B' More Involved January 2012

The Baltimore Regional Transportation Board is currently welcoming public feedback on the following amendments to the 2012 - 2015 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). Comments are welcome through Monday, January 23.

New Bridges, Better Streets 
Baltimore City is requesting amendments for two projects. The first project is for an additional $9.4 million in Federal funds for the Annapolis Road and Waterview Avenue Bridges over the Baltimore-Washington Parkway. Also, the City is seeking to add the new Highlandtown Transit Streetscape project.  

Maryland Transit Administration: Optimizing Federal Funding

The Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) has submitted eight projects, including Howard Street Revitalization, Northern Police Facility Relocation, and MARC Edgewood Station Improvements. 

Take an online survey or use their online mapping tool to share your ideas

The Columbia Association is developing Connecting Columbia: an Active Transportation Action Agenda to create a more interconnected and comprehensive bicycling and walking circulation system for health, recreational and transportation purposes. 

This project will result in a list of action items that will improve safe pedestrian and bicycle connections throughout Columbia, with an emphasis on CA's pathways. This project will be coordinated with the County's Bicycle Master Plan initiative, which will focus more on the county's roadways. 

The CA is seeking the community's help in identifying needs, potential solutions, and areas of concern. Public workshops, meetings, walk and biking tours, and an on-line commenting tool will all provide ways to be involved.

>> Learn more about Connecting Columbia

 
Last year, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) changed pollution targets for the jurisdictions in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.  The purpose of this was to better enable the development of state implementation plans to achieve the Bay "pollution diet" that will restore and protect the Bay.

Maryland's Phase II Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP) was recently submitted to the EPA and a Final Draft of this will be available for public review and comment after January 15, 2012.

Please visit the MD Department of the Environment web site after January 15 for final details.  You can also sign-up to receive updates on this process by visiting the link below and clicking on "Sign-up to Receive TMDL Updates."

>> Find out more about the Watershed Implementation Plan

Source: citygoround.org

Imagine an integrated public transit system that uses satellites to identify your location and spit out the fastest and most convenient route to your desired destination.  A recent article in the Washington Business Journal reports that this is among the research goals of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), which will hold two public meetings later this month to discuss the concept.

The overarching goal of the Transit Connected Vehicle for Mobility program is to improve public transportation by increasing transit productivity, efficiency, and accessibility; mitigating congestion in an integrated transportation environment; and providing travelers better transportation information and transit services. 

The free public meetings and webinars to obtain stakeholder input on concepts, opportunities, and needs will be held on January 26 from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. and January 27 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (EST) at the Washington Marriott Wardman Park, Washington Room, 2660 Woodley Road NW, Washington, DC 20008.

Individuals planning to attend any part of the public meeting or participate in the three-hour webinar should register by January 19, 2012. For additional questions, please contact Adam Hopps at ahopps@itsa.org or 202-680-0091.

>> Register for this webinar

The Clean Air Partners are currently inviting students in grades 4 to 8 from the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan region to submit a creative poster that will bring to light the solutions to air pollution and climate change and inspire people to take actions to improve our region's air quality.

This year's theme is "Fresh Air is a Start to Living Life Smart." Example topics include:

• Health effects of air pollution
• Increasing energy efficiency
• Ways to reduce ground-level ozone and air pollutants
• Alternatives to fossil fuels that reduce air pollution
• Different transportation options such as biking to work, teleworking, etc.
• "Green Jobs" related to air quality and climate change

The deadline for submissions is March 16, 2012.
 

Long-Range Transportation Plan Focuses on Doing Better with Less

Following several years of outreach starting with imagine 2060 and leading into Plan It 2035, the Baltimore Regional Transportation Board (BRTB) voted to approve Plan It 2035 on Monday, November 14, 2011.

The BRTB would like to thank the members of the public who participated in the public project ideas and other comment periods, as well as the public meetings. You had an impact on the direction of transportation investments for this region.

Plan It 2035 sets aside nearly $11.5 billion worth of projects to expand our current transportation system. This includes $6.7 billion for new and improved highways, $4.3 billion for expanded transit service, and $93 million for new and improved bicycle/pedestrian facilities.

Plan It 2035 also recognizes the importance of operating and maintaining our existing system.  As such, it designates $24 billion for system operations and $9.4 billion for system preservation. 

Examples of major system expansion projects include:

• Construction of the Red Line light rail from Woodlawn to Bayview
• Extension of the Green Line Metro from Johns Hopkins Hospital to North Avenue
• Widening of I-97 from MD 32 to US 50/301
• Widening of I-795 from Franklin Boulevard to south of Owings Mills Boulevard, including a new interchange at Dolfield Boulevard
• Widening of MD 140 from Market Street to Sullivan Road, including a full interchange at MD 97
• Widening of MD 22 from MD 543 to the gate at Aberdeen Proving Ground 
• Reconstruction of the I-95 Interchange at MD 175 

UPCOMING EVENTS

Housing and Schools Roundtable for the Baltimore Region

Modern Mapping and New Data Visualizations

MD Washington Minority Contractors Association Night

Mayor's FY 2013 Budget Workshop

Harford Co Commission on Disabilities

MD Commission on Environmental Justice & Sustainable Communities
Tuesday, January 24 - Annapolis

Creating Healthy Communities Through Design
Wednesday, January 25 - Online Webinar 

BRTB Citizens Advisory Committee

Wednesday, February 1 - Baltimore

Adopt-A-Stream Workshop

Thursday, February 16 - Towson

Transportation Equity Network Annual Conference

March 5-6 - Washington, DC  

IN THE NEWS