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.

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.

We are pleased to express our support for the 1900 Chapman Ave project which will replace the old Syms building and surface parking lot with two street-oriented moderate-density apartment buildings. These new homes will be within a few hundred feet of the Twinbrook Metro station. We commend this proposal as the kind of transit-oriented development this city and region needs to remain sustainable and competitive.

In the last couple of years we have seen Montgomery County renewing its focus on transit and transit-oriented development (TOD) -- first and foremost with the Purple Line, as well as the White Flint plan, CR Zone and now the Rapid Transit proposal in the list of important county initiatives.

We strongly support the zoning text amendment proposal to revise and similify the requirements for permitting accessory dwellings. We commend the Planning Board for addressing some of the key problems within the current rules which are discouraging the creation of accessory apartments that are perfectly compatible with existing neighborhoods. We also commend the Board for recognizing the potential of accessory units as a key opportunity to address the county's tremendous affordable housing shortfall.