Celebratory banner highlighting that Maryland Transit & Housing Opportunity Act (HB894) passed the General Assembly and now awaits Gov Moore's signature! HB894 removes barriers to providing transit-oriented new homes and businesses near Metro, Purple Line, MARC Penn Line, and Baltimore area light rail and subway stations. CSG supporters sent 786 emails to elected officials, made phone calls, and submitted testimony supporting our priority MD bills! Photo: CSG Maryland dream team!

🎉Big win for Marylanders!

MD Transit & Housing Opportunity Act (HB894) is officially on its way to Governor Moore’s desk!

The bill removes barriers to transit-oriented homes and businesses near Metro, Purple Line, MARC Penn Line, and Baltimore area light rail and subway stations.

Survey: Most Americans Are Open To Ditching Their Cars — Streetsblog USA Automakers have spent a century and countless trillions of dollars making car-dependent living the American norm. But U.S. resident still aren't sold, a new survey suggests.

“The majority of Americans are open to living car-free even after decades of car-centric planning, a new survey finds…A stunning 18% of car-owning U.S. residents indicated that they were ‘strongly interested’ in living car-free, and another 40% said that they were ‘open’ to it.” @usa.streetsblog.org

Copenhagen has taken bicycle commuting to a whole new level Cycling has been a part of that good life in Copenhagen for decades. In recent years, it has enjoyed yet another unfathomable surge in popularity — taken to the next level thanks to constantly improvi...

“Copenhagen reported that 62% of its residents are now commuting to work or school by bike — an increase from 52% in 2015 & 36% in 2012, when the City Council launched a 14-year-plan to improve the quality, safety & comfort of cycling.”

#Copenhagen chose. They keep choosing even better every year.

Bike lanes don’t cause congestion, cars do - Halifax Examiner If our premier and HRM mayor truly want to demonstrate fiscal responsibility they’d build those bike lanes faster, because the cost of car-centric infrastructure is unsustainable.

“Even as the cost of infrastructure for active transportation is being used as a reason for inaction, evidence is accumulating that when the full economic cost is considered, driving costs society more, while cycling and other forms of active transportation save society money.”— @sflkirk.bsky.social

Forget EVs. Cycling is revolutionising transport Pedal power is booming, spinning up a new culture war

“In London cyclists now outnumber cars in the City by 2 to 1. Paris, where they now outnumber motorists across the whole city, is catching up with Europe’s traditional bike capitals, Amsterdam & Copenhagen…In Copenhagen, bikes account for almost half of commuter trips to work/school.” @economist.com

Everyone in the DC area - if you love our Metro, write to your local and state elected officials including the MD & VA Governors to urge them to increase both capital and operating for Metro, buses, and commuter rail. Look for an updated alert from us soon. @betterdcregion.bsky.social

TY @yonahfreemark.com for your excellent summary of the success of Metro @wmata.com including transit-oriented development. Since 1997 our Coalition for Smarter Growth @betterdcregion.bsky.social has led campaigns for dozens of TOD plans & projects. Kudos for our officials for saying yes to TOD!

CSG is here for safer streets!

Video. New Paris mayor Emmanuel Grégoire cycles to city hall after election win Video. Emmanuel Grégoire heads to Paris City Hall on a rental bike after winning the mayoral election.

New Paris mayor Emmanuel Grégoire cycles to city hall after election win

You've probably heard—removal of the a section of the 15th St Protected bike lane is scheduled to start monday.

See how we're fighting back and how you can help: waba.org/2026/03/20/1...

TL;DR:
✅ Lawyers
✅ Petition
✅ Rally with us on Monday.

WABA (WASHINGTON AREA BICYCLIST ASSOCIATION) website with a modified version of the Gadsden flag with a snake with a bike helmet on, underneath it says DONT TREAD ON MY BIKE LANE

Safe bike infrastructure saves lives. Please take thirty seconds to sign @waba.org’s petition to save DC’s 15th Street bike lanes:

🚲 waba.org/action-page/...

kid with backpack in front of truck Road Safety Experts Asking Parents Not To Put Kids In Front Of Large Vehicles For Photos

"Road Safety Experts Asking Parents Not To Put Kids In Front Of Large Vehicles For Photos"

Housing bills to boost supply, protect tenants on way to Spanberger’s desk • Virginia Mercury Addressing housing affordability and stock issues was a Spanberger campaign promise as Democrats made gains in state government last year.

This is YOUR win! (🧵⬇️)

Virginia’s “Faith in Housing” bill passed this weekend with bipartisan support and is headed to Gov. Spanberger’s desk.

This wouldn't be possible without advocates like you who answered our call to action and messaged your legislators to get the bill across the finish line.

Urgent: email today to secure transit funding in VA - Coalition For Smarter Growth Without this funding, we will see fare hikes and service cuts during a time when frequent, reliable, and affordable transit is more important than ever.

🚨 Urgent action alert: tell Virginia state legislators to fully fund transit so we can avoid fare hikes and service cuts.

Affordable transit matters more than ever. Strong transit systems support working families, businesses, and access to opportunity.

Tell your state legislators to fund transit 📢

We need volunteers for our Livable Communities Leadership Awards & Reception!

Volunteer with fellow advocates, planners, and partners as we work together to shape a more livable future for all.

Sign up today: secure.everyaction.com/zvhj4Qp1106D...

DC Zoning Commission advances alley lot reforms saying they want more housing wherever they can get it! Key reform: eliminating parking requirements for all alley lot developments for housing. Important win.

Protected Bike Lanes Increase Safety, Save Money And Protect The Planet, New Report Finds Investing in protected bicycle lanes has significant potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, lower transport costs, prevent road fatalities, and improve the quality of life for people in cities ...

STUDY: “Bicycle lanes reduce GHG emissions as effectively as highways create them.”

“Investing in networks of protected bicycle lanes has significant potential to reduce GHG emissions, lower transport costs, prevent road fatalities, & improve quality of life for people in cities around the globe.”

Simple information about what the SAVE Act would actually do to American voters. Tens of millions would lose their right to vote unless they spend lots of $$$ and jump through bureaucratic hoops before November.

Annex businesses tell Ford to back off Bloor bike lanes Stores in the Annex say the Bloor bike lanes have been a big boost to business. As Michelle Mackey reports, the neighborhood's BIA wants the province to back off its new bill that could see the lanes ...

WATCH: If your city is having a bike-lane debate that’s more about ideology than evidence, watch this news story from Toronto. The Province is attacking bike-lanes, and the local business community takes their arguments apart with data and smart messaging.

Safe bike-lanes mean business. #UrbanTruth

The cost of driving one vehicle for a year in 2025 reached $12,000 in the U.S.—and with gas prices surging again, that number is climbing fast. Maybe there's another way?
momentummag.com/high-gas-pri...

CSG news: Spring into action with us! - Coalition For Smarter Growth Spring is finally just around the corner, and things are definitely heating up at both the MD and VA General Assemblies and in our local communities. Let's tackle the action items ahead together!

Spring is finally just around the corner, and things are definitely heating up at both the MD and VA General Assemblies and in our local communities.

Let’s tackle the action items ahead together!

Check out the latest newsletter:
www.smartergrowth.net/resources/ne...

Tune in 3/12 to DC Zoning Commission - they might approve a revised proposal (which we & allies advocated for) to remove parking requirements from alley lot developments. This would be huge!

Livable Communities Leadership Awards & Reception - Coalition For Smarter Growth Please join us for our Prince Livable Communities Leadership Award & Reception!  We’ll be gathering in the heart of Downtown DC on the rooftop of the beautiful Martin Luther King […]

Join CSG on May 13th for the 2026 Livable Communities Leadership Award & Reception.

Celebrate visionary changemakers who are advancing sustainable, walkable, and equitable communities across the region.

Wed., May 13, 6-8:00 pm
Martin Luther King Jr. Library

www.smartergrowth.net/event/livabl...

“That suggests that in many places, paint-only lanes are routinely being installed in environments that most people would not consider comfortable." Re: new bike lane study.
momentummag.com/study-finds-...

The Top Countries on the World Happiness Report Love Riding Bicycles.
momentummag.com/the-top-coun...

person biking in a protected bike lane in a city SOMETIMES THE BEST WAY TO REMOVE BARRIERS... IS TO ADD SOME

Barriers.

Now let's go win more transportation and housing options for Maryland residents!

New NBER paper finds that US crash deaths rise by ~15% on dates of major album releases.

Distraction from smartphones is a likely culprit.

www.nber.org/papers/w34866

Don't miss this week's chances to plug into organizing around the city: 51st.news/chocolate-ci...

New meta-analysis of 26 published studies concludes that AVs will lead people to use cars a lot more — which would thicken congestion and worsen pollution (even if AVs are electric).

"AV deployment is anticipated to lead to an overall increase in Vehicle Miles Traveled."

doi.org/10.1016/j.tb...