“VDOT’s study is inherently biased because they determine their own conclusion even before doing detailed study. By defining the Purpose to be “extend the express toll lanes,” they are intentionally foreclosing other options,” said Stewart Schwartz, Executive Director of the Coalition for Smarter Growth.
Category: Virginia
Event Materials: Reducing Roadway Deaths and Injuries – Fairfax County’s Playbook
Our very own expert Sonya Breehey, Northern Advocacy Manager, was a panelist at the “Reducing Roadway Deaths and Injuries: Fairfax County’s Playbook” webinar. Check out the webinar recording!
CSG comments on VDOT 495 Southside
The Coalition for Smarter Growth submits the following comments on the Preliminary Alternatives and Screening Evaluation presented by VDOT in September 2023 for its 495 Southside Express Lanes study.
CSG in the News: As Va. officials review SMART SCALE, some regional planners worry about shifting priorities
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.
TAKE ACTION: VDOT’s “495 Southside Study” is biased toward building more toll lanes. What happened to the promise of Metrorail?
Alexandria was promised future Metrorail across the Woodrow Wilson Bridge to connect Virginia and Maryland when the bridge was reconstructed 15 years ago. And WMATA is currently studying a Blue Line loop across the bridge. But, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is racing ahead with a biased study designed solely to extend High Occupancy Toll Lanes (aka “Express Lanes”) from Springfield across the bridge to MD210. The comment period ends on October 10!
CSG in VCN’s 2024 Our Common Agenda: Saving Pedestrian Lives
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.
CSG in the News: Zoning Proposal for Housing is Front and Center as Alexandria City Council Meets Tonight in Public Session
Bill Pugh lives in Alexandria and is senior policy fellow with Coalition for Smarter Growth. “Would you go so far as to say we have a housing crisis?,” Zebra asked Pugh in a phone interview two days after the community forum.
“Alexandria has a housing shortage like many jurisdictions,” said Pugh, “and it also has an affordability issue as well. Whether we call it a crisis or not, the data that was presented by the Urban Institute has clearly shown there’s not enough housing in the DC region on all income levels. And we see that in day-to-day examples. My kids attend ACPS schools and many of their teachers drive in from Prince William and Prince George’s counties because they can’t afford to live here.”
Letter to NVTC re Seven Corners Ring Road
We are writing to express strong concerns about the proposed design of the Seven Corners Ring Road and to ask that NVTC not endorse the proposed design. Your proposed letter of endorsement to NVTAuthority is on your consent agenda and is item 3d.
RELEASE: Saving Metro vs. Subsidizing the Commanders
Closing the WMATA budget gap would cost a fraction per Metro system user compared to proposed subsidies for new Commanders stadium seats.
Take Action: Speak up for a vibrant, inclusive, and transit-oriented Langston Boulevard
The draft Langston Boulevard Area Plan is out and Arlington County wants to hear from you about the proposed long-term vision for the corridor. Provide your feedback via an online survey until this Sunday, July 30th.