Sprawling Loudoun County, Virginia, will get Metro rail

After bitter debate, the all-Republican Loudoun County Board of Supervisors has decided to bring the Washington Metro rail system into the traffic-choked, 325,000-population county. The Koch brothers' "Americans for Prosperity" inundated county residents with anti-rail robocalls, Washington City Paper said in an incisive article about contention over whether commuter rail should be embraced by one of the nation's wealthiest and fastest-growing counties. A Tea Party-style, anti-tax contingent tried to block rail and its costs, as evidenced by the "pig" shown above. Ultimately, The Washington Post reported, the county resolved the issue by deciding that the rail extension should be paid for through a special tax on commercial and undeveloped land surrounding the future Metro stations. The extension will make it possible for the first time for travelers and workers to reach Dulles International Airport via the rail system. 

For more in-depth coverage: 

• Subscribe to Better! Cities & Towns to read all of the articles (print+online) on implementation of greener, stronger, cities and towns.

• See the June 2012 issue of Better! Cities & Towns.Topics: Michigan placemaking initiative, Affordable housing around transit, Unnoticed New Urbanism, Housing pressures in Massachusetts city, LA looks at displacement, Waiting for the recovery, Running bike-share, Homeownership and TND, Live-work planning, the Great Inversion, Freeway teardown.

• Get New Urbanism: Best Practices Guide, packed with more than 800 informative photos, plans, tables, and other illustrations, this book is the best single guide to implementing better cities and towns.