Advocacy Letter: WMATA Governance Task Force

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 10:50:14 -0400

COG Includes Business Advocates, Excludes Rider Advocates on Metro Task Force

Transit rider advocates sent the following letter to the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, as the task force on Metro governance appointed by the Board of Trade and COG holds its first meeting at 8:30 this morning.

Dear Chairman Brown and members of the COG Board of Directors:

We are disappointed by your decision to not include transit rider advocates on the WMATA Governance Commission, initiated by the Greater Washington Board of Trade (BOT) and co-sponsored by the Council of Governments (COG).

During the June 9th COG meeting, opposition to making the Commission inclusive of rider advocates was based on the false notion that no representatives of any advocacy group had yet been appointed to the task force. The BOT has a network of dedicated, thoughtful people. However, as a letter from the BOT's president and chair published on its website makes clear, "regional advocacy" is part of the organization's mission. The BOT primarily represents large businesses with heavy financial resources and influence and also provides the most significant, recognized endorsements of major candidates including Governors, Mayors and County Executives and Chairs.

There is cause for concern that the Board of Trade has specific intentions from the outset: to give the elected chief executives of Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia the sole authority to appoint members of the WMATA Board of Directors. It is important that the Commission give thorough, objective consideration to different options to improve governance.

By stripping the authority from local elected officials in our region to govern WMATA, the WMATA Board would become less accountable to the public, much like the situation with the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. Historically, WMATA Board members from Northern Virginia and the District of Columbia consistently have been more accessible and responsive to the public than those appointed by the State of Maryland. Case in point: the varying responses to public input during the recent funding crisis. There is something to be said for elected officials who are closer to the people being accustomed to the responsibility of being accessible to the public.

COG failed to include advocates who have been dedicated on behalf of Metro riders to secure more funding, improve service, and yes, increase Metro accountability. Governance at WMATA is a legitimate issue to examine, though the urgent need is to secure stable and sufficient funding to provide safe, reliable and efficient service for riders. For a panel that purportedly will focus on how to improve governance and accountability at WMATA, the process by which this task force has been set up does not help promote public confidence in COG's openness or inclusiveness.

We also wish to record another concern about the process: our letter, and a similar one from at least one other group, were not included in the packet of information provided to the COG Board of Directors, even while an unrelated letter from business groups about the I-95/395 HOT lanes was included. Therefore, our original letter - dated May 25, 2010 - was not available for your consideration in the official record.

Going forward, we hope for robust, inclusive and meaningful public participation throughout the process.

Sincerely,

Ben Ross, Action Committee for Transit
Stewart Schwartz, Coalition for Smarter Growth
David Alpert, Greater Greater Washington
Roger Diedrich, Virginia Chapter, Sierra Club

Press Release: Tysons Corner

Tue, 1 Jun 2010 09:27:06 -0400

Smart Growth and Conservation Groups Applaud Progress with Tysons Corner Plan

Urge Fairfax Board of Supervisors to be Bold to Ensure Realization of Tysons Vision

Planning Commission Passed Draft Plan on 10 to 1 Vote Last Night

Fairfax, VA -- Citing the significance of the redesigning of Tysons Corner for sustainable growth in the region, smart growth, conservation and bicycle advocacy groups applauded progress with the Tysons Corner plan and urged the Fairfax Board of Supervisors to be bold as they finalize the plan over the coming month.

“Tysons Corner done right can serve as the model for future smart growth not only within our region, but also the nation,” stated Roger Diedrich Smart Growth and Transportation Chair for the Sierra Club, Virginia Chapter. “The commitment of the county to the right mix of redevelopment, environmental protection, transportation options and environmentally sustainable practices will earn our support.”

Last night, the Planning Commission approved the draft plan on a 10 to 1 vote. The phasing portion of the plan incentivizes residential development and development of the four transit stations. Last night, the Commission made their 20-year phasing limit of 45 million square feet of office development more flexible, allowing for implementation of transportation demand management measures that would allow additional office development in the first 20 years.

While applauding the Planning Commission and staff for their hard work in moving the plan forward, the conservation, bicycle, and smart growth groups also urged the Board of Supervisors to address some outstanding issues of concern -- details that are critical to the success of Tysons Corner. The following comments address some of those issues.

”We urge the Board of Supervisors to ensure that the phasing proposal will result in a positive response from the market and the achievement of the full range of community and environmental benefits, including the grid of streets, affordable housing, transit, robust stormwater management, energy efficient buildings and parks,” said Stella Koch of the Audubon Naturalist Society. “Not addressed last night was development in the four non-TOD areas, which the Board must ensure are properly incentivized to achieve the grid of streets and the important community and environmental benefits we need for the outer regions of Tysons as well.”

“The grid of streets is critical to transforming Tysons into a walkable, bikeable community,” said Bruce Wright, chair of Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling. “We are very encouraged that new bicycle infrastructure improvements are included in the latest plan. However, the proposed 8-lane design for Routes 123, Route 7, and International Drive has not changed. This will create huge barriers in the heart of the transit oriented centers and endanger pedestrians and bicyclists. We need bike lanes and dedicated bus lanes for these corridors, and possibly off-peak on-street parking.”

“We have also called for dedicated bus lanes or rail lines on key arterials entering Tysons Corner, including Route 7, Route 123 and Gallows Road. These should be early priorities given the new regional bus priority corridor program, yet the staff’s project list still fails to include them,” said Diedrich.

“The other critical missing pieces are a defined implementation oversight body and an overarching transportation management plan to which all landowners must commit,” said Stewart Schwartz of the Coalition for Smarter Growth. “This is essential to creating a win-win -- well-designed, mixed-use, higher density development, along with successful traffic management.”

The Coalition for Smarter Growth was instrumental in providing professional input throughout the process, joined by Roger Diedrich and other Sierra Club members, while Bruce Wright, Chair of Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling and Stella Koch of Audubon Naturalist Society served on the Task Force helping to shape detailed environmental and bicycle/pedestrian standards.

“Tysons Corner will fail economically under current conditions – due to traffic and older parts of Fairfax could face decline -- if we don’t reinvest in and redesign Tysons Corner and Fairfax’s commercial corridors to be mixed-use, transit communities,” said Schwartz.

Phillip Ellis, Sierra Club’s Sustainable Metro DC Coordinator, concluded: “Subject to getting the final details right, we are asking our members to support the Tysons Plan, not just because it is transit-oriented, but because the sustainability of the DC region hinges upon the success of conversion of places like Tysons Corner into mixed-use, walkable centers. The time to show our support for a sustainable future is now.”

###

Statement to Virginia’s CTB

Thu, 27 May 2010 09:59:13 -0400

Sierra Club Suggests a New Direction for Virginia’s Commonwealth Transportation Board

Statement to the Commonwealth Transportation Board
Public Hearing, Fairfax, Virginia

I am speaking for the over 15,000 members of the Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club for whom the quality of our air, water, land and wildlife are considered of utmost importance. We believe it is the responsibility of citizens to protect these aspects of the earth and the Commonwealth. Transportation policy can have a profound effect on the environment, either directly or indirectly, so we have an important stake in the Six-Year Improvement Program.

Northern Virginia is an urbanizing community. But most Northern Virginians lack easy access to other transportation options besides driving. The lack of alternatives is what’s choking our road network with traffic. A shift in just a few percentage points from driving to walking, bicycling and transit can significantly relieve traffic congestion. It is also critical that there be state support for local land use policies that will be compatible with the alternative travel modes. This is where federal transportation policy is heading. The federal government’s commitment to putting walking and bicycling on an equal playing field with auto, and the Sustainable Communities program integrating transportation and land use, are signals that states and localities that plan for all transportation modes will be the most competitive in getting federal transportation dollars. Furthermore, there are overarching needs to address our dependence on oil and climate change. Virginia must position itself to fit in with, and take advantage of this newer approach to transportation issues.

In general, this will mean development of new types of infrastructure so that our citizens and our economy will be able to adapt to a variety of new options. Virginia’s urban regions in particular need to be able to do this so as to begin a migration away from total dependence on the automobile. We desperately need more transit of many types, from high-speed rail, to commuter and light rail, bus systems including Bus Rapid Transit and bicycle and pedestrian facilities. More of our freight should be shifted to rail. We do not need to exclude roads, but they need to compete with these other options on a broad basis according to more relevant criteria (as with federal grants).

These types of non-auto projects are less familiar to many local governments, their staffs and citizens, such that a transition may take a bit more time. The CTB should use this period of reduced revenue to enhance planning for a new transportation future. Planning can be done on a low budget with existing staff, and there is time to engage the public in a meaningful way. The Virginia 2035 Plan lays out many good objectives, but without greater adoption at the local government levels it will not be implemented.

Please use this time to plan a better transportation future for Virginia.

Press Release: WMATA Task Force

Thu, 13 May 2010 10:11:16 -0400

Reaction to Board of Trade's WMATA Task Force: Where’s the Public Process and Inclusion?

Today the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) voted to endorse and join a Greater Washington Board of Trade task force to review the governance structure of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Agency (WMATA or “Metro”). “Any task force reviewing WMATA’s governance should be inclusive of different constituencies, such as the business community and transit advocates,” said Dennis Jaffe of Sierra Club. He added, “A well-conceived proposal for a task force on governance to increase accountability of Metro would require wider public participation.”

“We also worry that focusing on the WMATA Board’s governance of Metro is a distraction from the core issue of the long-term lack of funding for Metro’s operating, maintenance, equipment replacement needs,” said Stewart Schwartz, Executive Director of the Coalition for Smarter Growth. “After funding, the focus should be on hiring the best General Manager we can in order to put the safety, operations and financial house in order at WMATA, not on what could be a very contentious fight over who sits on the Board.”

“Our community of smart growth and transit advocates, working under the Transit First! banner and across the internet on blogs like Greater Greater Washington, have led the way in winning public support for more funding for Metro, while offering detailed recommendations on operations, funding and fare structures. We have a lot to offer,” said Jaffe.

“So, we are not convinced this Task Force should be the focus. But if COG goes forward, we urge them to step back and have a public process to determine the structure and goals of any WMATA governance task force, and then to ensure a broad and inclusive membership for that task force,” concluded Schwartz.

This Week in Transportation

Mon, 3 May 2010 16:44:29 -0400

Monday, May 3rd

Green Jobs Conference - Sierra Club Reception (See bottom of email)
Bistro B at 1727 Connecticut Ave, NW
7.00 pm - 10.00 pm
(Please note that you do not have to be registered for the conference to attend)

Presentation of the Alexandria Waterfront Concept Plan
The Lyceum Theater, 201 South Washington Street, Alexandria
7.30 pm - 9.30 pm

Tuesday, May 4th

Good Jobs, Green Jobs National Conference (Lasts until Thursday)
The Hilton Washington Hotel
8.00 am -

EESI Forum: High Speed Rail: Benefits, Costs, and Challenges
2253 Rayburn House Office Building
2.00 pm - 3.30 pm

Transportation Social Hosted by the Blue Green Alliance and Go21 (See email below)
Green Jobs Conference - East/West Room at the Washington Hilton
2.00 pm - 4.00 pm

Sierra Club DC Transportation Committee Meeting
Sierra Club National Office, 408 C Street NE
7.00 pm - 9.00 pm

DC Neighborhood Sustainability Indicators Pilot Project
Capital Memorial Church, 3150 Chesapeake Street, N.W.
6.30 pm -

Wednesday, May 5th

WMATA Riders Advisory Council
Metro's Headquarters located at 600 5th Street, NW
6.30 pm - 8.30 pm

DC Streetcar Showcase (Until Saturday)
Lot B of City Center DC
11.00 am - 7.00 pm (5.00 pm on Saturday)

Thursday, May 6th

Streetcar Propulsion Seminar
Renaissance Hotel, 999 9th Street, NW
5.00 pm - 7.00 pm

Friday, May 7th

Transportation Planning Board Technical Committee Meeting
COG Office
12.00 pm - 2.00 pm

_________________________________________________________________________________

Sierra Club Reception

Many of you will be at the Green Jobs conference next week where we have a pretty phenomenal line up of speakers and workshops (see all details on
www.greenjobsconference.org.

On Monday night we are bringing together the 350+ Sierra folks that will be coming to town for a reception. Would be great to see many of you there as well. Should be a good and fun opportunity to hang out before the conf. starts (and even if you are not attending the conference we encourage you to come Monday night). We've rented Bistro Bistro B, at 1727 Connecticut Avenue NW near the Hilton Washington Hotel from 7:00-10:00pm where we will provide some food and there will be a cash bar.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Transportation Social
At next week’s Green Jobs conference, Blue Green and Go21 will be hosting a transportation social Tuesday from 2 to 4 p.m. in the 1919 East/West Room (off the main lobby) at the Washington Hilton (1919 Connecticut NW). Light refreshments and ice cream will be served.  The idea is to have conference attendees among the labor, enviro and smart growth crowd continue conversations on common ground we share as we advance toward a reform authorization bill.  Also – next week’s conference will feature a dozen workshops on Transportation, Urban Planning and Equitable Development. Sessions listed briefly below, also go tohttp://www.greenjobsconference.org/workshop-schedule/2010/11/0 for more detail!  Tuesday
• Driving Growth: How Clean Cars and Climate Policy Can Create Jobs, 10-11:30
• Maximizing the Benefits of Transportation Investments, 10-11:30
• Revitalizing the U.S. Railcar and Transit Manufacturing Industry, 10-11:30
• Building the Electric Vehicle Economy 2:30-4
• Infrastructure and Job Creation – A Priority for Urban America 2:30-4
• Building Better Cities: Green Construction for a Cleaner Environment and a More Equitable Economy 4:30-6
• Environmental Justice: The Catalyst for Green Jobs and Equitable Development 4:30-6
• How Clean and Safe Trucks Are Key to Empowering America’s Ports 4:30-6
• The Green Economic Revolution in an Urban Context 4:30-6

Wednesday
• Clean Transportation and Good Jobs: Building America’s Transportation Manufacturing Sector 10-11:30
• Our Community, Our Stakes: What Green Jobs Mean for the African-American Community 2:30-4
• Railroad Investments and Green Jobs 4:30-6
 Notable speakers during our transportation workshops include: U.S. Congressman Keith Ellison, Fifth District of Minnesota U.S. Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, Fifth District of Missouri Charles Lee, U.S. EPA, Office of Environmental Justice, Director James Corless, Transportation for America, Executive Director Bob Baugh, AFL-CIO, Industrial Union Council, Executive Director Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr., Hip Hop Caucus, President Eric C. Peterson, American High Speed Rail Alliance, President Matt Mayrl, Policy Director, Apollo Alliance  And many, many others from the labor, environmental, social justice and smart growth communities, as well as academia, private industry and the Departments of Labor, HUD and EPA. Also, see below for more detail on the conference, we’re expecting 500+ to join us on the Hill for our advocacy day May 6!

Press Release: Governor O'Malley

Thu, 22 Apr 2010 11:29:43 -0400

Transit Advocates to Governor O'Malley: Keep Our Transit System Viable

Sierra Club Responds to Recent Budget Proposal Submitted by WMATA Interim General Mangager Richard Sarles

Washington DC--Sierra Club's Montgomery County Group and Maryland Chapter sent Governor Martin O’Malley a letter this week asking Maryland to provide crucial funding to ensure a fully functional Metro system.

The letter, co-signed by the Coalition for Smarter Growth, Greater Greater Washington, Action Committee for Transit, Maryland PIRG, One Less Car and Environment Maryland, states that failure to prevent severe service cuts included in WMATA’s proposed budget would be “disastrous”. It points out, “Metro is a revenue generator for the entire DC region and crucial to the tax base of Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties.”

Advocates voiced concern that eliminating eight-car trains during peak periods would increase safety risks on station platforms. The letter argues that the combination of cutbacks, including 30-minute waits for trains at night and on weekends, and the $89 million fare hike would infuriate riders, driving them into their cars and making our roads even more congested. Former Metro General Richard White’s warning of a “death spiral” of shrinking service and revenue would become a reality.

“We are extremely concerned that proposed Metro service cuts would devastate Maryland’s economy and environment.” asserted Ethan Goffman, transit advocate for the Montgomery County Sierra Club. “It is our hope that Governor O’Malley will build on his record of supporting transit by providing Maryland’s share of the funding necessary to prevent these cuts.”

The organizations are participating in the FairShareForMetro.com campaign advocating for a region-wide increase of $74 million, which is needed to preserve current service levels and avoid the cuts. Northern Virginia jurisdictions have indicated they are prepared to provide their share. But no jurisdiction will commit to providing extra funds if another rejects the idea. DC officials, led by Councilmember Jim Graham, are working to increase their funding commitment. The State of Maryland whose portion is $30 million has yet to indicate it will provide its share of the needed funds.

Vice Chair of Sierra Club’s Maryland Chapter, Dave O’Leary stated, “No jurisdiction will commit to providing extra funds if another indicates it is rejecting the idea. It would be a travesty to see the cuts adopted because Maryland rejected a fair share for Metro.” Says O’Leary, “This leaves it up to Maryland to assure that our transit system remains viable.”

O’Leary offered that, “Maryland environmentalists have been impressed by Governor O’Malley’s record, but drastic reductions in Metro service would increase our dependence on cars, discourage mixed use development around transit centers and lead to more sprawl.” He makes the case that, “Even in times of severe budget constraint and painful choices, it is critical to maintain today’s level of Metro service. A well-funded Metro that moves people more efficiently than cars can is our best transportation strategy for the region.”

The FairShareForMetro.com campaign has called upon local governments to provide the funds necessary to prevent service cuts at Metro, which the groups' letter described as a "vital asset for our region." Unless all jurisdictions agree to boost funding, the cuts will happen.

Tyson's Corner Statement for the Fairfax Planning Commission's Public Hearing

Wed, 21 Apr 2010 11:41:50 -0400

Tyson's Corner Statement for the Fairfax Planning Commission's Public Hearing

The Sierra Club, speaking for the 3500 members of the Great Falls Group, is supportive of the broad vision and level of development advanced by staff and the Tyson’s Corner Committee of a vibrant urban center that is a desirable place to live with the full range of activities, and is highly accessible by many travel modes. There are many good features in this plan.

While recognizing the vision for full development of Tyson's Corner is targeted for 2050, we support the shorter planning horizon of 20 years aimed at completing an interim level of development for a couple reasons. First, there is less uncertainty in the shorter period which lowers the risk of error. Second, it provides the county more flexibility later when additional planning would have to occur. Among the Intensity Alternatives (Pgs 28-29) 3 and 4 reflect the 20-year horizon. Of those options we support 3A provided some changes (noted below) are made regarding transportation project schedules. If the suggested changes cannot be made, we would support 4A. Another alternative was presented to the Tyson’s Committee by staff on April 15, but is not reflected in the plan text. We believe some aspects of that approach, such as treating office different from residential, may have merit.

We are hopeful adjustments can be made to permit this shorter-term plan to be implemented without losing the longer-term vision. In that regard, we have identified two concerns we want addressed. One is about the pattern of development. The other is transportation. We feel very strongly that development must be concentrated within the half-mile radii of the station areas. While that has always been the intent of the Tyson’s Committee, it may be even more important in a shortened horizon because other aspects of the plan may be delayed such that the idea of concentration becomes more critical.

Throughout the planning process, the greatest attention has been placed on land use aspects aimed at establishing an urban environment, which is good. But transportation has been dealt with as one among several infrastructure elements. If Tysons is to become an urban center, it should be envisioned as a hub, it must be well connected in all directions to other centers. As such residents, workers and visitors should see Tysons as a transit community. Therefore, we should create the expectation and reality sooner, not later.

The transportation analysts and VDOT now agree that the final vision is not possible without additional high-quality transit and a very robust bicycle network, not only within Tysons, but extending to other locations beyond its borders. Some of this transit should be in place as close as possible to the opening of the Silver Line because we need to move people from several directions into and out of Tyson’s but also because we need to change the commuting patterns at Tysons. However, Table 8 includes “Neighborhood bus routes” (2013-2020) and shows only the circulators plus I-66 and I-95/I-495 (which become BRT routes after 2020). We suggest the section on transit in the 2013-2020 period be expanded to include high-quality express buses (if not legitimate BRT) to HOT-Lane accessible destinations along I-495, to I-270, and on major arterials such as Rts 7 and 123. Indeed, the TIGER grant obtained by the Council of Governments covers one of these, Rt 7 east, and VDOT noted the need in the 527 report. Another route to consider for an early bus upgrade, at least as an interim measure, is along Gallows Road to Merrifield (or beyond).

Recognizing transit can take years to plan, our support for both planning horizons is contingent on the county making a firm commitment to adding additional transit, both bus and a north-south rail line, i.e. the Purple Line, and one other line TBD to other regional activity centers prior to the anticipated 2030 replanning point. Such transit planning must begin immediately after this plan is approved.

We remain concerned that Table 8 continues to show an early reliance in road expansion which could contribute to inducing more driving, thereby worsening mobility. Making Tyson’s functional will be aided by giving pedestrians and bicycle riders priority over cars. One major solution is to reduce the cross-sectional width of the boulevards planned for Rts 7 and 123, so they will be less dangerous to cross.

We are pleased the Tyson’s Metro Access Plan for infrastructure improvements is now being developed, but the Comprehensive Plan should show these improvements are needed much earlier. The county should perform a traffic impact evaluation of earlier completion of the non-auto network and the possibility that some of the road expansions could be dropped for a net avoidance of cost and impervious surface. This is a low-risk approach because it would be far easier to correct for than the case in which more highways than necessary were built.

Creating a transit-oriented development hinges greatly on establishing a balance among several critical elements, such as among the mix of uses as well as the balance between development and the supporting infrastructure. Under the 20-year horizon it will be important to drive the existing imbalances toward the intended balances in a very proactive approach to phasing. The Implementing Entity, or Partnership, is properly identified to preside over the monitoring of various data elements as stated in the land use chapter. Certain characteristics of interest (COI) for Tyson’s should be identified and derived from the data, such as: travel mode shares; categories of uses including residential, commercial, retail and community or public uses; jobs to housing ratios; and breakdowns by district and TOD/non-TOD areas where development is occurring. Additionally, the Partnership should prepare information on infrastructure expenditures such as the street grid and bicycle/pedestrian facilities while noting where each is occurring.

Some measured characteristics have stated numerical goals for the final year of the planned horizon. The Partnership should develop trend lines between the current and targeted goals of the 20-year horizon for each of the COI. Some trends may be ratios or other composites between pairs of values which are determined to best inform the Partnership. As the plan undergoes implementation, the partnership should update the current values for each trended COI, as well as an estimation of what the values will be upon completion of submitted development applications. The values should be compared to the appropriate point on the established trend line for each COI. If one or more COI have deviated more than (for example) 10% from the expected point on the trend line, new development should be postponed pending a Board-approved plan for correcting those factors. All data from monitoring, processing and comparisons shall be open and available to the general public.

Regarding the phasing language in the draft plan, we see merit in each of the Alternatives A-D (Pgs 37-40), and believe elements of several could be used. For example, a Tyson’s-wide CDA could be used for improvements which have broad significance such as stormwater or the circulator. While others such as public facilities, including schools and parks, might be better covered by a district CDA. Phasing development with infrastructure is essential, but it must be more than transportation, although it might be important to be more precise for transportation.

Regarding the Partnership makeup as stakeholders, we believe the composition should include representatives of the regional interest, the surrounding neighborhoods and the environment. The Partnership should have first review of zoning applications, precipitate and provide oversight on consolidations and manage the TDM program. The charter stating their authority is weak, and should be more defined.

Lastly, we support the requirement for mandatory green building at the Silver level with bonuses for higher levels. If the residential requirements are incorporated up front as opposed to being an add-on to a building design, we do not believe it will add greatly to the cost for developers.

We commend the Planning Commission, the Task Force and the Citizens for providing a high-quality process and product for planning this important part of our region.

Letter to Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley

Wed, 21 Apr 2010 11:06:43 -0400

The Honorable Martin O’Malley  State House 100 State Circle Annapolis, MD 21401

Dear Governor O’Malley:

We are extremely concerned about the impact of possible cuts to Metro service and urge that you find the additional $30 million in the Transportation Trust Fund necessary to avert any service cuts. The letters to you from legislators serving Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, along with the Washington Post editorial, and the abundant e-mails from Marylanders, show the breadth of concern.

All other jurisdictions are moving toward providing their shares of the proposed, region-wide $74 million increase in Metro funding. Officials representing Arlington and Fairfax counties, the City of Alexandria and the District of Columbia have made public comments (noted following this letter) favorable toward this increase. As you know, no jurisdiction will commit to providing extra funds if another indicates it is rejecting the idea. This leaves it up to Maryland to assure that our transit system remains viable.

Failure to act would be disastrous. Metro is the economic engine for the entire DC region, and is crucial to Montgomery and Prince George’s counties. Hence, reducing Metro service threatens much of Maryland’s tax base. From day one, the proposed service cuts would anger Metro passengers. A reduction of eight car trains to six cars at peak hours would make it simply impossible to carry the number of commuters who currently take Metro. This would force more cars onto our already congested roads. Other cuts would hurt just as much, such as the half hour evening waits for trains, which is likely to drive away passengers in droves. As a whole, these cuts would send Metro into the “death spiral” of shrinking service and shrinking revenue that former Metro General Manager Richard White warned about in 2004.

Maryland environmentalists have been impressed with your record, particularly regarding the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act and the Governor’s Commission on Climate Change. Yet we are worried that a reduced Metro would undo much of the good you have done, leading to more cars, more congestion, more greenhouse gas emissions, and more local pollution. It would mean a shrinking of the entire system around which Smart Growth is based. In the long run, this new car dependence would encourage sprawl, as mixed use development around transit centers would no longer make sense. Because public transit moves people so much more efficiently than automobiles do, it is unlikely that any transportation strategy would keep the region moving other than one based upon a well-funded Metro.

Even in a time of severe budget constraint and extremely painful choices, it is critical to keep Metro running at today’s level of service. Metro customers, shouldering an $89 million rate increase, will be doing more than their fair share to keep Metro running. Representatives of one jurisdiction after another have signaled a strong willingness to do theirs. As this momentum continues, we, the below signatories urge you to make sure that the State of Maryland does its share in providing the last, crucial piece to ensure a fully functioning Metro.

Dave O’Leary
Vice Chair
Maryland Sierra Club

David Hauck
Chair, Executive Committee
Montgomery County Sierra Club

David Alpert
Founder and Editor
Greater Greater Washington

Ben Ross
President
Action Committee for Transit

Stewart Schwartz
Executive Director
Coalition for Smarter Growth

Brad Heavner
State Director
Environment Maryland  Johanna Neumann Executive Director Maryland PIRG  Carol Silldorff, M.P.A. Executive Director One Less Car

This Week in Transportation

Mon, 19 Apr 2010 14:42:54 -0400

Monday, April 19th

I-66 Forum sponsored by U.S. Rep. Frank Wolf (R-10th) and Supervisors Patrick Herrity (R-Springfield) and Michael Frey (R-Sully)
Fairfax County Government Center, Board of Supervisors Auditorium
7.00 pm -

Tuesday, April 20th

Streetcar Community Meeting (Facebook Event)
Wheatley Elementary School is located at 1299 Neal Street NE
6.30 pm -

CSG Forum: San Francisco's Innovative Parking Program -- An Update from Jeff Tumlin of Nelson/Nygaard
1250 H Street NW #1000
5.00 pm - 7.00 pm

Resurrect Mass Transit Vigil
Addison Road Metro Station (Central Avenue and Addison Road, Seat Pleasant
6.00 pm - 7.00 pm

Wednesday, April 21st

Tysons Corner Planning Commission Public Hearing (Facebook Event)
Fairfax County Government Center, Board of Supervisors Auditorium
7.30 pm - 1.00 am (Yes, Roger and I will be there until about 1 am)

Transportation Planning Board Monthly Meeting
COG Office
12.00 pm - 2.00 pm

Committee on Oversight and Government Reform to Examine WMATA Challenges
Room 2154 Rayburn House Office Building
10.00 am -

Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling (FABB) Monthly Meeting
Patrick Henry Library, 101 Maple Avenue East Vienna
8.00 pm -

Thursday, April 22nd

Metro Board of Directors Meeting
600 5th Street NW
1.00 pm -

Earth Day In DC (Contact Phillip if you are interested)
Department of Energy Office
11.00 am - 1.00 pm

Northern Virginia Streetcar Coalition - Informational Meeting
Hilton Mark Center, 5000 Seminary Road
7.00 pm - 9.00 pm

Friday, April 23rd

Washington Area Bicyclist Association Gala and Benefit
Austrian Embassy located at 3524 International Court NW
7.00 pm -

Saturday, April 24th

There are too many Earth Day Events to list......Enjoy a wonderful weekend

This Week in Transportation

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 16:00:43 -0400

Monday, April 12th

Montgomery County EXCOM Meeting
103 North Adams Street, Rockville, MD
7.30 pm - 9.30 pm

Tuesday, April 13th

Action Committee for Transit Monthly Meeting
Silver Spring Center, 8818 Georgia Ave
7.30 pm -

Mount Vernon EXCOM Meeting
Email Phillip for Details
7.00 pm -

Wednesday, April 14th

Arlington Pedestrian Advisory Committee
Courthouse Plaza, 2100 Clarendon Boulevard
7.00 pm - 9.00 pm

Council of Governments Board of Director Meeting
COG Office
12.00 pm - 2.00 pm

Thursday, April 15th

DC Budget Hearing on WMATA
John A. Wilson Building; 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.; Washington, DC 20004
2.00 pm - 6.00 pm

Tyson's Corner Committee Meeting
Fairfax County Government Center
7.30 pm -

Rethink Montgomery
Park and Planning Headquarters, 8787 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring
7.30 pm -

2.2 Million Square Feet Coming to the Red Line
Urban Land Institute, 1101 Higgins Place Rockville, MD
6.30 pm - 9.30 pm

Saturday, April 17th

Green in the Park
Dupont Circle
11.00 am - 4.00 pm

Sunday, April 18th

Greenbelt Bike Tour
Greenbelt Metro Station
1.30 pm - 4.30 pm

Connecticut Avenue Pedestrian Action Community Get-Together
Sunday, April 18, 3-5pm