The future quality of life in the National Capital Region will be based on accessibility. Over the next 40 years the region is expected to grow, adding nearly two million more people. The majority of this growth will be located in emerging and existing Regional Activity Centers scattered throughout the region. These Activity Centers will be home to desirable, compact neighborhoods with parks and mixed-use development, such as shops, workplaces, and other destinations where people live, work and play.
Each Activity Center will be connected by transit such as Metrorail, new light-rail and/or bus-rapid transit, offering a broad range of transportation choices for residents. With additional housing and jobs in Regional Activity Centers more people will have the choice to walk, bike, or take transit to commute and get around their neighborhood. The majority of new housing in these areas will be townhouses, multi-family homes, and single-family homes on small lots.
Improved housing choices will create more mixed-income communities. Each Activity Center will have public spaces, including plazas, outdoor markets, and parks that are unique to its local history and culture.
Directing new growth to these Regional Activity Centers will help reduce suburban sprawl and protect the environment. More people and jobs in Activity Centers combined with greater investment of transportation infrastructure and services will create a truly accessible environment. In particular, future investment in transit will link Regional Activity Centers to one another and cut travel times. These planning efforts will reduce money needed to expand major highways, in favor of improvements and programs that would provide alternatives to driving.