October 18, 2025
Category: Maryland
Walk the Rhode Island Trolley Trail with us
Join us this Saturday to learn about the Rhode Island Avenue Trolley Trail southern section.
Rhode Island Avenue Trolley Trail Walking Tour
Saturday, October 18, 2025
10 am-12 pm
Meet at: Busboys & Poets, 5331 Baltimore Ave, Hyattsville, MD 20781
Join us for a walking tour to explore how the Rhode Island Avenue Trolley Trail is helping to build a stronger, more vibrant community. See how the trail helps support local businesses, strengthens community bonds, and improves accessibility.
We’ll start at the front of Busboys and Poets and walk south to the new trail extension at Charles Armentrout Drive. This event is co-sponsored by the Coalition for Smarter Growth, RISE Prince George’s, the Capital Market, LISC & WABA.
What’s in store for Bowie State MARC Station? A site tour on Sept 29, 2025
On September 29, 2025 we discussed the potential of the Bowie State University MARC station area to be a vibrant transit-oriented community.
Testimony: SRA 25-02 — No more barriers to new homes on corridors (MoCo)
Thank you for accepting this testimony on behalf of the Coalition for Smarter Growth. CSG 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.
ACTION ALERT! Tell the Council: support new homes on corridors and say no to more barriers
ACTION ALERT! Tell the Council: support new homes on corridors and say no to more barriers
Testimony: Support for University Boulevard Corridor Plan (MoCo)
We ask for your support for the goals of safe streets, vibrant and inclusive communities, and transit-oriented homes and businesses laid out in the University Boulevard Corridor Plan and in our county’s 30-year general plan, Thrive 2050.
Press Release: CSG welcomes Governor Moore’s executive order to boost housing production in Maryland
The Coalition for Smarter Growth commends the Moore-Miller administration for enacting the Housing Starts Here executive order, demonstrating Maryland’s commitment to building the homes we need in a strategic, sustainable, and inclusive way.
Maryland: Comments on Frederick draft Climate and Energy Action Plan
We commend Frederick County and the City of Frederick for preparing this plan and setting targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 (from 2010 baseline) and 100% by 2050.
MD Comments: Draft Go Prince George’s
We wish to provide some initial comments on the draft Go Prince George’s in advance of its formal consideration.
CSG primer: Visualize 2050, our region’s 25-year transportation plan
The draft Visualize 2050 plan, our region’s long-range transportation plan, has too many highway and arterial road expansions that will increase driving and climate emissions. We will miss our region’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 – even if there’s a rapid switch to electric vehicles.
Get informed so you can take action on key decisions this fall:
- Upcoming key vote on flawed 495 Southside Express Lanes project
- Comment period on failing status quo Visualize plan
Source: TPB, with annotations by the Coalition for Smarter Growth
Background on Visualize 2050
- Visualize 2050 is our region’s long-range transportation plan, prepared by the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB), a regional body overseen by our local and state officials and transportation agencies.
- CSG background article
- From March 2024, on draft project list that is now being presented for final approval this fall along with its performance results.
- 48 organizations criticized the previous plan, Visualize 2045 with very similar projects Letter by 48 regional organizations on Visualize 2045 (May 2022)
495 Southside Express Lanes Project
- The TPB board will vote in October on whether or not to include the Virginia Department of Transportation’s flawed highway expansion project in the final plan.
- Background on the project’s flaws, questions that VDOT has not answered, and better alternatives that need to be studied and advanced.
Stay tuned for actions you can take this fall!
- Be on the lookout for CSG action alerts in September and October ahead of the TPB vote on the 495 Southside Express Lanes project.
- Formal public comment on the entire draft Visualize 2050 plan will take place in late October through mid-November. CSG will provide a more in-depth overview of the draft plan – stay tuned.