“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.
Category: Maryland
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.
Will Montgomery County botch the streets in a model suburban retrofit?
Stewart Schwartz of the DC-area’s Coalition for Smarter Growth contested the idea that street redesigns have to be put on hold. ”The traffic engineers are nervous about the interim period,” he said. “They don’t recognize that congestion always provides a feedback signal. If there’s congestion, people change the time of day of their commute; they change the mode of their commute; and you’re likely to see more transit riders. What this points to is the need to move faster in redesigning these places and incentivizing redevelopment.”
The ‘P3’ dilemma: States learn partnerships come with hazards
Many government officials see public-private partnerships as a convenient solution to their infrastructure woes. Enlisting investors and private sector know-how gets roads, bridges and other projects built long before government could do the work on its own.
Boosters Show Off Bus Rapid Transit Vehicle At MoCo Fair
Some county officials hope the large bus situated front and center at this year’s Montgomery County Agricultural Fair is a glimpse of the not-so-distant future.
Community Involvement and Advocacy Matter
We’ve talked a lot on this blog about the Rapid Transit system coming to Montgomery County. A recent development in the planning of the Georgia Avenue route highlights why community involvement, attention and advocacy is crucial in plans like these.
Montgomery paves the way for bus network that could zip by traffic
With Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett running for a third term in November, transit advocates are planning an agenda for his next term. Leggett will run against Republican James Shalleck in an overwhelmingly Democratic county. For transit advocates, this means a push to turn projects such as the Purple Line, Corridor Cities Transitway and a bus rapid transit network into reality.
Major Environmental Group Backs Purple Line Opponents
On Wednesday, a group including the Friends of the Capital Crescent Trail and the Center for Biological Diversity threatened to sue federal government agencies involved in environmental assessments of the planned Purple Line light rail route.
Transit supporters to host Rockville open house
Supporters of a countywide transit system will hold an open house to discuss the system Wednesday in Rockville.
Two groups, the Coalition for Smarter Growth and Communities for Transit, are sponsoring the forum at Rockville Memorial Library, where residents will be able to learn more about the county’s planned 81-mile bus rapid transit system.
When: 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 25
Where: First floor large meeting room, Rockville Memorial Library, 21 Maryland Avenue, Rockville
What: Rockville Rapid Transit Open House
RSVP at http://bit.ly/rockvilleRTS
It will feature a basic overview of bus rapid transit and what is planned for the county and the Rockville area in particular, said Kelly Blynn of the Coalition for Smarter Growth.
Blynn said the system will connect areas not served by Metro and help link downtown areas with surrounding residential areas.
There also will be a presentation from Rockville staff on how the city wants the system to fit into its downtown, she said.
Organizers will discuss how people can help plan the system, Blynn said.
In Rockville, three bus rapid transit corridors are planned to converge at or near the Rockville Metro station on Md. 355.
From there, the lines would run north to Clarksburg, south to Washington and southeast to Wheaton.
City officials have expressed some concern about the impact the system will have on Rockville Town Center.
The forum, which runs from 6:30 to 8 p.m., is free, and Blynn said a sign language interpreter will be provided. More information is at smartergrowth.net.
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