Arlington, Virginia, and Silver Spring, Maryland, are two cities in the rapidly growing Washington D.C. metro area that are bucking the trend of handling growth by sprawl and moving towards Smart Growth policies.
"Arlington's Clarendon Corridor is a model for Smart Growth. In the two-mile strip there are four Metro stops, major commuting roads have been diverted around the city center, and development is a mix of business and residential. Nearby Silver Spring, long stagnant, has finally entered renaissance following Smart Growth policies, but must overcome mass transit and traffic issues for fully-integrated solutions."
"'In the late 1980s and early ‘90s, Silver Spring was still dead' explains Gary Stith, director of the Silver Spring Regional Center. The turnaround came with aggressive Smart Growth policies following a 1998 Maryland statewide initiative."
"The heart of the revitalization is the new downtown that combines revitalized architecture with new buildings, fountains, restaurants and upscale shops. On weekends, people pour in from nearby Prince George's County, and the town center pulses with shoppers and live music."
FULL STORY: Smart Growth: A Tale of Two Cities in Maryland and Virginia

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

Amtrak Rolls Out New Orleans to Alabama “Mardi Gras” Train
The new service will operate morning and evening departures between Mobile and New Orleans.

The Subversive Car-Free Guide to Trump's Great American Road Trip
Car-free ways to access Chicagoland’s best tourist attractions.

San Antonio and Austin are Fusing Into one Massive Megaregion
The region spanning the two central Texas cities is growing fast, posing challenges for local infrastructure and water supplies.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont