Baltimore Metropolitan Council

As part of its effort to develop Plan It 2035 – the next long-range transportation plan for the Baltimore region – the Baltimore Regional Transportation Board accepted project ideas from individuals and organizations from December 2, 2010 through Thursday, January 6, 2011.

The BRTB would like to thank the members of the public who generated over 170 ideas for Plan It 2035.  A summary of these ideas can be seen using the link below.  You can also view individual ideas submitted on the interactive map by clicking on the map below. 

>> View a report of all the ideas (pdf, 86 kb)

How were ideas collected?

The BRTB developed two ways for the public to share their ideas:

The first, an exciting new interactive tool, allowed members of the public to quickly brainstorm their ideas on a Google Map. Visitors to the map simply had to find the location they’d wanted to suggest a project – either by zooming in to a location or using the embedded search tool – and drop a “pin” on the map. This opened a box that allowed the user to enter some brief information about their proposed project. Visitors were also able to see what other people were proposing by clicking on the other pins.

The second way was to fill out a form and send it back to the BRTB via mail, fax, or e-mail. This form allowed members of the public to write in brief details such as the location and type of project, what goals/objectives it meets, and how it will benefit the region.

Public project ideas and comments were welcome from Thursday, December 2, 2010 through Thursday, January 6, 2011.

>> View the ideas on our interactive map!

>> View a report of all the ideas (pdf, 86 kb)

What kinds of projects were eligible to be submitted?

The types of projects that are generally included in a long-range regional transportation plan are long-term capital projects that are open for use between the years 2016-2035.

Examples include:

• a new transit line or station
• new bicycle facility (i.e., new trail, a bicycle path)
• new highway interchange
• widened highway (i.e., widen from 2 to 4 lanes)

Smaller projects such as the ones listed below are not included in detail in the regional long-range transportation plan:

• sidewalk improvement
• streetscapes
• bus replacement
• bike racks
• potholes/resurfacing

Rather, these kinds of projects are generally addressed in short-range plans and at the local level. In addition, funding for operating and maintaining the transportation system is in a separate category within the long-range plan and is not part of this call for project ideas.

What happened with the public's project ideas?

BMC staff shared all ideas from the public with the BRTB and its relevant advisory committees. The BRTB and the committees reviewed and considered these ideas. Still, some of the public’s ideas are not appropriate for inclusion in a regional long-range transportation plan. For example, some would require land use decisions beyond the authority of the BRTB. Others relate to transportation modes outside the jurisdiction of the BRTB. And some relate to operations or maintenance issues outside the scope of a long-range transportation plan.

However, there were a number of project ideas that are moving forward or are currently being considered for inclusion in Plan It 2035.  Here's a summary:

One idea submitted by the public is scheduled to be implemented in FY 2012:

• Baltimore City’s extension of the Charm City Circulator Purple Line on Fort Avenue to Ft. McHenry

Another recommendation from the public is to provide transit connections across county lines to link activity centers. This is the same idea expressed in a project originally submitted by Harford County for consideration for Plan It 2035:

• Harford Transit / Cecil County Transit Connection: New or extended route across Susquehanna River via US 40 - This Harford Transit / Cecil County Transit connection is not one of the projects in Plan It 2035 because it will be implemented in FY 2012 through funding from the FTA’s Job Access / Reverse Commute (JARC) and New Freedom programs.

Other public project ideas evaluated for inclusion in the preferred alternative for Plan It 2035 include:

• extending light rail service from BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport to the Dorsey MARC station in Anne Arundel County
• extending light rail service into Howard County
  widening I-97 from MD 32 to US 50/301 in Anne Arundel County
• connecting the Jones Falls Trail with the Gwynn’s Falls Trail (multi-use trails in Baltimore City)

Also, other submitters recommended strategies that have been incorporated into the goals and strategies of Plan It 2035. An example is to explore the use of public/private partnerships as a means to finance and construct transportation facilities. This strategy has been incorporated into two Plan It 2035 goals: “Promote Prosperity and Economic Opportunity” and “Foster Participation and Cooperation among All Stakeholders.”

Monica Haines Benkhedda, mhainesbenkhedda@baltometro.org, 410-732-0500 x1047

Terry Freeland, tfreeland@baltometro.org, 410-732-0500 x1028