Thanks for your interest in Reaching Resilience 2050, our Q&A series fleshing out the people and processes behind our latest long-range transportation plan. To read the plan in full, explore potential projects near you and learn how to share your feedback, please visit publicinput.com/Resilience2050.

Anna Marshall is an Environmental Planner for Baltimore Metropolitan Council.

Hi Anna! First thing first, tell us about you and your work.

I serve as the environmental planner with a main focus on air quality. I lead the air quality conformity process, which is a federally required process under the Clean Air Act, as well as monitor and research new policies and goals from federal agencies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or major pollutants. I also work at Clean Air Partners, which is a non-profit serving residents in the D.C. and Baltimore metro region about air quality, how ozone is created and how people can help reduce emissions. 

Nice! Folks might recognize Clean Air Partners content from our social media channels. How does this work fit into the preparation of Resilience 2050?

The air quality conformity process is an integral component of Resilience 2050. Unfortunately, the Baltimore region does not yet meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, or NAAQS, for ground-level ozone. As a result, the EPA has classified the region as a moderate nonattainment area for the 2015 8-hour ozone standard, which is 70 parts per billion (ppb). Because of this classification, we need to complete the air quality conformity determination process to demonstrate that the transportation projects detailed in Resilience 2050 will not cause new air quality violations, worsen existing violations or delay timely attainment of air quality standards.

And who are the key partners supporting you in this process?

Part of my role is leading the Interagency Consultation Group meetings, in which representatives from Maryland Department of the Environment, Maryland Department of Transportation and the Baltimore Regional Transportation Board are the voting members. Clean Air Partners is also a great resource, providing important information and messaging that can be shared with a variety of audiences.

Speaking of, what key highlights do you hope folks take away?

Ground level ozone, or smog, is caused by tailpipe emissions from cars, trucks and other vehicles. Nitrogen oxides (NOx) and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are emitted into the air while driving, and these gases then react with sunlight to create ozone. There is an opportunity to reduce ozone emissions by implementing transportation projects that reduce congestion, increase bike and pedestrian activities, and reduce Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT). We’re on the right track. Air quality in the Baltimore region has been improving, and ozone pollution has decreased. Small changes in your everyday routine can make a difference! Things like:

• Combine your errands into one trip
• Telework at least one day per week, if possible
• Bike or walk to work, and carpool!
• Don’t top off your gas tank once it is full. The extra gas will just evaporate off.
• Keep up with regular maintenance of your car. Not only will you be safer, the car will be more efficient.
• Limit outdoor activities and driving on high ozone days. You can check the air quality forecast where you live at: cleanairpartners.net

Taking notes here! How can folks learn more and stay involved?

You can visit cleanairpartners.net to get daily air quality forecasts, more information about air pollution, and ways you can help keep the air clean. You can also check out more information about our environmental work at baltometro.org/environment/planning-areas/air-quality. 

That's all from Anna, but check out our other Reaching Resilience 2050 entries on Climate Resilience, Project Implementation and Safety. To learn more about our Resilience 2050 long-range transportation plan, please visit publicinput.com/Resilience2050.

Thanks for your interest in Reaching Resilience 2050, our Q&A series fleshing out the people and processes behind our latest long-range transportation plan. To read the plan in full, explore potential projects near you and learn how to share your feedback, please visit publicinput.com/Resilience2050.

Regina Aris is Assistant Director of Transportation for Baltimore Metropolitan Council.

Hi Regina! To start off, tell us a little about your work at BMC.

I manage our team of subject matter experts to facilitate the planning processes for short- and long-term investments in our region’s transportation system. These investments support operations, system preservation and expansion of road, transit and bicycle/pedestrian facilities. At every stage, we follow federal rules for adopting plan goals and strategies, project prioritization, financial forecasting and public engagement to ensure that projects align with regional and local priorities. The plans prepared by our staff lay the foundation for funding, design and construction of new projects.

And how does this work fit into the preparation of Resilience 2050?

We develop a new long-range transportation plan (LRTP) every four years, and Resilience 2050 is our latest. This is where it all starts. MDOT and local jurisdictions submit candidate projects for inclusion in the LRTP, which we score on metrics such as priority, mobility and accessibility, safety and the environment. For Resilience 2050, we received 98 candidate projects and included 92 in the plan. We draw from projects in the LRTP to develop a short-range Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). When the TIP is approved, funding starts to flow.

Good stuff. Who are the key partners supporting this process?

The Baltimore Regional Transportation Board, which includes members representing the local jurisdictions and state agencies supporting our region’s transportation system, guides and approves our planning work. We work closely with these partners to develop and implement planned projects. We also work with expert consultants to tackle project-specific challenges. Additionally, local businesses, nonprofits and members of the public are important stakeholders to engage. We collect and consider feedback at every stage of planning, and we’re grateful to everyone who engages with our work.

Preach! And what key highlights do you hope folks take away?

In our outreach around previous short- and long-range plans, we heard clear calls to prioritize transit investments. For Resilience 2050, we altered our project scoring methodology to make transit projects eligible for more points than roadway projects. As a result, the plan includes all 36 of the transit projects submitted, and 56 of the 62 roadway projects submitted. We also increased the number of points for safety in response to the tragic uptick in deaths and serious injuries our transportation system has seen in recent years. We want to reverse this trend.

How can folks learn more and stay involved?

By following our social media channels, subscribing to our newsletters and checking our website now and then is a great start. This is where we’ll share more detailed plans for specific projects and the associated public involvement opportunities. When you see us asking for comments on a reconstructed bus facility, a trail extension or a bridge replacement, please take a few minutes to learn more and let us know your thoughts. Join our public meetings if you can. We’d love to have you.

That's all from Regina, but check out our other Reaching Resilience 2050 entries on Air Quality, Climate Resilience and Safety. To learn more about our Resilience 2050 long-range transportation plan, please visit publicinput.com/Resilience2050.

BALTIMORE, MD (Friday, May 26, 2023) – Bike to Work Central Maryland wrapped its 26^th annual festivities in the Baltimore region with a record number of events connecting riders around the Baltimore region throughout Bike to Work Week, which ran May 15-21.

The packed slate of programs included over a dozen Pit Stops marking National Bike to Work Day, plus more than 30 bike shops around the region joining as Pickup Spots. Registration was on par with last year’s 25^th anniversary celebration, continuing a resurgence after two years disrupted by the pandemic as riders geared up and rolled out together again.

Bike to Work Week is a campaign that celebrates bicycling as a healthy commuting option while promoting public awareness of its safety and environmental benefits. Bike to Work Week helps raise awareness of the rules of the road for drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists, and also highlights the need to improve bicycle facilities to improve safety. Baltimore Metropolitan Council (BMC) coordinates Bike to Work MD along with many other regional safety initiatives.

After cycling to City Hall on Bike to Work Day, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, a BMC board member, said he was proud of progress on making biking safer and more accessible. “If you are looking for a clean commute,” said Mayor Scott, “Invest in a bike.”

Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller, who has professional experience planning bike infrastructure for communities in Maryland, joined Mayor Scott and others for the ride through Charm City. She said that she and Governor Wes Moore are committed to making biking and other alternative modes of transportation safer, more accessible and more affordable, adding, “Let’s grab life by the handlebars and keep on riding!”

Speaking alongside Mayor Scott, Lieutenant Governor Miller and others, BMC Executive Director Mike Kelly thanked all the people and agencies who have collaborated to grow Bike to Work in Central Maryland. He noted that the program has shifted away from an exclusive focus on biking to work and sought to include all biking trips, including commuting, running errands or just biking for fun.

“Consider biking everywhere – to the store, to school, to your favorite neighborhood library or park,” Kelly said. “It’s good for your health, for your wallet and for the environment.”

Beloved Bike to Work Pit Stops returned this year to City Dock in Annapolis with Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman and Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley, Landon C. Burns Park in Westminster and off Main Street in Bel Air. Also in the mix were new events at Penn Station, Patterson Park, the National Aquarium and other spots. Hundreds of riders claimed free t-shirts at our events and Pickup Spots, and seven lucky registrants also won $100 gift cards to the bike shops of their choice.

Planning is underway for Bike to Work 2024, which will run May 13-19.

Bike to Work Central MD is supported by the generous sponsorship of the Baltimore City Department of Transportation, Downtown Columbia Partnership, Anne Arundel County Commuter Crew, Clean Air Partners, Go Howard, Baltimore and Carroll County Rideshare, Regional Transportation Agency of Central Maryland, Bike HoCo, Maryland Department of Transportation, Columbia Association, Harford Transit LINK and Harford County Public Library, as well as media partner WBAL-TV.

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Baltimore Metropolitan Council (BMC) works collaboratively with the chief elected officials in the region to create initiatives to improve quality of life and economic vitality. As the Baltimore region’s council of governments, BMC hosts the Baltimore Regional Transportation Board (BRTB) and supports local government by coordinating efforts in a range of policy areas including emergency preparedness, housing, cooperative purchasing, environmental planning and workforce development.

BMC operates its programs and services without regard to race, color or national origin in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other applicable laws. Appropriate services can be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities or those in need of language assistance who submit a request at least seven days prior to a meeting. Call 410- 732-0500. Dial 7-1-1 or 800-735-2258 to initiate a TTY call through Maryland Relay. Si se necesita información de Título VI en español, llame al 410-732-0500.

BALTIMORE, MD (Wednesday, May 17, 2023) – The Baltimore Regional Transportation Board (BRTB) is drafting plans for $74 billion of investments in the region’s transportation system. A public comment period on the draft Resilience 2050 long-range transportation plan, 2024-2027 Transportation Improvement Program and Air Quality Conformity Determination will close on June 20, and include opportunities online and in-person to learn more and weigh in.

Mike Kelly, executive director of Baltimore Metropolitan Council, a planning organization which supports and staffs the BRTB, thanks the local and state partners who manage the region’s transportation system. Through the BRTB, these agencies collaborated to shape the goals and priorities of the Resilience 2050 plans and programs.

“This is a very exciting moment,” Kelly says. “These plans can help shape our region for decades, and we’re grateful to work with people who are dedicated to supporting the health and resilience of our communities.”

With a projected population growth of 12.6 percent by 2050, the region’s transportation system – including roads and bridges, transit, sidewalks, bicycle and shared-use paths – will face factors such as increased demand, changing user needs and climate impacts. The investments detailed in the Resilience 2050 long-range plan would help us meet those challenges within the limits of anticipated funding. The projects in the 2024-2027 Transportation Improvement Program have committed funding for project phases ranging from planning to construction. Both plans are now available for public review and comment.

To dig into the plans, learn more about potential projects near you and share your thoughts, please go to publicinput.com/Resilience2050.

BRTB Chair Sam Snead, the director of the Anne Arundel County Office of Transportation, notes that the BRTB will review public feedback from the comment period and vote on the draft plan at its July 25^th meeting.

“On behalf of the BRTB, thank you so much for engaging in this step of the planning process,” Snead says. “We really look forward to reviewing your thoughts and feedback.”

Anyone wishing to discuss the plans in more detail is welcome to join one of eight public meetings – seven in-person and one virtual – during the comment period. These will include a presentation of the plans, as well as opportunities to ask questions and weigh in.

BMC will host a virtual meeting on Wednesday, May 24 at 12 p.m. EST. In-person meetings around the region include:

• Westminster – Wednesday, May 31, 6-8 p.m. at the Carroll County Government Building, Reagan Room 003, 225 North Center Street, Westminster MD 21157
• Bel Air – Monday, June 5, 6-8 p.m. at the Harford County Government Building, 1^st Floor Conference Room, 220 South Main Street, Bel Air MD 21014
• Glen Burnie – Tuesday, June 6, 6-8 p.m. at the Henry L. Hein Public Service Building, Auditorium, 7480 Baltimore Annapolis Boulevard, Glen Burnie MD 21061
• Towson – Wednesday, June 7, 5-7 p.m. at the Baltimore County Library – Towson Branch, Towson Meeting Room, 320 York Road, Towson MD 21204
• Stevensville – Thursday, June 8, 5-6:30 p.m. at the Kent Island Senior Center, 891 Love Point Road, Stevensville MD 21666
• Baltimore City – Monday, June 12, 6-8 p.m. at the War Memorial Assembly Hall, 101 North Gay Street, Baltimore MD 21202
• Ellicott City – Thursday, June 15, 6-8 p.m. at the Howard County Government George Howard Building, Columbia/Ellicott Room, 3430 Court House Drive, Ellicott City MD 21043

Other ways to comment include:

• Online at publicinput.com/Resilience2050
• Email Resilience2050@publicinput.com
• Call 855-925-2801x1874 toll free and leave a voicemail
• Text keyword ‘resilience2050’ to 73224
• Reach @BaltoMetroCo or @BmoreInvolved on social media with #BRTBListens

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The Baltimore Regional Transportation Board (BRTB) operates its programs and services without regard to race, color, or national origin in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and other applicable laws. BMC offers interpretation services, including language translation services and signage for the hearing impaired, at public meetings upon request with seven days advance notice. BMC will not exclude persons based on age, religion, or disability. For assistance, contact the Public Involvement Coordinator, comments@baltometro.org, or call 410-732-0500. Dial 7-1-1 or 800-735-2258 to initiate a TTY call through Maryland Relay. Usuarios de Relay MD marquen 7-1-1 Si se necesita información de Título VI en español, llame al 410-732-0500 

BALTIMORE, MD (Monday, May 15, 2023) – Central Maryland’s 26th annual Bike to Work Week starts today, with events around the region throughout the week leading up to National Bike to Work Day celebrations on Friday, May 19. For the chance to claim free t-shirts and prizes, riders of all levels can still register at BikeToWorkMD.com.

Baltimore Metropolitan Council (BMC) works with local partners around the region to organize Bike to Work Week programs promoting the benefits of biking, raising bike safety awareness and building a connected community of cyclists in the region.

“Bike to Work has rebounded from the pandemic in a big way,” says BMC Executive Director Mike Kelly. “We are so excited to be gathering, gearing up and riding together again.”

This year’s program includes live Pit Stop events in Annapolis, Arbutus, Bel Air, Catonsville, Columbia, Towson, Westminster and several locations in Baltimore City. Mayor Brandon Scott, BMC Executive Director Mike Kelly and others will speak at a press conference at City Hall commemorating National Bike to Work Day on Friday, May 19 at 9 a.m.

Pit Stops will include refreshments, bicycle safety tips and maintenance support, remarks from local leaders and more. Registrants can also claim a free t-shirt at more than 30 bike shop Pickup Spots around the region. Find more details about Pit Stops and Pickup Spots near you at BikeToWorkMD.com, or check out this interactive map:

In 2023, we’re not just biking to work. Consider biking anywhere – school, the store, your neighborhood library or park. Everyone is welcome to join the Bike to Work festivities, especially if you haven’t biked in a while. For your health, for your wallet and for clean air, bike there.

Follow @Bike2WorkMD on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for updates, and tag your biking pics and clips #BTWD2023 to help spread the word! Plus, tell your family, friends and co-workers so they can claim a free t-shirt. Registrants will be automatically eligible to win one of seven $100 gift cards from the participating bike shop of their choice.

Bike to Work Central MD is supported by the generous sponsorship of the Baltimore City Department of Transportation, Downtown Columbia Partnership, Anne Arundel County Commuter Crew, Clean Air Partners, Go Howard, Baltimore and Carroll County Rideshare, Regional Transportation Agency of Central Maryland, Bike HoCo, Maryland Department of Transportation, Columbia Association, Harford Transit LINK and Harford County Public Library, as well as media partner WBAL-TV.

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Baltimore Metropolitan Council (BMC) works collaboratively with the chief elected officials in the region to create initiatives to improve quality of life and economic vitality. As the Baltimore region’s council of governments, BMC hosts the Baltimore Regional Transportation Board (BRTB) and supports local government by coordinating efforts in a range of policy areas including emergency preparedness, housing, cooperative purchasing, environmental planning and workforce development.

BMC operates its programs and services without regard to race, color or national origin in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other applicable laws. Appropriate services can be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities or those in need of language assistance who submit a request at least seven days prior to a meeting. Call 410- 732-0500. Dial 7-1-1 or 800-735-2258 to initiate a TTY call through Maryland Relay. Si se necesita información de Título VI en español, llame al 410-732-0500.

BALTIMORE, MD (Monday, April 3, 2023) – Registration for this year’s 26^th annual Bike to Work Week, which will run May 15-21, 2023, is now open at BikeToWorkMD.com. Riders of all levels are invited to register for the chance to claim free t-shirts and other prizes.

Baltimore Metropolitan Council works with local partners around the region to promote the benefits of biking, raise bike safety awareness and connect cyclists across the region through annual Bike to Work Central Maryland festivities. Last year’s 25^th annual program included almost 1,800 registrants, a major rebound toward pre-pandemic participation. Let’s keep the momentum rolling!

This year’s program will include Pit Stops in Annapolis, Arbutus, Baltimore City, Bel Air, Catonsville, Columbia, Towson and Westminster featuring refreshments, gear, maintenance and other essentials for bike beginners, bike experts and everyone in between. Free t-shirts will be available to registrants at over 20 pick-up locations throughout the region (supply limited).

To see the full program and register for free, visit BikeToWorkMD.com.

In 2023, we’re not just biking to work. Consider biking anywhere – school, the store, your neighborhood library or park. Everyone is welcome to join the Bike to Work festivities, especially if you haven’t biked in a while. For your health, for your wallet and for clean air, bike there.

Follow @Bike2WorkMD on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for updates, and tag your biking pics and clips #BTWD2023 to help spread the word! Plus, tell your family, friends and co-workers so they can claim a free t-shirt and potentially other prizes!

Bike to Work Central MD is supported by the generous sponsorship of the Baltimore City Department of Transportation, Downtown Columbia Partnership, Anne Arundel County Commuter Crew, Clean Air Partners, Go Howard, Baltimore and Carroll County Rideshare, Regional Transportation Agency of Central Maryland, Bike HoCo, Maryland Department of Transportation, Columbia Association, Harford Transit LINK and Harford County Public Library, as well as media partner WBAL-TV.

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Baltimore Metropolitan Council (BMC) works collaboratively with the chief elected officials in the region to create initiatives to improve quality of life and economic vitality. As the Baltimore region’s council of governments, BMC hosts the Baltimore Regional Transportation Board (BRTB) and supports local government by coordinating efforts in a range of policy areas including emergency preparedness, housing, cooperative purchasing, environmental planning and workforce development.

BMC operates its programs and services without regard to race, color or national origin in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other applicable laws. Appropriate services can be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities or those in need of language assistance who submit a request at least seven days prior to a meeting. Call 410- 732-0500. Dial 7-1-1 or 800-735-2258 to initiate a TTY call through Maryland Relay. Si se necesita información de Título VI en español, llame al 410-732-0500.