Creating Livable Communities -
Links and Resources

Washington, D.C. Area Organizations

Coalition for Smarter Growth
Made up of over 40 organizations working to fight sprawl and promote livable communities and transportation choices in the Washington DC region. 1777 Church St, NW, Washington, DC 20036, Phone: (202) 588-5570, Fax: (202) 588-5676, e-mail: email@smartergrowth.net

Fairfax Coalition for Smarter Growth
"...A volunteer non-profit citizens' organization, [which] believes that urban sprawl and its attendant traffic congestion in Fairfax County have reached a critical juncture. The Coalition advocates action now to implement more sensible transportation and land use policies that will reduce our dependence on automobiles, increase our use of mass transit, create pedestrian-friendly communities in Fairfax County, preserve our remaining open spaces."

Making the Most of Metro — Community Building Through Transit *
"It's time to use Metro to foster a sense of community and provide an alternative to suburban sprawl and traffic congestion....Transit-oriented development (also known as pedestrian-oriented development) around Metro stations provides a mix of housing, shops, offices, parks and plazas in a walkable environment." A brochure by the Washington Regional Network for Livable Communities and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. *PDF format

NewTrains.org
A national organization that promotes new train systems across America. A new train network is the most effective way to curb sprawl, and goes hand in hand with smart growth, creating livable communities, economic sustainability, environmental protection, human rights, and sustainable community design. When planned together with compact, walkable forms of development, trains solve many serious problems facing society.

New Urbanism – Creating Livable Communities
New Urbanism promotes the creation and restoration of diverse, walkable, compact, vibrant, mixed-use communities composed of the same components as conventional development, but assembled in a more integrated fashion, in the form of complete communities. These contain housing, work places, shops, entertainment, schools, parks, and civic facilities essential to the daily lives of the residents, all within easy walking distance of each other. New Urbanism promotes the increased use of trains and light rail, instead of more highways and roads. Urban living is rapidly becoming the new hip and modern way to live for people of all ages. Currently, there are over 500 New Urbanist projects planned or under construction in the United States alone, half of which are in historic urban centers.

One Less Car
Maryland Campaign for Bicycling and Walking. "We are your neighbors and friends who want to improve the quality life for us all by helping to reclaim our basic right to freedom of mobility. We are committed to reversing the harm done to our collective well being, the unraveling of our neighborhoods and communities, and the increased risks we face daily due to our focus on the automobile at the exclusion of other modes. We advocate for providing safe and effective cycling and walking for all citizens through education, lobbying, and facilitation between our communities, governments, and state and local representatives.

Smart Growth Begins at the Local Level (MWCOG)
"This multimedia video and Web site was developed to inform and educate elected officials, civic groups, the development community and citizens about the land use and transportation challenges currently facing the region. The accepted principles of “Smart Growth” are candidly introduced and discussed in the context of the varied and distinct communities across the region."

Washington Regional Network for Livable Communities
WRN advocates transportation investments, land use policies, and community designs that enhance existing communities and the environment of the National Capital Region. WRN's goal is to create and sustain a network of walkable, bikeable communities linked by quality transit, laced with parks, and surrounded by greenspace, with the District of Columbia as the hub of the region. 1777 Church St., NW, Washington, DC 20036, Phone: (202) 667-5445, Fax: (202) 667-4491, e-mail: staff@washingtonregion.net.

National and International Organizations

Coalition for Alternative Transportation
An educational charity working to improve mobility. Improved walking, bicycling and transit mean a stronger economy and a better quality of life. More transportation choices can prevent congestion, reduce pollution and would mean fewer auto crash deaths, too. Curbing our use of the automobile can fight problems such as suburban sprawl, obesity and high medical costs. (PA)

Congress for the New Urbanism
Advocates the restructuring of public policy and development practices to support the restoration of existing urban centers and towns within coherent metropolitan regions. New Urbanist neighborhoods are walkable, and contain a diverse range of housing and jobs. New Urbanists support regional planning for open space, appropriate architecture and planning, and the balanced development of jobs and housing. They believe these strategies are the best way to reduce how long people spend in traffic, to increase the supply of affordable housing, and to rein in urban sprawl. (San Francisco, CA)

Less Traffic
This site aims to be on the cutting edge of reducing traffic in our cities and reclaiming our streets for play, celebration, community building and economic vitality. It promotes ideas, resources and practical experiments that go beyond 1st generation traffic calming.

Northeast Sustainable Energy Association
"...The nations's leading regional membership organization focused on promoting the understanding, development, and adoption of energy conservation and non-polluting, renewable energy technologies. We work to bring clean electricity, green transportation, and healthy, efficient buildings into everyday use in order to improve the environment, protect human health, and nurture local economies."

Rail~Volution, Inc.
The mission of Rail~Volution is to provide a forum that engages the public to build collaboratively a diverse coalition dedicated to building livable communities with transit, through education, advocacy and increasing overall federal, state and local funds available for transit.

Self-Propelled City
A site for "...all working on a self-propelled future in our urban environments."

Smart Growth America
A nationwide coalition promoting a better way to grow; one that protects farmland and open space, revitalizes neighborhoods, keeps housing affordable, and makes communities more livable.

Sprawl Watch Clearinghouse
Their mission is to make the tools, techniques, and strategies developed to manage growth, accessible to citizens, grassroots organizations, environmentalists, public officials, planners, architects, the media and business leaders.

Walkable Communities, Inc.
A non-profit corporation organized to help communities of whatever size to become more walkable and pedestrian friendly.

CarFreeDay.net
On September 22nd each year, 100s of towns and cities across Europe host Car Free Day Events. In some countries every Sunday is a Car Free Day! At present, there are only a few small events in the UK.

Carfree.com
The web site that goes with the book. Carfree Cities proposes a delightful solution to the vexing problem of urban automobiles.

The New Colonist
Explores environmental and lifestyle issues for dedicated city lovers, urban activists, and refugees from sprawl development. Includes feature articles, essays, interactive surveys, and city guides, written with an emphasis on community life and sustainability.

San Francisco Chronicle
An Illusion of Auto Freedom, by Carolyn Lochhead, June 4, 2000.

Moving Ahead – The American Public Speaks on Roadways and Transportation in Communities
In 2001, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) conducted surveys asking the American public about travel and transportation on the nation's roads. Take a look at the report on what citizens had to say about the nation's highways, transportation in our communities, and roads in and around national parks and forests, as well as how the public wants transportation agencies to focus resources and attention in maintaining and improving the state of transportation in our nation.

The Victoria Transport Policy Institute
"An independent research organization dedicated to developing innovative and practical solutions to transportation problems. We provide a variety of resources available free at this Web site to help improve transportation planning and policy analysis." Included in the resources on this site is an online Transportation Demand Management Encyclopedia.

Virginia Transit Association
VTA is a coalition of transit professionals and professionals from public and private organizations who know that public transportation is important to the individual mobility, a clean environment, and livable communities.

@World Car Free Days Collaborative
Open Platform for International Cooperation & Support.