Defense Department-Induced Sprawl

Base closure and reallignment plan with relocated thousands to suburbs and beyond.

1 minute read

May 16, 2005, 2:00 PM PDT

The Pentagon recently released plan to close or consolidate hundreds of military facilities will have devasting repercussions on efforts to contain sprawl in the Washington, D.C. region. If the plan is adopted, more than 18,00o jobs will be relocated to Fort Belvoir, Virginia, a base not served by transit and that is already plagued by congestion problems. "No rezoning has ever had the impact that this one decision will have on our community . . . and it is a step backward from a transit-oriented point of view," said Gerald E. Connolly (D), the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors chairman. Local officials have called for an extension of the regional subway, Metro, to Fort Belvoir. Neverthelss, the plan will drastically change the behavior of thousands. "It will change people's perceptions about where they can live and where they should live relative to their jobs," said Christopher J. Miller, executive director of the Piedmont Environmental Council.

Thanks to Peter Buryk

Read the full story: Base Plan Undercuts Sprawl Battle

Sunday, May 15, 2005 in The Washington Post

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