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| INTERSECT-
Newsletter of the Washington Regional Network for Livable Communities
Volume 9 Number 5 For back issues of Intersect, visit the Archived Newsletters
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WRN Forum Announcement: with: October 24, 2005 Amid a booming housing market and the prospect of growth for the first time in decades, the D.C. government is revising its long-range Comprehensive Plan. This plan guides the city's land use over the next 20 years. The speakers will address how the growth that is coming to the city and the region can be managed so that it benefits existing residents and neighborhoods as well as new residents. RSVP (attendance only): WRN, 202-244-1105, or e-mail: staff@washingtonregion.net. This event is free of charge. For more about WRN, see: www.washingtonregion.net. *NCPC is located between E & D Streets, NW; Closest Metro Stations: Gallery Place, Metro Center, Archives, Federal Triangle. Please arrive before 7 pm and bring photo ID. |
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Give D.C. Comprehensive Plan Comments Online by October 15 Missed the Comp Plan Week #2 Community Planning Fairs? You can still participate. Go online to fill out questionnaires to let D.C. Office of Planning know what you think about some new ideas and approaches for improving the District. |
| D.C.'s Tangherlini Charts New Course for Transportation
By Cheryl Cort "We are victims of our own success," said D.C. Transportation director Dan Tangherlini to a packed house of 80. The traffic congestion, crowded Metro trains and buses, high parking demand are not the problems of declining cities, he said. Speaking at a WRN Forum on September 7, Tangherlini offered a broader vision for addressing problems of traffic by explaining that we need to integrate land use and transportation planning. He said it is critical we understand, "Who is our transportation system serving? Who should it be?" Tangherlini noted that 37 percent of D.C. households do not have a car; 38 percent of residents use public transportation to get to work; 70 percent of D.C. Metro riders walk to stations while over 14 percent arrive by bus. Twelve percent of commuters walk to work. He also said that D.C. has the lowest parking meter rates of any major city. "The best commuting alternative is to get more residents to live in the city," Tangherlini said. He explained that in 1975, D.C. was home to over 700,000 residents and almost 600,000 jobs. By 2000, residents numbered 572,000 and jobs amounted to almost 700,000. During this time in-commuting has jumped by over 100,000. Single occupancy vehicles and Metrorail ridership have increased as carpooling and bus ridership have declined. Tangherlini pointed out that if we are moving more cars through intersections, but if most of these all single occupancy vehicles, we are actually moving fewer people than when we had higher rates of carpooling. Tangherlini cited D.C.'s extensive streetcar network that equaled the track miles of the Metrorail system as a place to look for guidance for the future. The plans to build highways across the city beginning in the 1950s were never realized, and instead D.C. reallocated money for highway construction to begin building the Metrorail system. The Metrorail system was designed largely to move suburban commuters in and out of the city, Tangherlini said. He suggested that now the city should focus on rebuilding connections between neighborhoods and look to better bus and surface rail to meet our travel needs. Tangherlini also said that improved bicycling connections and better pedestrian facilities, such as countdown signals, are important parts of transportation planning. He said that walking is a huge part of transportation and needs to be safer, "and even more fun." He is working to change the philosophy among transportation planners to see their mission as moving more people, rather than simply more cars. "Our customers are people, not cars," he said. Tangherlini criticized the assumptions of the commonly used term in transportation planning of "mobility." Rather than mobility, transportation is about connecting people to their destinations, he said. He said that transportation planning should be helping create places to stop, not just pass through. Tangherlini views balancing competing uses as a key policy of the Department of Transportation Department (DDOT). He noted that the streetcars have been taken away, and thousands of trees have been lost as roadways were widened for cars. He said that D.C. now aims to minimize environmental impact from transportation projects and emphasized the importance of trees. Tangherlini said he is passionate about improving bus service noting that nearly as many people ride the bus as ride Metrorail. Improvements to many bus lines are planned, including new express service and construction of physical improvements for corridors to give signal priority, curb extensions, better information and bus maps on shelters. The K Street Busway, which gives public space to transit riders, will feature state-of-the-art-technology: low-floor vehicles for faster boarding, off-vehicle fare collection, next-vehicle bus arrival information, and traffic signal priority. He also noted the Downtown Circulator is a promising new service. DDOT's "D.C.'s Transit Future" study is examining a new, efficient, high-quality surface-transit network that can bridge the gaps between Metrobus and Metrorail systems. The study is examining different technologies and corridors to achieve these goals. He discussed how other everyday improvements to sidewalks, public space, bicycling facilities, curbside management/parking are all important parts of balancing the system to give people travel choices and manage competing uses. He also spoke of the importance of reestablishing the street grid to provide a variety of alternative routes for travelers. The programs and policies discussed by Tangherlini are part of the D.C.'s new State Transportation Plan which is being finalized and will be incorporated into the city's Comprehensive Plan. |
| Northern Virginia Residents Rank Public Transit as a Top Priority
By Lisa Gress Improving public transportation rather than roads is a top priority, even for those who do not regularly use public transit, according to a recent survey of Northern Virginia residents. Two-thirds of regular transit riders ranked transit improvements as a top priority and one-half of those who do not currently use public transportation ranked it as their top priority. Only 25 percent of respondents chose road improvements as a top priority. The survey, conducted by the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, reached over 1,200 northern Virginian commuters and asked for opinions regarding road and transit improvements in the area. Overwhelmingly, public transit was shown to be a priority. While most commuters said that they were frustrated by traffic, transit riders said they experience much less frustration than commuters who drive alone. Twenty-nine percent of those who drive alone said they were "very frustrated," with their commutes while only 16 percent of transit riders said they were "very frustrated." Over half of the respondents listed improvements to public transportation and bike lanes as their top priority and another one-third listed those as their second highest priority showing a strong preference for livable communities that are linked by means other than the automobile. In addition, 85 percent of commuters were willing to pay to expand public transportation service and reduce crowding on existing transit lines. Stewart Schwartz, Coalition for Smarter Growth noted, "It is no surprise that 85 percent of people are willing to pay for expanded, convenient transit service. Transit ridership continues to grow in the Washington area. When given an option, people take transit." To view the survey and its results, visit the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority website. |
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Fairfax Breaks New Ground with Traffic Reduction Plan for Vienna Development Pressured by skeptics of transit-oriented development, Fairfax County convened a unique process with residents, the development applicant and transportation consultants to craft an innovative approach to reducing traffic for the Fairlee/MetroWest Project at the Vienna Metro station. Resulting from this process, in late July, the Fairfax County Department of Transportation released a report by UrbanTrans Consultants that assessed Transportation Demand Management, or TDM, for the project. The study examined the feasibility of the peak hour traffic reductions on site recommended by the County Comprehensive Plan for the Metro development proposal.
The analysis by UrbanTrans found that the reduction in traffic was indeed feasible - projecting a 47 percent and 25 percent reduction in vehicle trips for residential and office uses respectively, achieving the goals set out in the Comprehensive Plan. The report states the trip reduction "…can be achieved through a combination of the physical design characteristics of the site, as proposed, and the full application of the TDM programs and strategies recommended in this document." The consultants warned however that the trip reductions are aggressive targets and require the full combination of traffic-reducing strategies. UrbanTrans cited the need to match the full level of development planned with the mix and quantity of residential, office and retail uses proposed; and build the pedestrian-friendly design of the site. The study emphasized the need to manage parking through better pricing so that alternative modes are more attractive, and focus on creating an attractive pedestrian environment with convenient connections to destinations. In December 2004, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved a change to the county's Comprehensive Plan for certain parcels within the Vienna Metrorail Station area known as Fairlee/MetroWest. The revised Comprehensive Plan recommended using TDM strategies to reduce traffic generated by the development. TDM includes alternatives to driving alone, such as ridesharing, public transit, walking and biking, as well as the supporting strategies that encourage the use of transportation modes other than the single occupancy vehicle. The county expects that the Fairlee/MetroWest developers to use the information from this report to prepare a draft proffer package and TDM program for the county to review that addresses the need for transportation alternatives and trip reductions for the site. The fate of the development project, however, is in question due to a provision in a federal bill proposed by Congressman Thomas M. Davis III, which would bar the sale of the 3.7 acre parcel of Metro-owned land closest to the station. The Metro parcel is a key part of the overall development project of over 2000 homes, offices and shops. View the report at www.fairleemetrowest-tdm.com. |
| Community Members Share Vision for A More Walkable Downtown Ward 7 By Stephen Wade Seventy Ward 7 residents, community leaders, and government staff came out to four workshops convened by the Marshall Heights Community Development Organization (MHCDO) and the Washington Regional Network for Livable Communities (WRN). The community workshops were convened to create a "Vision for Downtown Ward 7" that could lead to a safer, livelier, more pedestrian-friendly environment from the Minnesota Avenue Metro station to the Minnesota/Benning business district. "We are hoping to help the community create a vision for what they want the Downtown area to look like. With a clear vision defined through this process, both private developers and various government agencies can be guided to meet the community's goals," said Cheryl Cort of WRN. The Ward 7 residents shared their thoughts by touring the area, drawing on maps and interacting with urban designers about the potential for improved pedestrian safety and traffic calming, more attractive streetscapes, enhanced transit, public art and the potential for new retail, housing and community facilities. "The idea for this project emanated from a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation initiative to promote routine physical activity to achieve better health," said MHCDO President & CEO Carrie Thornhill. "By enhancing the pedestrian environment in Ward 7, more people will be encouraged to walk, thereby improving their health," she said. The final community workshop will be held on October 18, 6:30 p.m. at the Marshall Heights Community Development Organization, 3939 Benning Road, NE. To provide more input into the draft vision plan or to find out more about the next meeting, contact WRN at staff@washingtonregion.net, 202-244-1105. Or visit www.washingtonregion.net. |
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D.C. Inclusionary Zoning Takes Big Step Forward After four hearings totaling 12 hours, the D.C. Zoning Commission is set to make its preliminary decision on inclusionary zoning in D.C. over the next few months. Inclusionary zoning is an affordable housing policy used widely in the country that requires private developments to include a certain amount of affordable housing, usually in exchange for an increased number of units allowed to be built as a matter of right. The Commission is considering two proposals for a mandatory policy, one by the Campaign for Mandatory Inclusionary Zoning, a broad coalition of housing, labor, smart growth, environmental and community organizations, and the other by D.C. Office of Planning. The Campaign was successful in convincing the Zoning Commission to only consider mandatory programs rather than a voluntary program, as D.C. Office of Planning had also proposed. Over 100 people testified at the hearings, most in favor of the proposal. Dozens of organizations, including 11 ANCs have endorsed the proposal. The D.C. Council also adopted a resolution July 5, supporting the Campaign for Mandatory Inclusionary Zoning's proposal. The Zoning Commission, a body partly appointed by the federal government and the Mayor, holds the land use powers needed to create an inclusionary zoning program. At the August 1 hearing, Steve Green, representing Mayor Anthony Williams, reassured the Zoning Commission that the city government could successfully administer the program, and was committed to its success. Green said it is the right time for mandatory inclusionary zoning. He said that it is an important tool that is economically neutral and will provide affordable housing in places where it would otherwise not occur. If the Zoning Commission decides to adopt the zoning text amendment, the next step will be to identify all the properties where it will apply and notify them regarding the proposed action. The D.C. Council will also need to adopt legislation to administer a program that works in concert with the new zoning rules. View the two proposals at: www.dciz.org, and the DC Office of Planning website. |
| West Hyattsville Plan Seeks to Create a New Transit Community
By Cheryl Cort Prince George's County Maryland is planning a new transit community around the West Hyattsville Metro station. The draft West Hyattsville Preliminary Plan and Transit District Overlay Zone released in July 2005 seeks to create a walkable, mixed use transit-oriented new community of up to 3,100 residences, along with shops, offices, parks and civic spaces. For housing, the plan intends to bring a variety of unit types and densities that will accommodate changing lifestyles for current Hyattsville residents and provide attractive options for new residents. The transit-oriented development plan is organized around four key elements: neighborhoods, environment, transportation and low-impact development. Advocates praised the plan, calling it a fine example of smart growth. According to Jessica Millman, Maryland Director of the Coalition for Smarter Growth, "It demonstrates how a local government can plan for and encourage transit-oriented development to enhance the quality of life for members of the West Hyattsville community, improve transportation accessibility, and offer a wide array of jobs, services and housing choices." The transportation focus of the plan stresses that streets will be a finely balanced network that maximizes accessibility while promoting them as places of shared use instead of single-use conduits for automobile traffic. Recognizing that focusing more activities around the Metro station will generate automobile traffic, the plan sets up a transportation demand management district to implement policies to ensure that development supports a pedestrian and transit-friendly environment, and reduces, or diverts to other modes, vehicle trips potentially generated by new housing and businesses. Three distinct neighborhoods are envisioned in the plan. The character of each will be different, with the central neighborhood, Hamilton Square, designed to be the most active and have the greatest diversity of uses - several housing types, stores and offices. North Park will be a primarily residential neighborhood with a mix of housing types offering direct access to the Metro station, and Queenstown neighborhood will be a lively live/work district. The plan also calls for a substantial increase in parks and open space including a variety of public squares, plazas and parks, and open space on restored floodplain. The final plan is likely to be adopted by the county in November. Click here to view the plan |
| Loudoun County Moves to Control Growth in Rural West
By Lisa Gress In a surprise move, a majority of Loudoun County Board of Supervisors voted in late July to support growth controls that will guide development in the western two-thirds of the county. The development restrictions will prevent the construction of tens of thousands of homes in the scenic and rural western part of the County. The current board of supervisors were elected with the backing of pro-growth landowners and developers in 2003. The board voted 5-4 to choose Option 1 that will double the number of dwellings in the western part of the county, currently estimated to be 9,200. The majority supporting Option 1 included a Republican, two Democrats and two Independents. Option 2, which was not approved, could have more than tripled the number of houses. Republicans opposing Option 1 plan to bring lawsuits against the decision. Public hearings and a final vote are still required before the plan can be adopted into the county's zoning ordinance. After doubling its population and local spending during the 1990s, making it the fastest growing county in the United States, Loudoun County is currently still the third fastest growing county in the country. Many in the jurisdiction are struggling to preserve the county's rural character against creeping development from the Washington region. Current rules require only three acres per house and would allow as many as 55,000 houses in western Loudoun. The newly approved proposal will require between 20 and 40 acres per house and will greatly decrease the number of new houses that can be built in the area. The rapid addition of so many houses in the area will bring new students to schools, new traffic to already congested roads, and will require new sewers and other infrastructure needs. Local groups such as Campaign for Loudoun's Future fear that the growth will destroy the rural nature of the county and stretch the sprawl surrounding the Washington area nearly to the Blue Ridge Mountains. Instead of developing at the suburban fringes, smart growth advocates urge that the growth be directed to the core of the region and that more investment be focused improving existing services there. Visit the Campaign for Loudoun's Future. |
| HOT Lanes: A Tool, Not A Panacea - New Report Calls For Tool To Be Used Correctly
By Cheryl Cort Virginia has a unique opportunity to use High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes to provide traffic-weary commuters with less congestion and more mass transit options, according to a new report by the Breakthrough Technologies Institute and Environmental Defense. But these benefits must be managed properly to offset the potential negative impacts of HOT Lanes, such as increased congestion on local roads, air pollution, sprawl and inequity. The new report focuses on HOT lane proposals now being considered for Interstates 95/395 south of Washington, D.C. Two private industry teams have proposed building new toll lanes in northern Virginia and claim millions of dollars would be generated for new transit service. "Used properly, HOT lanes can clean the air, speed commutes and protect open spaces from unwanted sprawl. But Virginia may end up using them to finance bloated road expansion, more air pollution and sprawling new development," said Michael Replogle, transportation director of Environmental Defense. "These HOT lanes should be used as a tool to limit congestion, cut traffic growth, and pay for attractive transit choices, including bus rapid transit." While some transit and environmental groups are cautiously optimistic about the potential of HOT lanes, others have found flaws with the specifics of the I-95/395 proposals. According to Barbara Reese, Virginia Department of Transportation's chief financial officer and a member of the review panel review for the toll lane proposals, both teams underestimate how much it would cost them to maintain and operate the HOT lanes. According to the Free Lance-Star, she stated that revenue shortfalls are likely to mean that no money will be left over to fund transit services or other projects. |
| Federal Transportation Bill Earmarks Funds for Controversial Road Projects
By Lisa Gress and Cheryl Cort On July 29, Congress authorized the latest version of the transportation bill. The bill provides $286 billion to states and localities for all forms of transportation. The bill contained nearly $22 billion in earmarked money, the highest amount ever. Locally, earmarks include $14.8 million for the Inter-County Connector (ICC) highway in Maryland and nearly $28 million for widening I-66 inside the Beltway. In general, activists praised Congress for "staying the course" on existing federal transportation policy by adhering to the core principles set forth in the landmark 1991 ISTEA law, according to Anne Canby of the Surface Transportation Policy Project (STPP). Coalition for Smarter Growth Executive Director Stewart Schwartz remarked that the "all time high of $22 billion in earmarks, nearly 10 percent of the federal funding represents a lobbying frenzy, not a rational prioritization scheme within a public process at the state and local level. It is important to note that most of these earmarks are not extra money but rather funding the state would have gotten regardless." The ICC in Maryland has faced controversy for years. The state study of the proposed new highway, among others, has shown that the new road will not lessen congestion in the area, as ICC proponents had promised. Also, studies show that outer ring highways tend to shift development away from the urban core to outer lying areas. Funds for I-66 were designated for "spot improvements" that expand the highway inside Arlington County. Opponents of the widening say the piecemeal approach helps dodge federal review requirements and local opposition. View a scorecard of key issues in the transportation bill by Environmental Defense. |
| Reality Check Report Released
By Lisa Gress Consensus about growth and development is possible according to a recently released report detailing the results of Reality Check, a day-long planning exercise conducted in Februrary with 300 regional leaders. According the report, goals for growth in the Washington region over the next 25 years include the desire for more affordable housing and a better mix of housing and jobs. The report shows an overwhelming desire to implement smart growth principles as an estimated 2 million new residents and 1.6 million new jobs are added to the region by 2030. By almost every measurable indicator, Reality Check participants said they want the Washington region to offer more households and jobs close to transit, more development with a mix of jobs, housing and retail opportunities, a better balance of jobs and housing, and more compact development within or adjacent to existing cities and towns. View the report here. |
| WMATA Unveils Plan to Improve Metro Bus System
By Cheryl Cort The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) recently unveiled an $850 million improvement plan for its aging bus system. The plan calls for the replacement of 893 buses over the next five years at a cost of $488 million. In addition, WMATA will replace and repair over 500 bus shelters, provide real-time information displays for 50 priority locations, and improve maintenance facilities. As part of the plan, Metro will receive 250 compressed natural gas buses this year. It has placed an order for 100 diesel-electric hybrid buses and 177 "clean" diesel buses. In addition, Metro plans to purchase 185 new buses through its Metro Matters program and 241 replacement buses between 2009 and 2011. The new acquisitions are expected to reduce the average age of the fleet from 9.9 years to 7.5 years. WMATA operates the fifth largest bus service in the country, with a fleet of 1,473 buses, serving 350 routes in District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia. The plan comes in the wake of criticism from a panel of experts who called on WMATA to invest in its bus system. The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) peer review panel, which was convened at the request of WMATA General Manager Richard White, included transit managers from Houston, New York, Toronto and California. In June 2005, the panel offered a set of suggested improvements to the Metro Board, including the recommendation that Metro reduce the average fleet age to five years. View the panel's report: WMATA
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| Events
October 5-7. Inclusionary Housing: Building Strong Mixed-Income Communities. This conference features experts in all of the technical and political issues involved in inclusionary zoning, and tours of model inclusionary developments, at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill. www.inhousing.org/conf. October 7-9. Communities on the Line: Transit and the Design of 21st-Century Communities. American Institute of Architects conference focuses on excellent design in transit-oriented development (TOD) and offer tours of for TOD. Wyndham City Center Hotel in Washington, D.C. www.aia.org/br_rudc_ontheline Saturday, October 8, 4-7 PM. "Celebrate Rural Montgomery" fall festival at Butler's Orchard in Germantown, MD. This festival will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Agricultural Reserve. www.ruralmontgomery.org. Saturday, October 15. D.C. Comprehensive Plan Comments due online. www.inclusivecity.org. Saturday, October 15, 10 AM-2 PM. Metro and Harvest Festival Celebrating Gorgeous Prince George's Day in support Metrorail Across the Woodrow Wilson Bridge through National Harbor to Downtown Oxon Hill. Sponsored by Prince Georges County, The Peterson Companies and the Campaign to Reinvest in the Heart of Oxon Hill, at Rivertown Commons in Downtown Oxon Hill (Oxon Hill Road between Exit #3 and #4 on the Capital Beltway). Contact: 301-839-7403 or catjpp@aol.com. Monday, October 24, 6 PM. "How Should DC Grow?" a WRN forum at NCPC, 401 9th Street, NW, Suite 500 (Gallery Place or Archives Metro). RSVP to WRN: 202-244-1105, staff@washingtonregion.net; see: WRN. Thursday, October 27, 12:30 - 1:30 PM. Strategies for Revitalizing Downtowns featuring Christopher Leinberger, with Albuquerque's Historic District Improvement Company. National Building Museum, 401 F Street NW (Judiciary Square Metro). Smart Growth Network November 3-5. Introductory course on form-based codes (FBC), offered by Virginia Tech's Academy for the New Urbanism and the Form-Based Codes Institute. Virginia Tech November 9-11. Changing Communities in a Changing Landscape. The Enterprise Foundation will host its 2005 Network Conference for community development practitioners. Washington Hilton. Enterprise Foundation. Thank You's: WRN wishes to thank the following friends of WRN for their generous contributions: Ron Eichner, Carol Wayman, Stephen Cerny, and James Clarke. Intersect staff: Cheryl Cort, editor; Stephen Wade, Lisa Gress, contributing writers Washington Regional Network For Livable Communities (WRN) is a non-profit organization that advocates transportation investments, land use policies, and neighborhood designs that enhance existing communities and the environment of the Washington, D.C. Region. Phone: (202) 244-1105, Fax: (202) 244-4225, E-mail: staff@washingtonregion.net, NEW ADDRESS: 4000 Albemarle St, NW, Washington, D.C. 20016. Give online to WRN at: www.washingtonregion.net |
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