Transportation and Land Use Planning in the Metropolitan Washington Region

The Metropolitan Washington Region includes Suburban Maryland, Northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. Transportation planning is conducted at the state and regional level while land use planning is done locally. A recently approved planning framework that integrates long-range transportation and land use plans offers guidance on how to better balance land use and transportation within a multi-state region. Regional activity centers and clusters form the basis of this planning framework. The region is further challenged by increased travel demand, changing travel patterns and funding shortages. The next long-range transportation plan update offers opportunities to address these challenges.