One of the oft-repeated tenets of the “smart growth” movement is that vast public expenditures on mass transit will practically guarantee “transit-oriented development” around the stations. Proponents paint a rosy picture of “walkable, sustainable” communities where residents live, work and play without needing a car. If only it were that easy.

National Harbor, Prince George’s County’s massive new development, lacks Metro access, and even the Coalition for Smarter Growth refers to the “untapped potential” surrounding the county’s 15 existing Metro stations. The latest blow to the “smart growth” dream came last week, when the U.S. Treasury Department announced it will relocate 450 employees from Hyattsville to Parkersburg, W.Va., starting in November 2013.