridor.

“Mr. Parsons has effectively claimed that induced travel – the basic economic principle that building more roads causes more traffic – doesn’t exist, and that’s simply wrong,” said Stewart Schwartz, Executive Director of the Coalition for Smarter Growth. “Widened highways in metropolitan areas can fill up again in as little as five years.”

“We are releasing a package of approaches for the I-270 corridor in response to Mr. Parsons’ aggressive expansion campaign,” continued Schwartz. “Over two years ago, we were the group that recommended the first-ever summit of the Montgomery County Council and Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, with the express purpose of addressing problems at the American Legion Bridge. So we’ve long been focused on smart fixes for this major commuting corridor.”

The Coalition for Smarter Growth recommended the following alternatives to end-to-end widening:

  1.  Near-term extension of the I-270 bus and HOV lane to and across the American Legion Bridge to provide an important option to driving alone and move more people, more quickly through the corridor.
  2. Expansion of MARC service from Frederick in accordance with the MARC investment plan, taking Frederick County residents to jobs in Montgomery and DC.
  3. Expanded commuter bus service on I-270 from Frederick County, and bus rapid transit along Route 355 from Bethesda to Clarksburg. Expanded express bus service from Clarksburg to Shady Grove Metro.
  4. Transit-oriented development along the Red Line in Montgomery County to handle population growth without increasing regional traffic, and enhancing the county’s competitiveness.
  5. A smart growth comprehensive plan for Frederick County, to create walkable development with good access to transit, while conserving farms and forests and reducing the amount residents have to drive.
  6. Continued protection of Montgomery County’s Agricultural Reserve and major drinking water supplies.
  7. Longer-term connection of Metrorail or light rail between the Silver and Red Lines, after Metro’s rehabilitation is complete and the system is adequately funded.

“Induced travel is a very real problem. It can mean billions of wasted tax and toll dollars spent on road expansions that don’t provide long-term solutions,” said Schwartz. “That’s the path Parson’s wants to lead us on. So, while we can focus on fixing key road bottlenecks, we need to apply the rest of our resources to providing transit options and ensuring more efficient patterns of land development. Linking walkable communities with transit is the only long-term effective way to improve access to jobs and daily needs and maintain our economic competitiveness.”

In 1999, the Washington Post published a groundbreaking article documenting the induced travel effect of a previous expansion of I-270 from 8 lanes to 12 lanes. A huge volume of academic research has documented induced travel. Much of it has been compiled and summarized by Todd Litman of the Victoria Transportation Policy Institute in his paper Generated Traffic and Induced Travel, Implications for Transport Planning, 12 September 2016.

“We understand that Mr. Parsons may be talking about a public-private partnership (P3) for HOT lanes, like those in Virginia, but we don’t like to see the P3 tail wag the transportation dog. Before jumping to the conclusion that HOT lanes, and private ones at that, are the way to go for I-270, we need to look at the effects on land use and long-distance commuting, the fact that transit routinely gets the short end of the stick in these deals, and evaluate the more effective long-term approach of smart growth with transit,” said Schwartz. “P3 deals concern us because they divert significant resources — usually in large federal loans — away from transit investments, and often give all profits to the private contractor for 75 years.”

“In short, we support a package of short-term transit and HOV investments like those at the American Legion Bridge, long-lasting transit investments like Marc, Metrorail, and BRT combined with more efficient land use, and a very deliberative approach to studying the issues with full recognition of the problem of induced travel,” concluded Schwartz.

About the Coalition for Smarter Growth
The Coalition for Smarter Growth is the leading organization in the Washington DC region dedicated to making the case for smart growth. Its mission is to promote walkable, inclusive, and transit-oriented communities, and the land use and transportation policies and investments needed to make those communities flourish. Learn more at smartergrowth.net.

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RELEASE: Reaction to NOVAChamber Summit — TOD is the key!

Posted on by Claire Jaffe

Coalition for Smarter Growth, Piedmont Environmental Council, Sierra Club – Virginia Chapter

For Immediate Release:
August 31, 2016

Contact:
Stewart Schwartz, CSG, 703-599-6437 (cell)
Chris Miller, PEC, 540-347-2334
Douglas Stewart, SC, 703-407-2790 (cell)

Statement Regarding NOVAChamber Summit: Competitive Future for Northern Virginia and DC Region is Transit-Oriented Development

Tysons Corner: Today, the chambers of commerce of Northern Virginia held a business summit with the leading elected officials of Northern Virginia’s five largest jurisdictions to discuss a variety of issues including Metro funding, economic competitiveness, workforce development, and an upper Potomac Bridge crossing. While the chambers have been big boosters of an upriver bridge, smart growth and conservation groups have long made the case that transit and transit-oriented development (TOD) are the most effective and competitive way to grow.

“We were encouraged that the elected leaders on the panel at today’s summit emphasized the importance of Metro and TOD, along with workforce development, and didn’t indicate that an upriver bridge is a priority,” said Stewart Schwartz, Executive Director of the Coalition for Smarter Growth. “Recent experience demonstrates that the most effective way for Northern Virginia and the region to grow and maximize economic competitiveness is through transit and transit-oriented development (TOD), not by diverting billions of dollars to an outer beltway with upper Potomac bridge. Profound and lasting market shifts have demonstrated the demand for TOD and its benefits. Our transportation investments must be focused on supporting Metro, new transit, and TOD.”

Companies are leaving office parks in favor of urban centers with transit. The CEO of Marriott has said his company will move from their office park to a Metro station. Over 84% of new office development in the pipeline has been within ¼ mile walk of Metro. Millenials and downsizing empty nesters are flocking to walkable urban places with DC gaining about 100,000 people in the past 12 years.

“Recent business summits in Loudoun have trumpeted the need for mixed-use, walkable, transit-oriented development. Loudoun’s competitiveness, like that of Fairfax and the inner suburbs, depends on creating the places the next generation workforce wants to be. That includes not only walkable urban places with transit but also parks and outdoor recreation including nearby rural areas. This should be Loudoun’s focus,” said Chris Miller, President of the Piedmont Environmental Council.

“An upper Potomac bridge would harm the Montgomery Agricultural Reserve, Seneca Creek, and Potomac River. It would fuel more auto-dependent development, more driving, more air pollution and higher greenhouse gas emissions,” said Kelsey Crane, Northern Virginia Organizer for the Sierra Club – Virginia Chapter. “Past studies have shown that the overwhelming travel demand is in the American Legion Bridge corridor, which needs transit connections between the Silver Line and Red Line and associated job centers. Chairman Bulova emphasized today the importance of addressing this corridor.”

“TOD generates far more tax revenue per acre and will fuel the economic engine of Northern Virginia. In contrast, an outer beltway with upper Potomac bridge will fuel further decentralization, traffic and inefficiencies in infrastructure. So we urge the chambers to support a sustainable, competitive transit-oriented future, not a 1950’s approach to transportation, and we welcome the opportunity to campaign with them for the transit funding we need,” said Schwartz.

Finally, the groups expressed disappointment that the event did not include discussion of the importance of providing more housing close to jobs and transit for all levels of the workforce. “We are facing an affordability crisis, and need more multifamily and attached housing in walkable neighborhoods close to jobs and transit. Fairfax’s push for mixed-use redevelopment in its older commercial corridors is an example of what must be done, but the region needs to speed the process of providing more homes close to jobs and transit,” concluded Schwartz.

About the Coalition for Smarter Growth
The Coalition for Smarter Growth is the leading organization in the Washington DC region dedicated to making the case for smart growth. Its mission is to promote walkable, inclusive, and transit-oriented communities, and the land use and transportation policies and investments needed to make those communities flourish. Learn more at smartergrowth.net.

About the Piedmont Environmental Council
The Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) was founded in 1972 to promote and protect the Virginia Piedmont’s rural economy, natural resources, history and beauty. Headquartered in Warrenton, VA, we have offices throughout a nine county Piedmont region that includes Albemarle, Clarke, Culpeper, Fauquier, Greene, Loudoun, Madison, Orange and Rappahannock counties. Learn more at pecva.org.

About the Sierra Club – Virginia Chapter
The Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club is 15,000 members strong. We are your friends and neighbors working to build healthy, livable communities, and to conserve and restore our natural environment. Every day, dozens of volunteers are taking action with the Sierra Club in Virginia. Learn more at sierraclub.com/Virginia/about.

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STATEMENT: Ruling delaying the Purple Line

Posted on by Claire Jaffe

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 4, 2016

CONTACT
Stewart Schwartz, Executive Director
(703) 599-6437
stewart@smartergrowth.net

Aimee Custis, Managing Director
(202) 431-7185
aimee@smartergrowth.net

Statement on Ruling delaying the Purple Line

WASHINGTON DC—Yesterday, U.S. District Court Judge Richard J. Leon ordered that the “Record of Decision” for the Purple Line be set aside and that a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement be conducted to update ridership numbers in view of Metrorail’s current maintenance and ridership challenges.

“We are strong supporters of the National Environmental Policy Act, and have ourselves fought for Supplemental Environmental Impact Statements when merited, but we believe that the judge’s decision is in error, and hope that the FTA and State of Maryland quickly file an appeal requesting expedited review,” said Stewart Schwartz, Executive Director of the Coalition for Smarter Growth. “The entire project is at risk, because the delay could mean higher construction costs that undo the negotiated public-private financial structure.”

“Yes, Metrorail is facing challenges over the next few years, but the Purple Line is a long-term investment and ridership forecasts are for 2040, by which time the Metro system will have completed major rehabilitation. Therefore, there is not a ‘substantial change’ in information related to the decision to advance the Purple Line,” said Schwartz

“Certainly, our region cannot survive without Metrorail, and with coming population growth, its ridership will certainly rebound many years before 2040,” said Schwartz. “Yet it seems that the judge is presuming that Metrorail is in permanent and irreversible decline. The judge appears to be making a substantive, rather than procedural judgment and substituting his opinion for that of the experts, something judges typically seek to avoid,” Schwartz continued.

“The judge’s opinion cites case law that the ‘arbitrary and capricious standard of review is narrow and a court is not to substitute its judgment for that of the agency,’ but that’s certainly what’s happened here.”

“In addition, the relative environmental impact of the project isn’t changed by the near-term challenges at Metro. On its merits, the Purple Line will contribute to shifting trips from polluting cars to light rail with much lower emissions per passenger. It will incentivize walkable living near transit further reducing vehicle trips and pollution. It will reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. Yes, we will lose mature trees and we don’t like to see that, but the environmental benefits far outweigh the environmental costs.”

“Perhaps most unfortunate here, is that wealthy residents of one community continue to stand in the way of a transit project which would provide significant economic and social benefits to lower income residents in dozens of communities to the east,” concluded Schwartz.

About the Coalition for Smarter Growth

The Coalition for Smarter Growth is the leading organization in the Washington DC region dedicated to making the case for smart growth. Its mission is to promote walkable, inclusive, and transit-oriented communities, and the land use and transportation policies and investments needed to make those communities flourish. Learn more at smartergrowth.net.

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STATEMENT: Metro GM’s proposal for permanent early closure

Posted on by Claire Jaffe

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 28, 2016

CONTACT
Stewart Schwartz, Executive Director
(703) 599-6437
stewart@smartergrowth.net

Statement on Metro GM’s proposal for permanent early closure

WASHINGTON DC—Today, at the WMATA Board meeting, Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld presented his proposal to make permanent the closing of Metrorail at 10 pm on Sundays and at midnight every other night. He first announced his proposal in a Monday press release.

“Metro, and its late-night service, has been critical to the revitalization of the District of Columbia and older inner suburbs. It’s supported billions of dollars in real estate investment, vibrant restaurants and nightlife, and provided essential transportation for hourly workers who depend on Metrorail to get to and from nighttime employment,” said Stewart Schwartz, Executive Director of the Coalition for Smarter Growth. “We are strong supporters of the General Manager, but are nevertheless deeply concerned about the potential negative impacts of this proposal.”

“This is one of those issues that will require having all of the information on the table and significant public input,” said Schwartz. “The public and officials will certainly need to consider the recommendations that WMATA received from the GM, rail experts and peer transit agencies, and the relative benefits for maintenance and rehabilitation of the system. At the same time, we urge the agency and local jurisdictions to provide the information necessary to evaluate the economic impact on business and workers, the demographics of those who will be affected by the change, and the origins and destinations of late night Metro riders.”

“Regional leaders must evaluate alternative approaches, including whether this can be achieved through targeted closings on a rolling basis, as track work is often handled today. WMATA and local jurisdictions should also evaluate the potential for effective after-hours “Night-Owl” service – with buses running on routes parallel to the Metro lines. With this information in hand, the WMATA Board, regional elected officials and the public will be better able to evaluate the proposal,” said Schwartz.

As a new TransitCenter study pointed out last week, riders want frequent and reliable service above all else. They conclude that frequent transit networks are essential to maintaining and growing ridership and are most successful where they attract “all-purpose” riders. TransitCenter concludes that “frequent transit networks in walkable neighborhoods, … reduce reliance on cars, spark economic growth, and create the vibrant urban places we know and love.”

“Frequent, reliable transit service is vital to the prosperity of the Washington DC region, and we hope we can find an alternative that meets both maintenance and customer needs,” concluded Schwartz.

About the Coalition for Smarter Growth

The Coalition for Smarter Growth is the leading organization in the Washington DC region dedicated to making the case for smart growth. Its mission is to promote walkable, inclusive, and transit-oriented communities, and the land use and transportation policies and investments needed to make those communities flourish. Learn more at smartergrowth.net.

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STATEMENT: Rt.29 Bus Rapid Transit Federal TIGER Grant Award

Posted on by Claire Jaffe

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 28, 2016

CONTACT
Pete Tomao, Montgomery County Advocacy Manager
(516) 318-0605
pete@smartergrowth.net

Stewart Schwartz, Executive Director
(703) 599-6437
stewart@smartergrowth.net

Statement on Rt.29 Bus Rapid Transit Federal TIGER Grant Award

Montgomery County, MD— On Tuesday, July 27, federal officials announced that Montgomery County will receive $10 million to help build Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) on Rt.29. The proposed BRT will run from Downtown Silver Spring to Burtonsville and include 12 stations. The BRT is projected to begin operations in 2020 and will cost roughly $67 million. Transit advocates hailed the announcement.

“The federal TIGER grant is a major step toward implementing the 14-mile BRT system in eastern Montgomery. Winning a competitive grant like this shows Montgomery is serious about making BRT a reality,” said Pete Tomao, the Montgomery County Advocacy Manager at the Coalition for Smarter Growth.

The proposed BRT system is projected to serve 23,000 riders in a corridor where 12% of the population has no access to a car, and 30% of households earn less than half of the area median income. The BRT system will address long standing economic and equity issues on the Rt. 29 corridor and ensure that every resident has the access to transportation they need to be successful.

“Not only is BRT better for equity, it is also better for the economy. Job growth along the corridor is predicated on a future BRT system,” said Tomao. “Economic plans for White Oak are especially dependent upon the arrival of a high quality transit system. We have seen the power of transit-oriented development in Silver Spring and Bethesda. Now, eastern Montgomery can benefit from the same type of development and job growth.”

“To ensure the system is successful, Montgomery officials must maintain a focus on creating a ‘gold standard’ BRT,” said Tomao. This means a system with frequent, reliable service, off-board fare collection, upgraded stations, and level boarding. The county also needs to ensure dedicated bus lanes are implemented wherever possible. It is dedicated lanes that give BRT a competitive advantage over other types of transportation.

“The award is great news for sustainable and equitable growth in Montgomery. We look forward to working with County officials to ensure the BRT system is the best it can be.” concluded Tomao.

About the Coalition for Smarter Growth

The Coalition for Smarter Growth is the leading organization in the Washington DC region dedicated to making the case for smart growth. Its mission is to promote walkable, inclusive, and transit-oriented communities, and the land use and transportation policies and investments needed to make those communities flourish. Learn more at smartergrowth.net.

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RELEASE: Zoning Commission takes important step to strengthen affordable housing in the District

Posted on by Claire Jaffe

DC CAMPAIGN FOR INCLUSIONARY ZONING
DC FISCAL POLICY INSTITUTE — COALITION FOR SMARTER GROWTH

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JULY 21, 2016

CONTACT
Claire Zippel, DC Fiscal Policy Institute
czippel@dcfpi.org 202-325-8251
Cheryl Cort, Coalition for Smarter Growth
cheryl@smartergrowth.net 202-251-7516

Zoning Commission takes important step to strengthen affordable housing in the District

(Washington, DC) The DC Zoning Commission took an important step Wednesday night to expand affordable housing in the District, with a vote to strengthen the city’s Inclusionary Zoning program. The Commission’s action largely adopts the recommendations of the DC Campaign for Inclusionary Zoning, a group of affordable housing advocates and supporters.

Inclusionary Zoning (IZ) harnesses the District’s hot real estate market to create affordable housing throughout the city. IZ requires almost every new residential development to reserve a specified share of the new homes at below-market rents or sales prices, in return for allowing greater density than normally permitted by zoning rules. Importantly, IZ can produce affordable housing wherever development is occurring – including in neighborhoods with access to public transportation, good schools, retail amenities, and job opportunities – without requiring tax dollars.

IZ will soon help more low-income families struggling to pay the rent amidst the city’s rising housing costs. On Wednesday, July 20, the Zoning Commission voted to require new IZ rental units to be set aside as affordable to families with incomes below 60 percent of Area Median Income (AMI), or $59,000 for a family of three. That amounts to $1,100 for a one-bedroom rental. Currently, the vast majority of IZ units are only required to be affordable at 80 percent AMI – or $1,600 for a one-bedroom rental – close to market rate in most DC neighborhoods.

As a result of the Commission’s action, IZ will generate over 2,600 apartments affordable to low-income families over the next five to ten years, based on the pace of new development which has climbed to a 25-year high. “The Zoning Commission’s decision comes at an opportune time to ensure IZ does the most it can for families severely squeezed by DC’s high rents and closed out of many neighborhoods,” said Claire Zippel of the DC Fiscal Policy Institute.

“We are gratified that the Commission is sharpening the tool we knew could do more to address our city’s affordable housing crisis. The economics show that this change strikes the right balance between encouraging market-rate housing production and incorporating greater affordability for those left out of the market,” said Cheryl Cort of the Coalition for Smarter Growth.

The Campaign for Inclusionary Zoning petitioned the Zoning Commission in January, 2015 to consider revisions to IZ, after it became apparent that the homes created were largely out of reach of the city’s low-income residents – and too expensive for three-fourths of families on the IZ waiting list, whose incomes fall at or below 60 percent AMI. Paying the majority of income for rent is not uncommon for families near 60 percent AMI, whereas households at 80 percent AMI are already largely accommodated by existing housing in the private market.

“By strengthening this affordable housing policy, the Zoning Commission helps ensure working people can still call DC home. We thank the Commission for listening to the voices of those who are being priced out,” said Carlos Jimenez, Executive Director of the Washington Labor Council AFL-CIO.

“The Commission’s decision is good news for District residents at lower incomes who will benefit from IZ through increased access to opportunity – amenities and infrastructure in higher-cost neighborhoods, including schools, transportation choices, jobs and health care options,” said David Bowers, Vice President and Mid-Atlantic Market Leader at Enterprise Community Partners.

After a 30-day public review period, the Zoning Commission’s decision is expected to become final.

Statement at the Zoning Commission, March 3, 2016

The DC Campaign for Inclusionary Zoning is led by the Coalition for Smarter Growth and the DC Fiscal Policy Institute. It is supported by Enterprise Community Partners, the Metropolitan Washington Labor Council AFL-CIO, PolicyLink, and Jews United for Justice.

The Coalition for Smarter Growth is the leading organization in the Washington DC region dedicated to making the case for smart growth. Its mission is to promote walkable, inclusive, and transit-oriented communities, and the land use and transportation policies and investments needed to make those communities flourish. Learn more at smartergrowth.net.

The DC Fiscal Policy Institute promotes budget and policy choices to expand economic opportunity for DC residents and to reduce income inequality in the District of Columbia, through independent research and policy recommendations. Learn more at dcfpi.org.

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