First, our oil dependency and the world of higher energy prices that we can expect — with just 5% of the world’s population we use 25% of the world’s oil; 70% of that goes to transportation. The spike in gas prices in 2007 showed our vulnerability and is seen by some as the final straw that broke the back of the speculative real estate market. Gas prices increased 3-4 times what they were in 2000 and this broke many families’ budgets. Commuter buses were swamped and transit ridership continued to grow even after prices fell back. The cost to own a car according to AAA can be $7000 to $8000 per year. The family that has to own two or three cars is spending money that it could be saving for college educations or to invest in a business.
Category: Transportation
Groups Express Concern Over Possible Change in NoVa WMATA Representation
Letter from CSG, Sierra Club and Arlington Coalition for Sensible Transportation expressing opposition to changing Northern Virginia’s representation on the WMATA Board of Directors.
Review of the Loudoun Countywide Transportation Plan
Smart Mobility, Inc. has been retained by the Citizens for a Countywide Transportation Plan to provide an independent review of the proposed Loudoun County Transportation Plan (CTP). This review encompasses both a preliminary critique of the Loudoun County Transportation Model (LCTM) which is the basis for the plans recommendations, and on the plan’s effectiveness in supporting the county’s overall goals of more sustainable and compact land use forms as stated in the Loudoun Comprehensive Plan.
Recommendations on the Loudoun Transportation Plan
A paper by the Coalition for Smarter Growth on some of the potential downfalls within the Loudoun Transportation Plan, including flawed traffic modeling and lack of integrated analysis of land use and transportation alternatives.
Request to WMATA Jurisdiction Leaders to Give Their Fair Share to Metro
A letter from the Coalition for Smater Growth urging regional leaders to contribute funding to help ease WMATA’s FY2011 deficit and avoid further fare increases and service cuts.
DC: Metro Budget Hearing Testimony
Our core position on the Metro budget proposal is to oppose the severe service cuts. In a joint campaign with partner conservation and transit advocacy groups, www.fairshareformetro.com, we advocate for $74 million in additional funding from the Metro jurisdictions. This will fund the $40 million unaccounted for and avoid the $34 million in service cuts. If the public is being asked to pay higher fares, then they should not also be asked to endure severe service cuts as well. It is fair to ask for the jurisdictional member governments to provide the additional funding.
DC: Skyland Shopping Center
We support the redevelopment proposal for the Skyland Shopping Center. We welcome this mixed use development that provides a modest amount of below market rate housing. Our chief concern is that the project is excessively over-parked – wasting resources on too much parking that could be used for more productive uses.
Maryland Transportation Authority Response to ICC Tolling FOIA
Response by Ronald Freeland, Executive Secretary of the Maryland Transportation Authority, to a Freedom of Information Act request by CSG, Audubon Naturalist Society and Community Research on ICC tolling forecasts.
Maryland State Highway Administration Response to ICC FOIA
The November 19, 2009 response by Neil J. Pederson, Administrator for the Maryland State Highway Administration, to a request for ICC tolling forecast data by CSG, Audubon and Community Research.
Request for ICC Toll Revenue Forecasts
A Freedom of Information Act request by the Coalition for Smarter Growth, Community Research and the Audubon Naturalist Society submitted to the Maryland Transportation Authority on October 23, 2009