Category: Transportation

Support for the B26-0684 – Autonomous Vehicle Deployment Authorization Amendment Act of 2026 (DC)

Support for the B26-0684 – Autonomous Vehicle Deployment Authorization Amendment Act of 2026 (DC)

Posted on by Cheryl Cort

July 2, 2026

The Honorable Charles Allen

Chair, Committee on Transportation and the Environment, Council of the District of Columbia

1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW,Washington, DC 20004

Re: Support for the B26-0684 – Autonomous Vehicle Deployment Authorization Amendment Act of 2026 

Chair Allen and Committee Members:

Our organization advocates for walkable, bikeable, inclusive, and transit-oriented communities as the most sustainable and equitable way for the Washington, DC region to grow and provide opportunities for all. We have been working in the District of Columbia for 29 years. 

The Coalition for Smarter Growth (CSG) supports Chair Allen’s bill, B26-0684, in particular its important provisions for: 

  • Reporting operations and safety data, including VMT and zero-passenger miles
  • Vehicle miles traveled tax
  • Supporting public transit 
  • Serving all wards
  • User interface for individuals with disabilities

CSG believes that autonomous vehicles (AVs) have the potential to improve roadway safety and provide an additional transportation option to persons without a car or unable to drive (especially in areas with limited transit options), and that AVs also have the potential to degrade our cities and towns by adding more traffic, car dependency, and control of public streets and curbspace by unaccountable private companies. Council Member Allen’s bill seeks to address these issues.

The District of Columbia must manage AVs to support adopted District policy that prioritizes people over vehicles. 

Specifically, DC’s transportation plan, MoveDC, has these policies: 

  • Policy H: Design and manage public space and the space along the roadway to be people-focused, promoting livability and public health by improving accessibility, sustainability, safety, and placemaking.
  • Policy I: Permit and program social, cultural, commercial, and flexible use of public space to improve the quality of life for current and future residents.
  • Policy Q: Promote partnerships and programs such as travel demand management to achieve 75% non-auto mode commute trips by 2032.
  • Policy R: Adapt policies to ensure equitable service, privacy protections, and data driven decision making as technology and new transportation services arise.

Multiple studies have concluded that unregulated AVs would have major impacts on traffic volumes. 

A recent academic synthesis of 26 studies found that shared AV adoption would increase total city traffic volumes by 5.3%, measured in vehicle miles traveled (VMT). This increase is enough to jam up key intersections and busy urban corridors. A 2020 DC scenario study of AV proliferation in the District of Columbia, likewise found that VMT and congestion would rise significantly without strong policy measures like congestion pricing.

AV legislation must discourage excess traffic, support transit, help travelers with disabilities, and ensure accountability and transparency by AV companies

We ask, in particular, that the following critical provisions of bill B26-0684 be incorporated in a new permitting system for shared or personal autonomous vehicles in the District:

  • Reporting operations and safety data, including VMT and zero-passenger miles
  • Vehicle miles traveled tax
  • Supporting public transit 
  • Serving all wards
  • User interface for individuals with disabilities

Thank you for your consideration. We urge the committee to recommend the bill to the full Council. 

Sincerely,

Cheryl Cort

DC & Prince George’s Policy Director

Testimony: CSG CTP comments to PGC County & MDOT

Posted on by Cheryl Cort

November 3, 2025

Hon. Aisha N. Braveboy, County Executive

Hon. Edward P. Burroughs III, Prince George’s County Council Chair 

Acting Secretary Samantha J. Biddle, Maryland Department of Transportation

Wayne K. Curry Administration Building, 1301 McCormick Drive, Largo MD

RE: Transportation priorities in the Maryland Consolidated Transportation Program (CTP) for Prince George’s County 

Dear County Executive Braveboy, County Council Chair Burroughs, and Acting Secretary Biddle:

The Coalition for Smarter Growth (CSG) advocates for walkable, bikeable, inclusive, transit-oriented communities as the most sustainable and equitable way for the Washington, DC region to grow and provide opportunities for all. We also support and work closely with RISE Prince George’s, a group of county residents and allies advocating for policies and practices that build shared, sustainable prosperity in Prince George’s County by creating safe, walkable, inclusive and transit-oriented communities. The following letter reflects the views of the Coalition for Smarter Growth.

Appreciation for County and MDOT work on I-495 Southside, next steps needed

We first wish to acknowledge the recent decision at the Transportation Planning Board (TPB) that sent VDOT’s I-495 Southside Express Lanes proposal back to the drawing board. We want to thank County Executive Braveboy, the Prince George’s County Council and state delegation, and especially Council Member Eric Olson. 

The TPB rightly decided to hold off on adding the VDOT project to the region’s long-range transportation plan, Visualize 2050. We agree with Prince George’s officials that VDOT’s proposals did not adequately address Maryland’s concerns

Going forward, we ask the county and MDOT to ensure that a rebooted VDOT NEPA study: 

  • Revises the project purpose and need statement to remove bias for private express lanes and fairly considers a range of alternatives;
  • Develops and evaluates alternatives to highway expansion such as near-term conversion of shoulder lanes to bus/HOV lanes, new expanded travel demand management (TDM) programs, alternative managed lanes concepts (e.g., HOTTER lanes, Flexi-HOT lanes) that are fairer for travelers and don’t require highway widening, and a longer-term Metrorail and transit-oriented development alternative; 
  • Ensures that VDOT conducts timely and adequate analysis on the impacts of any proposal to expand 495 lane capacity on local arterials like MD 210 and the creation of new traffic bottlenecks; and
  • Commits to funding expanded transit services for Maryland residents and workers crossing the Wilson Bridge. 

Recommendations for Prince George’s and the Maryland CTP:

  1. Support  continued commitment to WMATA and local transit operations in the FY26-31 Consolidated Transportation Plan (CTP):  We commend Maryland for continued funding of WMATA, the Purple Line, and Prince George’s County locally operated transit system (The Bus). We ask you to support WMATA’s Better Bus program, and the implementation of Prince George’s Transit Vision Plan. 
  2. Support continued Complete Streets investments over the next 6 years: We support the state’s investment in Complete Streets and specific Prince George’s state road investments, given the county bears a disproportionate share of fatal traffic crashes in the state. We commend MDOT for the increased allocation to complete streets in the draft FY26-31 CTP. This critical program uses the Pedestrian Safety Action Plan (PSAP) prioritization as its guide, beginning with improvements to MD 650 (New Hampshire Avenue), and MD 410 (East-West Highway), followed with MD 214 (Central Avenue), and MD 201 (Kenilworth Avenue) corridors in Prince George’s. In the future, we ask that MD 458 (Silver Hill Road) be added. 

Complete streets should use quick-build safety projects: We urge SHA to start with quick build, low cost interventions that take weeks and months, not years to put in place. It is urgent to put critical safety improvements in place such as reallocating excess road capacity to safety needs for all users, closing of free right turn/slip lanes, lane width reduction, and other measures to reduce hazardous design speeds of roadways and minimize exposure of people walking and riding bicycles to high-speed motor vehicles. Continued effort to use low-cost, quick build interventions are essential for PSAP corridors and the many other state roadways where people face the risks of high-speed traffic.

  1. Rethink highway capacity expansion projects because we cannot afford to keep investing in ever bigger roads and intersections that chase spread out development while neglecting enhanced transit, walk, bicycle facilities and safer, better connected streets for existing communities. All projects should also advance the state of Maryland’s adopted goal to reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. We ask that the expense of the proposed highway and arterial capacity expansion projects be reconsidered for less costly alternatives: safety interventions, improved commuter transit service, bus priority and BRT, and travel demand management programs. Below are some of the projects we ask MDOT to reconsider and redesign. 
  2. Reconsider the Medical Center Drive interchange expansion to help Downtown Largo and Central Avenue Corridor connectivity: We urge the county to work with the state to fully reconsider this problematic roadway capacity expansion project which is programmed for $11M for engineering, right of way and utilities over the next six years. The proposed designs for an expanded Medical Center Drive and I-495 Interchange undermine nearby transit-oriented development and would further degrade already poor pedestrian access. There are better solutions to supporting the growth of Downtown Largo and the revitalization of the stadium site. 

We ask that the County work with the state to reposition the construction of the Central Avenue Connector Trail and bridge that connects Largo to Morgan Boulevard Metro station as a top priority. We also urge expediting the redesign of the oversized, high speed MD 214 into a complete street. This is also a key part of the solution for greater access and connectivity. 

  1. MD 210, Indian Head Highway grade-separated interchanges from I-95/ I-495 to MD 228 (10 miles). The FY26 CTP budgets ongoing costs for engineering at $9.7 million. Reconsider these MD 210 projects to address safety and operational improvements — without capacity expansion. Consider TDM programs and bus transit priority to address long-distance commuters. We support advancing the recommended shared use path along MD 210.
  2. Support for MDOT process to improve Chapter 30 project prioritization – CSG is glad to see the pilot process underway by MDOT to provide a clearer process that helps Maryland communities like Prince George’s get good projects implemented while addressing state priorities like safety, sustainability, and giving residents travel options beyond driving. 

Again, we appreciate the priority that MDOT has made to transit and complete streets. We urge the county and MDOT to work to revise roadway capacity expansion projects to address safety, create cost-effective multimodal travel environments, and avoid endless cycles of expanded capacity. 

Thank you for your consideration.

Cheryl Cort

DC and Prince George’s Policy Director

Bill Pugh

Transportation and Climate Policy Director

MD Testimony: Transportation Investment Priorities Act, HB 20 & SB 198

Posted on by Cheryl Cort

Testimony on SB 198

Transportation Investment Priorities Act of 2025

Senate Budget & Taxation Committee

Date: January 27, 2025

Position: SUPPORT

The Coalition for Smarter Growth (CSG) supports SB 198. Our organization advocates for walkable, bikeable, inclusive, and transit-oriented communities as the most sustainable and equitable way for the Washington, DC region to grow and provide opportunities for all. The Transportation Investment Priorities Act will ensure Maryland’s transportation investments are aligned with state policy goals and that funding decisions are transparent and data driven.

We applaud MDOT’s current effort to modernize the Chapter 30 project scoring program. SB 198 would ensure that these efforts guide future administrations in spending Maryland’s transportation dollars wisely and with accountability.

In neighboring Virginia, the Smart Scale project funding and prioritization program is regarded as a national success story, because it has resulted in more cost effective projects and solutions. Equally important, because it doesn’t spread funds thinly across too many projects with the result that many never get built, SmartScale has ensured that the selected projects are fully funded and are built more expeditiously. These key components of Smart Scale are likewise contained in MDOT’s proposed administrative measures and SB 198 legislation to improve the Chapter 30 process.

SB 198 ensures consideration of land use, environmental impacts, and demand management solutions. It improves the connection between the state and localities to jointly ensure that local land use decisions are linked to transportation projects that the taxpayers can afford and make sense. At a time when tax resources are scarce, SB 198 will ensure that our state transportation dollars are spent wisely.

We ask for a favorable report for SB 198 by the committee. Thank you.

CSG Testimony in Support of the Walkable Urban Streets Act

CSG Testimony in Support of the Walkable Urban Streets Act

Posted on by Cheryl Cort

September 8, 2023

Council Member Eric Olson

Chair, Transportation, Infrastructure, Energy and Environment Committee (TIEE)

Prince George’s County Council

Wayne K. Curry Administration Bldg., 1301 McCormick Drive, 2nd Floor, Largo, MD 20774

Dear Chair Olson:

Please accept this letter on behalf of the Coalition for Smarter Growth (CSG). CSG is the leading non-profit organization in the Washington, D.C. region dedicated to making the case for smart growth. Our 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. 

Thank you for introducing the Walkable Urban Streets Act, and our thanks as well to the eight co-sponsors. We are enthusiastic supporters of the Walkable Urban Streets Act, Council Bill 69-2023 and its companion resolutions CR 67-2023 and CR 68-2023. 

This legislation updates and codifies DPW&T’s 2017 Urban Street Design Standards. These standards are to be applied to Regional Transit Districts and Local Centers as designated in Plan 2035. They will help build safer streets, especially for people walking and biking, and they will support transit-oriented development, a major priority of Prince George’s County. 

The legislation is greatly needed for two reasons. First, the county’s roads are dangerous because they are too wide and too high speed. Fast, wide roads generate more severe crashes and the county leads the DC region in traffic and pedestrian deaths. The second reason to adopt this legislation is because walkable, bike-friendly street designs are necessary for high-quality and competitive transit-oriented development. 

Despite prior adoption of the 2017 Urban Street Design Standards, DPIE and DPW&T have not taken advantage of opportunities to create the kinds of safer, vibrant, walkable, transit-oriented streets and places envisioned in Plan Prince George’s 2035. In fact, the streets in and near transit centers have remained overly-wide, fueling high speed traffic, making the roads dangerous for all users – people walking, bicycling, riding transit, and driving. For specific examples, see our companion fact sheet: Examples of urban street projects falling short of the 2017 standards.

One key reason is that the county’s traffic models often overpredict future traffic volumes, and do not adequately account for the increased walking, biking, and transit use in transit-oriented communities. Designing only for projected vehicle travel becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.  The wider and faster the road, the less inviting it is for people walking, biking or taking transit, and  the more driving it attracts.

This approach gives priority to speed over safety. It also undermines the economic development that occurs in a place where cars are slower and people want to be – the walkable, mixed-use, transit-accessible centers of activity that have been so successful in other parts of the region. In fact, some congestion is an indicator of a successful local economy.  Plan 2035 recognizes this and the county’s transportation review standards allow for an urban level of traffic volumes on streets around mixed use transit centers and a focus on improving access by means other than driving.

The updated Urban Street Design Standards proposed in this bill require safer streets around transit districts and local centers, and include these components:

  • 25 mph design speed maximum
  • 2-4 travel lanes total roadway maximum
  • 10′ travel lane widths (11′ for bus routes)
  • 15′ corner radii (and no slip lanes/high speed turn lanes)
  • Buffered walk and bike facilities 
  • On-street vehicle parking with bulbouts (where appropriate)

The Walkable Urban Streets Act will ensure the county is planning and building the streets needed for improved safety, people-oriented places, and economic success.

Thank you for your consideration. 

Sincerely,

Cheryl Cort

Policy Director

TESTIMONY re: TPB Climate and Transportation Study Findings 

TESTIMONY re: TPB Climate and Transportation Study Findings 

Posted on by Elena Sorokina

The findings from your climate and transportation study are clear: The region can achieve necessary levels of greenhouse gas reductions under its adopted 2030 climate plan, We cannot depend solely on electric vehicle adoption and a cleaner grid, the region must reduce per capita vehicle miles traveled by 15 to 20% by 2030.