The Baltimore Regional Transportation Board?s revised long-range regional transportation plan still isn?t good enough, says a coalition of local organizations and individuals.
The group, including 13 organizations and 20 individuals, has signed a petition that says BRTB?s plan is “inadequate for the transportation needs of the region” and urges the board to revise the plan with “significantly more transit funding.”
The BRTB developed a plan released in July listing needed road and rail projects for the region by 2035.
When the public asked for more transit options, the board revised the plan, released last month, which diverted about $238 million from six road projects to MARC train and Baltimore subway improvements.
“The amount will barely begin to bring the region the vastly improved transit system appealed for so strongly to the board in August by the citizens and organizations of the region,” said 20 concerned individuals and 13 groups in a statement to the board.
“The process was very frustrating in that there were dramatic financial constraints, knowing that we have a significant backlog of needs,” said Howard County Executive Ken Ulman, BRTB chairman. “We agree with the organizations that we need at least $400 million in funding, and $600 million would be better.”
The board has held two meetings to discuss the plan with the public, with a third scheduled at 9 a.m. Nov. 27 at the BMC headquarters, 2700 Lighthouse Road in Baltimore City.
Confronting what they called an “unresponsive” board, many of the statement?s signers said they needed to unite to be taken seriously.
“When the public comments, most people feel pretty much ignored,” said Irene Poulsen, speaking for the Neighborhood Design Center, a community-based nonprofit focused on urban design. “The joint statement came about because most people who signed on feel the same way. It?s a very short public-comment period, and no one even knows about the BRTB.”
Harvey S. Bloom, director of transportation planning for the Baltimore Metropolitan Council, said the board will wait to see if the state increases transportation funding.
“I don?t ever want to close the door,” Bloom said. “It?s up to our policy board members, and they have the right to shake the jar again and see what comes out.”
The BRTB estimated $33.4 billion will be available to operate, maintain and expand the region?s transportation network through 2035. Based on spending patterns over the last ten years, operational costs are expected to be $17.9 billion, and system preservation costs are expected to be $6.8 billion, leaving $8.7 billion for capital expansion.
COST OF CONGESTION
The total cost of traffic congestion ? wasted fuel, time and economic activity ? is about $3.1 billion per year for the state, according to a study issued last month by the Greater Baltimore Committee, the Greater Washington Board of Trade and the Maryland Chamber of Commerce.
The following regional organizations signed the petition to the Baltimore Regional Transportation Board:
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>> Central Maryland Transportation Alliance
>> Citizens Planning and Housing Association
>> Concerned Citizens for a Better Brooklyn
>> Friends of Harford
>> Friends of Maryland?s Olmsted Parks & Landscapes
>> Greater Baltimore Board of Realtors
>> Howard Park Civic Association
>> Jones Falls Watershed Association
>> Little Gunpowder Improvement Association
>> One Less Car
>> Sierra Club, Maryland Chapter, Greater Baltimore Group
>> Transit Riders Action Council of Metropolitan Baltimore
Staff writer Karl B. Hille contributed to this article.
