ACP Pubs

Christina Fisher

A Vision for Transit Communities in Maryland
March 20, 2008

Governor Martin O’Malley unveiled his vision for the development of sustainable communities around Maryland’s existing transit stations. Governor O’Malley’s vision includes promoting future growth in areas served by transit, enhancing economic vitality, increasing transit ridership, reducing sprawl, and vehicle emissions impacting the environment and improve the quality of life in the state.

Governor O’Malley has introduced legislation to allow Maryland to aggressively promote transit-oriented development (TOD) as a smart growth tool to revitalize communities.  The legislation now before the Maryland General Assembly (HB373/SB 204 – Maryland Transit Administration – Transit Oriented Development) puts investment in transit communities on equal footing with other transportation priorities and removes legal road blocks to using state resources and land for such communities.

Studies indicate that residents who move near transit stations typically reduce their driving by 40 percent.  According to a recent study by the Washington Council of Governments, if future growth were to be concentrated at Metro stations, the region could increase transit ridership by nearly 8 percent and decrease severe highway congestion by 4.6 percent.

In addition to legislation introduced this year, Governor O’Malley has increased transit investment. In the FY 2008-2013 Consolidated Transportation Program, state commitments to transit include:

$411 million to develop new transit lines including the Purple Line, the Corridor Cities Transitway and the Red Line in Baltimore;

$289 million for the MARC Growth and Investment Plan to eventually transform a rush hour commuter rail line into an all day, seven-day-a-week transit system; and

Maryland’s commitment to maintaining the Metro system with a $50-million-a-year match for Metro dedicated funding.

Posted by Christina Fisher on March 20, 2008 | Comments (1)