As Baltimore and Washington, D.C., continue to grow into one great metropolitan region, the Ehrlich administration recognizes the importance of having the proper transportation infrastructure to accommodate a rapidly growing workforce and population.
That?s why this administration is pleased that the General Assembly recently approved a $1 million study of the proposed 20-mile extension of the D.C. Metro?s Green Line ? which currently ends at Greenbelt ? to Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.
While completion could be many years and billions of dollars away, Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich believes the time is right to start planning for the Baltimore-Washington corridor?s future transportation needs. With the Pentagon?s recent Base Realignment and Closure plan, the Green Line project is needed to handle the explosive growth at Fort Meade, which could bring as many as 50,000 residents to the area.
A Metro extension would also provide great benefits to the aviation industry at BWI Marshall ? an integral part of the state?s economic base. BWI Marshall supports nearly 11,000 direct airport jobs, roughly 10,000 additional induced and indirect jobs and generates $5.7 billion per year in business revenue. Just imagine the additional economic impact of hundreds of thousands of Washingtonians who have an easier way to access one of the nation?s fastest growing airports.
While the study should provide more answers, The Washington Post reports the Green Line could have stops at BWI, Fort Meade, Laurel and Konterra in Prince George?s County, near the future InterCounty Connector and Interstate 95. Another route proposal includes stations at Dorsey, Odenton Town Center in Anne Arundel County and Guilford in Howard County. The project would also for the first time connect the transit systems in Washington and Baltimore.
Yes, the price tag will be high and there will be some tough decisions to make. But the federal government is expected to help shoulder the financial burden. And this administration believes in the concept of “value recapture” as a part of any future funding. A big proponent of transit-oriented development, Ehrlich recently announced two projects for retail, office and residential mixed-use developments at the Owings Mills and State Center Metro stations. These state, local community and private sector partnerships are not only expected to increase transit ridership, but also the value of land surrounding the stations.
While we aren?t directly competing with Virginia, it?s important to note that Virginia has already made progress with its vision on a proposed $4 billion Metroextension to Dulles International Airport. Rising gasoline prices, environmental concerns and the desire to avoid gridlock are just a few more reasons why the time is right for Maryland to take a closer look at our vision for transit in the Baltimore-Washington Corridor.
Aris Melissaratos is Maryland?s secretary of business and economic development. The opinions expressed are those of the administration. Dean Storm, an employee at the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development communications office, contributed to this column. For additional information about the department or its programs, call 1-888-ChooseMD.
