Land Use Reality

National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB) studies show:

71% of all existing and future jobs in metropolitan Washington area are and will be located in major activities served by existing major transportation (road and transit) corridors.
31 % of all housing is currently located in a similar manner.
In the next 25 years (2030) the region is projected to add 1.6 million more people (33%) and 1.2 more jobs (40% )
80% of the homes/offices/stores that will exist in 2030 are in place today

Of the remaining 20%:

Half is in the pipeline and unlikely to change.
A quarter or more is likely to follow existing patterns.
The remaining quarter might be re-focused near transit or highway hubs.

A study by the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission (Hampton Roads’ TPB counterpart) that incorporated aggressive land use and public transit strategies concluded that land use and public transit alone are not adequate substitutes for planned transportation investments --

“An HRPDC Smart Growth Study released in 2003 concluded that, while aggressive ‘Smart Growth’ strategies would reduce (2026) congestion and emissions (levels), no planned improvements could be removed for the 2026 Long Range Transportation Plan.”

Hampton Roads Planning District Commission
December 2005