Transportation and Land Use Reform in Virginia
Where are we growing?
A report on land use and transportation in Richmond
If the Richmond area continues to develop land at the current rate - more than 200 acres a week - more land will be developed in the next 20 years than was developed in the last 400 years. This is one of the trends revealed in a new report, Where Are We Growing? Land Use and Transportation in the Greater Richmond Region, by the Southern Environmental Law Center.
Read the report (pdf; 45 pages)
Other facts:
- The Richmond region is consuming land four times faster than the population is growing, and faster than any other region of the state in recent years.
- The Richmond area has the highest driving rate, more freeway lane miles, and more total road miles per capita than any other major metro area in Virginia.
From rising traffic congestion, to the taxpayer cost for sprawling growth, to the loss of farmland and natural areas, transportation and land use are among the most pressing issues in the region. SELC's report compiles and analyzes data from a variety of sources, including dozens of interviews, and presents a fresh look at growth trends, impacts, and alternatives in the region's 13 localities. The report also summarizes the rising public concern with these trends and identifies some of the efforts to capture the benefits of growth without incurring the costs of poorly planned development.
This report was made possible by lead grants from the Robins Foundation and the Richmond Community Foundation, along with support from the Virginia Environmental Endowment.
