Known nationally as an innovator in smart growth and environmental protection, Maryland has many opportunities for improved transportation, land use and equitable development policies.
In Maryland, the Coalition for Smarter Growth focuses on Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties. We advocate for transit-oriented neighborhoods where people can walk, bicycle and take transit between home, work and play, the new transit investments to support these communities, and affordable housing linked to transit.
Latest Happenings
Presentation to Montgomery County Council A Network of Livable Communities (full text of prepared remarks)
Of course Montgomery County had begun many years before to implement smart growth policies, earning a national reputation for its early planning initiatives including: wedges/corridors, Agricultural Reserve, TDR's, downtown Bethesda, Kentlands/King Farm, and of course, MPDU's
Letter Supporting CB-2 “Adequate Pedestrian and Bikeway Facilities” to Prince George’s Council
We would like to express our strong support for this important bill, CB-2, which we call the “walk/bike connections” bill. This bill helps ensure that Prince George’s residents and visitors have better and safer transportation choices. By allowing the Planning Board to ensure that developments fill in missing links of essential sidewalk and other walk/bike facilities around a new development, the quality of development, as well as safety and access, will be improved. Offering multimodal transportation choices has been the intention of the county for several years through the “Complete Streets” policy adopted in the 2009 County Master Plan for Transportation. This bill helps implement this policy.
Testimony on SB 971 – Maryland Transportation Financing and Infrastructure Investment Act of 2012
The groups listed above support a vibrant transportation fund, and we recognize that the current economic downturn has hit the transportation trust fund hard. However, we believe that transportation revenues should be increased only if every new dollar is invested more wisely.
Support for Support CB-2-2012, Adequate Public Pedestrian and Bikeway Facilities in Centers and Corridors
I am here to express our strong support for this important bill, which we call the “walk/bike connections” bill. This bill helps ensure that Prince George’s residents and visitors have better and safer transportation choices. By allowing the Planning Board to ensure that developments fill in missing links of essential sidewalk and other walk/bike facilities around a new development, the quality of development, as well as safety and access, will be improved. Offering multimodal transportation choices has been the intention of the County for several years through the “Complete Streets” policy adopted in the 2009 County Master Plan for Transportation. This bill helps implement this policy in the development review process.
Where and How Should Prince George’s Grow?
On January 26, 2012, leaders gathered with the Coalition for Smarter Growth and Envision Prince George's Community Action Team for Transit-Oriented Development to discuss where and how Prince George's County should grow.
