October 2, 2023 | Virginia Mercury | Nathaniel Cline
“We certainly think there’s a lot of focus on highway road expansion statewide and no focus on climate change impacts with this approach,” said Stewart Schwartz, executive director of the Coalition for Smarter Growth.
The massacre on our roadways is the result of worsening speeding, larger vehicles like SUVs and trucks with limited visibility, increases in driver impairment and distraction, and roadway design that prioritizes cars’ speed over the lives of the Commonwealth’s residents. The tools to reverse this tragic trend are as simple as sidewalks and pedestrian refuges, but Virginia needs policy and resources to make a change.
Your feedback is critical to ensure that VDOT prioritizes fostering walkable, transit-friendly communities connected by clean, convenient intercity rail and bus systems rather than continuing to pave over Virginia and making communities more car-dependent and less safe to walk and bike.
Thank you to all who could join us last week for our virtual webinar on bus improvements in Northern Virginia! We had a great turnout and an informative discussion.
If you weren’t able to join us, we encourage you to check out the event recording and presentation materials. We heard from representatives from Alexandria’s DASH bus, Fairfax Connector, Metro, and the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission.
Have you heard about the amazing success of the new Alexandria DASH bus network and free fares? Did you know bus rapid transit is being planned for Route 1 and Route 7 in Fairfax, or that many Fairfax bus routes have been updated? Did you know that regional officials are planning a more coordinated, frequent, and reliable Metrobus and local bus network? Join us this Friday to learn all about it!
2030 is approaching fast – we have to meet critical goals for building most of our housing close to walkable job centers and transit and for rapidly lowering our climate pollution. We can’t get there under the status quo approach. Future generations of Northern Virginians are counting on you.
The Coalition for Smarter Growth appreciates the opportunity to provide feedback on NVTC’s proposed 2023-2024 Work Plan. As an organization that promotes walkable, inclusive transit-friendly communities as the most sustainable and equitable way for the region to grow and prosper, we appreciate the important work of NVTC in providing the funding and transit services to support sustainable, transit-oriented communities.
While we’re seeing some progress, CSG’s Schwartz says federal and state funding programs still have a strong bias toward road expansion over transit spending.
Tonight, the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) will vote on a proposed $75 billion transportation plan for the region. The “TransAction” plan provides a laundry list of projects through the year 2045 from which the agency can pick and choose for funding decisions.
Prior to midnight Monday, September 19 comment deadline, twelve non-profit organizations submitted a joint letter urging the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority to reject its proposed $76 Billion TransAction 2045 long-range transportation plan.