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Issue: #9 June 2009
In this addition of On Transit read about Baltimore City's new Charm City Circulator; find out how you can be involved in transit decissions for the TIP, Red Line, and Annapolis; or see highlights of MTA in 2008.
CHARM CITY CIRCULATOR
Charm City Circulator BusBaltimore City Names Free Downtown Circulator

The Charm City Circulator is a clean-energy bus system operating on three routes in-and-around Downtown Baltimore. The Department of Transportation will designate bus lanes on Pratt and Lombard Streets and create other transit priority mechanisms to facilitate and maintain 10 minute headways between buses.
 
The Charm City Circulator will connect existing transit hubs such as Pennsylvania Station with the light rail, MARC, subway, and water taxi. Similar systems in cities across the country have helped to mitigate congestion growth and improve air quality. 
MTA'S 2008 ANNUAL REPORT RELEASED 
MTA logoReport Highlights 2008 Accomplishments 
 
The Maryland Transit Administration developed a 24 page report to present how well they performed in 2008. The document covers the highlights of a year that was full of adversity in tough economic times. Find out how much each of the Local Area Transit Agencies recieved in grants from MTA last year. Read the report to find out what 6 awards MTA recieved.
 
ANNAPOLIS WORKING ON TDP AND LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS
Annapolis is starting to work on TDP
 
The State requires that each jurisdiction create a 5-year Transportation Development Plan (TDP). TDPs are a 5-year plan for transit development in the counties. It looks at where service goes and where it is needed. The Plan also gives recommendations as to how to fund transit projects.
 
The City of Annapolis, with support from the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA), is in the process of updating the Annapolis TDP, an independent management, financial, service study and audit of the Transportation Department. It will include analysis of transportation routes and services including the potential of adding, deleting or changing the ways services are provided. This short-range operational plan covers a five-year time horizon.

To ensure community participation, the City of Annapolis is launching a Citizen Advisory Committee. The role of the Citizen Advisory Committee is to provide advice and feedback at key milestones. The committee will meet monthly for eight months.

 
Individuals interested in public transportation issues and serving on the Citizen Advisory Committee should contact Kwaku Duah, Transportation Planner (kad@annapolis.gov) at 410-263-7964, extension 6001 no later than June 30, 2009. 
 
THREE EVENTS OF INTEREST

 
BRTB PUBLIC MEETING AND PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD 
BRTB logo smallDraft FY 2010-2013
Transportation Improvement Program & Air Quality Report
 
The Baltimore Regional Transportation Board is holding a public review period from Friday, May 22 through Friday, June 26, 2009, of the FY 2010-2013 TIP and Air Quality reports.
 
The Draft TIP represents nearly $1.38 billion dollars worth of transportation projects and improvements that are being proposed, released for review by the Baltimore Regional Transportation Board. The Draft Air Quality Conformity Determination report concludes that implementation of projects in the 2010-2013 TIP does not worsen the region's air quality or delay the timely attainment of the national ambient air quality standards. The pollutants addressed in the report include ozone, fine particulate matter, and carbon monoxide.
 
A public meeting on the Final Draft 2010-2013 Transportation Improvement Program and the Draft Air Quality Conformity Determination will be held on Wednesday, June 17 from 4 to 7 p.m. with presentations at 4 and 5:30 p.m. at the Baltimore Metropolitan Council (2700 Lighthouse Point East, Suite 310, Baltimore, MD 21224). 
GBC 2009 REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION SUMMIT
GBC LogoThe Greater Baltimore Committee to Host - National Transportation Funding: Crossroads Ahead 
 
On Thursday, June 25th, GBC will host this summit from 8:00 to 11:30 AM. Prominent national officials and renowned transportation experts will discuss solutions to address this fiscal crisis and federal and state transportation infrastructure needs including:
  • Will the federal government increase transportation funding? Will it raise the gas tax? Will it resort to a vehicle miles traveled (VMT), or some other form of taxation?
  • Will future federal transportation authorization eliminate obstacles to mass transit and regional rapid rail projects?
  • Will Congress address the federal transportation authorization in 2009, or will it lapse into 2010 or beyond.
  • Will the authorization expedite project development?
  • Is transportation funding getting lost among other federal legislative priorities?
  • Does Congress have the political will to pass transportation funding increases in light of current economic challenges?
  • Can Maryland projects move forward without federal funding?

For event registration questions, contact Mickie Gray at 410-727-2820, x28 or mickieg@gbc.org.

BALTIMORE RED LINE EVENT
Red line film anouncementTransit Around the Nation: Film & Discussion
 
On Wednesday, July 8th, from 5:30 to 7:00 PM at Enoch Pratt Central Library - Wheeler Auditorium there will be a screening and panel discussion of Transit Around the Nation: Exploring the Possibilities for Baltimore's Red Line. 
 
Last Fall, 60 neighborhood activists, elected leaders, developers and City officials traveled to Portland, Phoenix, Seattle and Los Angeles to learn more about light rail projects. This 16-minute film highlights lessons from the trips on how to make the Red Line project an all-around success. Following the film, the audience is invited to participate in a discussion with panelists.

>>> RSVP to Attend Here
NATIONAL DUMP THE PUMP DAY
Dump the Pump from APTAJune 18th is Dump the Pump Day
 
The day is designed to encourage people to get out of their cars and ride public transportation to raise awareness of the financial benefits of transit.  Public transportation has the ability to save people money, conserve gasoline, and reduce the harmful greenhouse gases emitted into our environment.
  Tyson Byrne
  410-732-0500 x 1048
BMC Logo

Baltimore Metropolitan Council | 2700 Lighthouse Point East, Suite 310 | Baltimore | MD | 21224