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
Testimony to the Montgomery County Council re County Executive Ike Leggett’s Request for Supplemental Appropriation for Study of Rapid Transit System
The Coalition for Smarter Growth supports the supplemental request by the County Executive for $1 million to further advance the proposed Rapid Transit System. We believe that the request is focused on the important implementation issues including service planning, integration with RideOn and Metrobus, bike/ped access, transit signal prioritization, organizational
New owner projects 200-plus new jobs at Clinton hospital
The new owner of MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center anticipates spending $150 million in improvements and generating at least 200 new jobs within the next three years, as the Clinton hospital joins the industry trend of integration.
Hospital design case studies showcase benefits of urban design and community connections for new Prince George’s Regional Medical Center
new set of case studies [PDF] highlights how important urban design, community connections, and transit access could ultimately be to the long-term success of a new Regional Medical Center in Prince George's County. The hospital design examples are from leading national and international architectural firms, including AECOM, Cannon Designs, ZGF, and Smithgroup JJR. Local organizations the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Potomac Valley, Coalition for Smarter Growth, and Envision Prince George’s Community Action Team for Transit-Oriented Development compiled the examples to illustrate the benefits that innovative urban planning, connectivity, and accessibility to transit resources would add to the healthcare and economic opportunity that the new medical center represents for the county.
Public transportation use on the rise in D.C. region
More commuters are moving from roads to rails, according to new census data that show public transportation use up across the region. About 37.5 percent of D.C. residents use public transportation to get to work, compared with 42 percent who drive, according to the 2007-2011 average released by the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey. In 1999, 33.2 percent took public transit and 49.4 percent drove. Montgomery and Arlington counties experienced similar jumps. The percentage of Montgomery residents taking public transit to work rose from 12.6 in 1999 to 15.2 in the latest census data, while Arlington residents went from 23.3 percent to 27.7 percent over the same time period. The largest percentage-point increase, however, was in Prince George's County. While commuters there still largely favor the car -- 76.7 percent drive to work -- public transit rose to 17.6 percent from 11.9 percent in 1999.
Getting Transit-Oriented Development Right
On December 5, we gathered with the Envision Prince George's Community Action Team for Transit-Oriented Development to learn from Stewart Schwartz, Chuck Boyd, and Shyam Kannan about best practices in getting TOD right in Prince George's County and beyond.
