Rail~Volution, the leading national conference for anyone passionate about transit and smart growth, is coming to DC October 16-19.

Every year, Rail~Volution attracts thousands of the nation’s top smart growth, new urbanist, and transportation experts, along with advocates, community activists, planners, and decision-makers. If you’re passionate about how transit and transit-oriented development can build better communities, this is an event for you.

Plus, there are more than 75 workshops, networking events, charrettes and toolbox sessions for experts and newbies alike. Attendees will network with transit and smart growth experts from around the country and come away with fresh ideas for their own community.

David Alpert and Matt Johnson will be speaking on a panel about the role of blogs in transit advocacy.

If you are interested in attending but can’t afford it, consider applying for a scholarship. A limited number of Rail~Volution scholarships are available for community activists, non-profit and public agency staff, and public officials. If chosen, you’ll get to go to this exciting conference for only $40 — a discount of 90 percent.

Also, if you live within reasonable commuting distance to the conference hotel at Woodley Park Metro, and are able to host an out of town scholarship recipient, apply to be a homestay host. Homestay hosts get to go to the conference for free.

Click here to register, or here to fill out an application for a scholarship. Scholarship applications are due August 18.

The Rail~Volution website says:

Rail~Volution is a conference of passionate people, like you, who want to engage in thoughtful discussion about building livable communities with transit. We are citizen activists, developers, business leaders, planners, local elected officials, transit operators, government officials and more. We come together each year, from more than 300 communities, towns and regions of all sizes and shapes, to share ideas and breakthroughs, frustrations and inspiration.

This year’s conference brings us close to the policy and decision makers who will shape the dialogue in the coming election year. It allows us to delve into the big questions: “What is the next American dream?” and “Whose responsibility is livability?” It lets us explore the latest on federal transportation bill authorization, as well as the successful local and regional efforts to create livable communities in and around the nation’s capital.

Continue the conversation about urbanism in the Washington region and support GGWash’s news and advocacy when you join the GGWash Neighborhood!

Tagged: events, transit

Laura DeSantis is the Online Advocacy and Outreach Specialist for the Coalition for Smarter Growth. Prior to joining CSG, Laura worked at Fleishman-Hillard Communications, where she worked on digital and social media strategy for clients. Laura is a 2009 graduate of Penn State University and holds bachelor’s degrees in Public Relations and History.