Transportation and Land Use Reform in Virginia
Where are we growing?
A report on land use and transportation in Virginia
Virginia is being rapidly transformed. The Commonwealth's strong quality of life has helped to drive population growth, land development and economic prosperity that are reshaping the state. This tremendous growth has brought many benefits, but sprawling development patterns and escalating traffic problems are causing severe fiscal, economic, social, health and environmental impacts that threaten the very things that make Virginia so attractive.
Read the report (pdf; 43 pages)
Read the summary article in Virginia chapter of the American Planning Association (July-Aug 2002) (pdf)
As part of SELC's Land and Community Project, we released a report on June 27, 2002 that provides a comprehensive examination of the trends shaping the Commonwealth. Where Are We Growing? Land Use and Transportation in Virginia, compiles data from a variety of sources and presents a fresh look at growth trends, impacts, and alternatives in Virginia.
Among other things, the report finds:
- If Virginia continues to grow at the current rate, more land will be developed in the next 40 years than was developed in the previous 400 years.
- People in Virginia drive almost 205 million miles each day, the equivalent of driving farther than to the sun and back every day.
- The serious impacts of current trends include air pollution that threatens the health of hundreds of thousands of Virginians.
The report also identifies some of the efforts underway to capture the benefits of growth without incurring the costs of poorly-planned development, including protecting open space and farmland, revitalizing existing communities, and developing meaningful transportation alternatives to having to drive everywhere.
According to Dr. Gary Johnson, an urban studies expert at Virginia Commonwealth University, "This report is the most comprehensive look yet at the transportation, land use, and other growth related challenges facing the Commonwealth. It is 'must reading' for the Governor and other state and local policy makers interested in positioning Virginia for a prosperous 21st century, while maintaining the excellent quality of life we currently enjoy."
