We want to commend this committee and the Mayor for advancing a commuter benefits provision in the Sustainable DC Act which would allow workers to opt for pre-tax transit commute benefits or enable workers to receive a transit rather than parking commute benefit offered by his or her employer. We are eager to continue to work with the committee to refine this bill to cover most employers since compliance does not cost the employer anything, and to add a “parking cashout” provision which gives walk and bicycle commuters the option to cashout a parking subsidy if one is provided by the employer.
Category: Resources
Testimony Re: DC Transit Benefit Bill
We want to express our strong support for the transit benefits provision of Title III, Subitle A of Bill 20-573. We applaud this definitive step to encourage riding transit, and help level the playing field for subsidies that incentivize driving over using transit.
Testimony Re: Southern Green Line Station Area Sector Plan and Endorsed Sectional Map Amendment
Regrettably, the Coalition for Smarter Growth expresses its opposition to the proposed amendments to the Adopted Southern Green Line Station Area Sector Plan and Endorsed Sectional Map Amendment. While we have testified in support of many helpful bills and resolutions that advance the County’s efforts to attract high quality investments around its Metro stations, we regret that this proposed overlay, while well-intentioned, is likely to do more harm than good …
Update on The Bi-County Parkway: A Chance to “Take a Second Look”
During his campaign, Governor McAuliffe said he would take a hard-look at the controversial $440 million Bi-County Parkway, reevaluating this project and others proposed by VDOT. In his campaign platform, under the section titled “Pick the right projects; build the best ones,” he stated:
Letter to Montgomery County Planning Board Re: State Transportation Funding Priorities
Dear Planning Board: Thank you for this opportunity to comment on the county’s Transportation Priority Letter. My name is Cheryl Cort and I am speaking on behalf of the Coalition for Smarter Growth, the leading non-profit group advocating for transit and walkable communities in the DC region, which counts thousands of supporters in Montgomery County. We’d like to remind the Board that state law governing the priority letter process “requires MDOT and the local jurisdictions seeking project fundi…
Letter of support for Alexandria’s King Street Bike Lanes
Mayor Euille and Members of Council: I have been quite surprised and concerned that opponents to safe, connected bike lanes on King Street between the Metro and Janneys Lane have elevated the issue to make it a national cause célèbre in conservative circles with extremely hostile OpEds in the Wall Street Journal and the American Spectator. They are bringing negative publicity upon Alexandria and threaten the ability of our city to attract young, well-educated, creative, entrepreneurial workers that are so critical to the future of our economy and tax base. Alexandria has been making great progress in bringing sustainable new development, investing in new transit, setting up bike-sharing, and more, but this particular debate is casting a shadow on that progress and will chase away the creative economy workforce and the businesses they attract…
Testimony Re: Reconsideration and Termination of Proposed New Route 460
The proposed new U.S. Route 460 is one project that does not make sense economically or environmentally, and we agree with your recent statements about the wisdom of halting further spending on this project pending careful reconsideration of its merits. We believe the new Route 460 proposal is clearly not in the best interests of the Commonwealth, and therefore urge you to take the further step of terminating this project.
Testimony Re: Termination of the Proposed Charlottesville Route 29 Bypass
The current Charlottesville “Bypass” proposal dates back decades, and has been widely recognized as an obsolete and ineffective project. It has generated enormous public opposition, and Taxpayers for Common Sense has repeatedly identified the proposal as one of the most wasteful and destructive highway projects in the country.
Testimony to Alexandria Traffic & Parking Board Re: King St Bike Lanes
In the most recent version of the King Street Bicycle and Pedestrian Improvements proposal, we are concerned by the removal of a continuous bicycle lane from Cedar Street to Janneys Lane. Alexandria adopted a Complete Streets policy almost three years ago to ensure balance in planning for the transportation needs of its residents. A key part of this should be a King Street that allows cyclists and pedestrians to travel through the neighborhood more safely.
Joint Environmental Groups’ Letter to Terry McAuliffe against Bi-County Parkway
Dear Governor-Elect McAuliffe: Congratulations on your victory and thank you for your support for so many of our conservation and smart growth priorities. With regard to transportation, we are particularly pleased with your support for building sustainable communities, seeking the least intrusive solutions, adapting infrastructure to serve community needs, and commitment to “pulling the plug” on transportation projects that fail to meet these standards. In keeping with those priorities…