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.

The Coalition for Smarter Growth strongly supports the Planning Board draft of the Pedestrian Master Plan. Its comprehensive approach to pedestrian safety and accessibility will advance our county’s climate and equity goals, help us reach Vision Zero, and establish Montgomery County as a model for other jurisdictions to follow.  The actions recommended in the Pedestrian Master Plan are visionary and ambitious—as we must be when tackling issues with the weight and urgency of climate change and increasing pedestrian injuries and fatalities. We urge the Transportation & Environment Committee to support the Pedestrian Master Plan in full, and advance this visionary plan for a safer and more equitable Montgomery County.

With the approach of your annual retreat this week in Cambridge, Maryland, our 41 organizations in Maryland, DC, and Virginia call on you to take urgent action to address the great challenges of our times – climate change, housing, racial and economic inequity, sprawl and unsustainable transportation policies. 

Today, the new project vision defined in the FRA's Supplemental Draft EIS (SDEIS) Preferred Alternative F presents a bold vision for the next century of Union Station's existence and success, and will gain broad public and political support. The revised SDEIS Preferred Alternative includes major improvements we support the FRA including in the Final EIS:

We strongly support Concept A for center running dedicated bus lanes and Concept Y for safe, separated bicycle and pedestrian facilities, as well as the vision for full-corridor length center running dedicated bus lanes when redevelopment and funding permit.