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PRINCETON UNIVERSITY
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Telephone 609-258-3601; Fax 609-258-1301Contact:
Christopher Taylor, 609-430-9115
Patricia Coen, 609-258-5764
Date: February 10, 1999
Maryland Governor Adopts New $3 Million Program Recommended by Woodrow Wilson School Undergraduates
PRINCETON, N.J. -- A group of juniors at Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs had the rare satisfaction of seeing the recommendations they made as part of a class project quickly become part of a program established by Maryland Gov. Parris N. Glendening.
Their class, "Transportation and Land Use" led by former Amtrak CEO Thomas Downs, a visiting professor at the school, met with Glendening in Annapolis on January 5 to present recommendations they had developed during a semester of studying Maryland's pioneering "Smart Growth" program. Glendening's Smart Growth program has attracted national attention from Vice President Al Gore and others as an innovative new model for controlling suburban sprawl and urban decay.
"One of the group's proposals was for the state transportation department to actively promote mixed-use development around existing transit stops," explained Christopher Taylor, a graduate student pursuing a master of public affairs degree, who served as the class's graduate student consultant. "Research and experience have shown that more people will choose to take the train when stations are within walking distance of stores, child care centers, dry cleaners, housing and other amenities."
On January 29, the governor's office issued a press release announcing "Governor Glendening Promotes Smart Growth by Adding $3 Million for Transit Station Developments." The $3 million will be used to develop the land around transit stations, to encourage the development of private retail businesses, offices, and services such as childcare.
Downs sent a copy of the governor's press release to each of the students with a note that said, "[The governor] said he enjoyed the presentation and got a number of ideas from it." Downs also noted that "There are very few times when one can actually see a policy recommendation turned into a program this quickly. I hope it gives each of you a brief glimpse of the satisfactions that are available in a life of public service."
The students in the class were William Carry of New York City, Matthew Chou of Blue Bell, Pa., Ben Dookchitra of Belleville, N.J., Andrew Evans of Durham, N.H., Annette Richter of Bethesda, Md., Jonathan Right of Englewood, Colo., Raj Shah of Bonaire, Calif., and Janelle Wright of Wilmington, Del.