Coalition for Smarter Growth praises funding for the commuter line in Montgomery and PG counties; the Town of Chevy Chase has questions.
Category: Maryland
Aligning the Rockville School Standards with Montgomery County’s School Standards
Young people and families increasingly want to live in walkable, transit-accessible communities like Rockville, with its mix of both old and new walkable neighborhoods. Empty-nesters looking to downsize are looking for new housing options that allow them to stay in and continue to contribute to the community.
Prince George’s OKs housing complex in Bowie business park
“This proposal will perpetuate more residents driving long distances to get to work rather than focusing new housing closer to transit and concentrations of jobs,” the coalition’s policy director, Cheryl Cort, wrote in a statement.
Testimony On Transportation Priorities for Montgomery County
My name is Kelly Blynn and I lead our work here in Montgomery County where we count over 4,000 supporters. Tonight we’d like to offer two considerations regarding Montgomery County’s transportation future as you head to Annapolis this year.
Editorial: Enter Hogan
The organization supports the county’s signature big-money transportation project, the Purple Line. “If Larry Hogan is worried about Maryland losing jobs to Virginia then I can think of no better project to move forward than the Purple Line. We have faith when he says economic development is his number one focus,” said Alex Posorske, managing director of the coalition.
Purple Line advocates try to put a happy face on Hogan’s victory
The Coalition for Smarter Growth press release said that might not be the case, citing a Hogan radio interview in October in which he said he was “not really opposed to either project,” and that both the Purple Line and Red Line are “worth considering.”
At a press conference on Wednesday, Hogan deflected questions about the fate of the Purple Line.
“No one would deny that Hogan is more skeptical about the project than Brown and has expressed that skepticism forcefully at times,” read the release. “But to declare the project terminated before the day-after-the-election is even over is, to say the least, wildly premature. It is important to remember that there is a big difference between campaigning and governing.”
PRESS RELEASE: Maryland electoral shocker may not be such a shocker for transit
MARYLAND — While much of Maryland’s political watchers may still be reeling over Republican Larry Hogan’s historic upset last night of Democrat Anthony Brown, those grappling for new pieces of conventional wisdom may find themselves surprised on at least one key issue. Despite what many said during the heat of the campaign, long-planned new transit projects like the Purple Line or Baltimore’s Red Line are not dead in the water because of Hogan’s victory. Nor should they be when one looks at the merits of each project as well as Hogan’s key campaign focus – the economy.
Purple Line: How to grow without leaving folks behind
“The discussion is about how to ensure that the Purple Line is doing what it should to bring people together with jobs and services and still protect those who might not earn a lot of money, but want to benefit from the transit without being unable to afford it,” adds Cheryl Cort, policy director at the Coalition for Smarter Growth.
Testimony Regarding The Prince George’s County General Plan
We want to express our overall support for this outstanding document. We commend the Planning staff and Planning Board for the deliberative process that has culminated in the Plan Prince George’s 2035. This plan offers the right framework – with a few exceptions – to guide the county’s growth and development to a successful future.
We applaud the many important policies and guidance the plan puts forth including: Focusing future growth around transit stations and revitalization areas inside the Beltway; Priority Investment Districts (PIDs) – we especially commend the staff and Board for the thoughtful process to create this targeted, strategic approach to using the County’s limited resources to the greatest benefit.
Supporters keep pushing MoCo for pedestrian-friendly road design
The Friends of White Flint displayed the designs next to what the Sector Plan recommended. Together with the Coalition for Smarter Growth, the Friends group encouraged supporters of a more pedestrian-friendly road design to write to county officials. So far, more than 350 people have written emails calling for an Old Georgetown Road design that matches the Sector Plan, according to the group.