http://www.marylandpirg.org/in-the-news/transit-not-traffic-in-the-news2/transit-not-traffic-in-the-news http://www.marylandpirg.org/in-the-news/transit-not-traffic-in-the-news2/transit-not-traffic-in-the-news/study-congestion-costs-residents-billions Traffic congestion in the Baltimore and Washington areas costs Maryland citizens $3.1 billion annually, according to a recent study. The Texas Transportation Institute report, commissioned by area business groups, said earlier this month that the cost of congestion in the state has increased by 1,200 percent since 1982 due to a rise in traffic volume without corresponding improvement or construction of roads. Driving in "peak periods" costs Marylanders more than $800 a year, the report said. "More and more citizens are sitting in traffic, which is harming the economy and quality of life," said Johanna Neumann, spokesman for Maryland PIRG, a public interest advocacy group. Congestion also takes its toll on businesses, said Kathy Snyder, president of the Maryland Chamber of Commerce. She said most businesses would take an increase in the gas tax if it meant less time and money spent sitting in traffic. According to the report, almost 60 million hours a year are spent in traffic in Baltimore, wasting more than 40 million gallons of fuel. In the Washington metro area, drivers spend twice as many hours waiting and burn 90 million gallons of fuel. Business groups like the chamber and the Greater Baltimore Committee have called for an additional $600 million for the Transportation Trust Fund, but Gov. Martin O'Malley has pledged only $392 million for the fund if his budget plan is approved. The report said a $600 million increase would provide 8,106 new jobs in total and a $944 million increase in economic activity in the region. "The big question is how much money within the Transportation Trust Fund is allocated to transit," Ms. Neumann said. "It's a flawed system if it's going to build new roads. If it's helping to fund new transit projects, then that's a whole other story." That was echoed by Dru Schmidt-Perkins, executive director of the anti-sprawl group 1000 Friends of Maryland, who said people "recognize even after adding lanes to beltways and miles to highways, traffic is just getting worse." She said the state should look to long-term congestion relief and not quick fixes. A poll released Oct. 17 by 1000 Friends of Maryland showed just how frustrated citizens are with traffic. More respondents - 67 percent - rated traffic as a serious problem than public education or taxes, according to the random June telephone poll of 1,000 registered voters. Coupled with rising gas prices, global warming and serious budget concerns, people want alternatives to their commutes, which often end up impacting quality of life, Ms. Schmidt-Perkins said. Donald Fry, president of the Greater Baltimore Committee, said the additional $600 million his group wants for transportation should also be used to help move forward some transit projects. While some jurisdictions focus on highways, "we think with the growth in population we're experiencing, with increased levels of traffic, we need to look for a comprehensive plan that includes fast, reliable, and easy to understand transit," Mr. Fry said. Ms. Schmidt-Perkins said poll respondents were concerned with the rate of growth in the state, and strategic plans are needed to counter "willy-nilly building" of transit systems or roads. "It's about congestion relief," she said," but it's also about mobility, air quality, bay benefit. Building more miles of highway cannot do that." http://www.marylandpirg.org/in-the-news/transit-not-traffic-in-the-news2/transit-not-traffic-in-the-news/study-congestion-costs-residents-billions Thu, 06 Mar 2008 16:48:40 -0600 http://www.marylandpirg.org/in-the-news/transit-not-traffic-in-the-news2/transit-not-traffic-in-the-news/mta-to-purchase-only-hybrid-buses With Maryland subject to some of the worst air pollution in the http://www.marylandpirg.org/in-the-news/transit-not-traffic-in-the-news2/transit-not-traffic-in-the-news/mta-to-purchase-only-hybrid-buses Wed, 16 Jul 2008 14:24:27 -0500 http://www.marylandpirg.org/in-the-news/transit-not-traffic-in-the-news2/transit-not-traffic-in-the-news/maryland-pirg-says-stimulus-checks-have-already-been-spent-on-gas While many Americans have exciting ideas for how to use money http://www.marylandpirg.org/in-the-news/transit-not-traffic-in-the-news2/transit-not-traffic-in-the-news/maryland-pirg-says-stimulus-checks-have-already-been-spent-on-gas Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:50:30 -0500 http://www.marylandpirg.org/in-the-news/transit-not-traffic-in-the-news2/transit-not-traffic-in-the-news/stimulus-checks-used-for-fuel-report-says The federal government's economic stimulus checks were supposed to give http://www.marylandpirg.org/in-the-news/transit-not-traffic-in-the-news2/transit-not-traffic-in-the-news/stimulus-checks-used-for-fuel-report-says Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:52:29 -0500 http://www.marylandpirg.org/in-the-news/transit-not-traffic-in-the-news2/transit-not-traffic-in-the-news/more-funding-urged-for-public-transit http://www.marylandpirg.org/in-the-news/transit-not-traffic-in-the-news2/transit-not-traffic-in-the-news/more-funding-urged-for-public-transit Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:54:07 -0500 http://www.marylandpirg.org/in-the-news/transit-not-traffic-in-the-news2/transit-not-traffic-in-the-news/report-average-family-has-spent-stimulus-check-on-gas Kiss that federal stimulus check goodbye — if you haven’t already. By http://www.marylandpirg.org/in-the-news/transit-not-traffic-in-the-news2/transit-not-traffic-in-the-news/report-average-family-has-spent-stimulus-check-on-gas Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:57:41 -0500 http://www.marylandpirg.org/in-the-news/transit-not-traffic-in-the-news2/transit-not-traffic-in-the-news/many-have-spent-stimulus-checks-at-gas-stations It's been 19 weeks http://www.marylandpirg.org/in-the-news/transit-not-traffic-in-the-news2/transit-not-traffic-in-the-news/many-have-spent-stimulus-checks-at-gas-stations Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:55:29 -0500 http://www.marylandpirg.org/in-the-news/transit-not-traffic-in-the-news2/transit-not-traffic-in-the-news/report-government-can-better-support-transit A 6-minute increase in travel times over http://www.marylandpirg.org/in-the-news/transit-not-traffic-in-the-news2/transit-not-traffic-in-the-news/report-government-can-better-support-transit Mon, 17 Mar 2008 15:17:13 -0500 http://www.marylandpirg.org/in-the-news/transit-not-traffic-in-the-news2/transit-not-traffic-in-the-news/study-mass-transit-saves-marylanders-346m-in-gas Mass transit provides a big benefit to the environment and keeps http://www.marylandpirg.org/in-the-news/transit-not-traffic-in-the-news2/transit-not-traffic-in-the-news/study-mass-transit-saves-marylanders-346m-in-gas Sat, 08 Mar 2008 15:40:55 -0600 http://www.marylandpirg.org/in-the-news/transit-not-traffic-in-the-news2/transit-not-traffic-in-the-news/group-urges-more-u_s_-md_-funds-for-transit http://www.marylandpirg.org/in-the-news/transit-not-traffic-in-the-news2/transit-not-traffic-in-the-news/group-urges-more-u_s_-md_-funds-for-transit Sat, 08 Mar 2008 15:42:46 -0600 http://www.marylandpirg.org/in-the-news/transit-not-traffic-in-the-news2/transit-not-traffic-in-the-news/transit-advocates-call-for-getting-projects-off-the-drawing-board-and-into-action Public transit in Maryland saves consumers $93 million in gasoline http://www.marylandpirg.org/in-the-news/transit-not-traffic-in-the-news2/transit-not-traffic-in-the-news/transit-advocates-call-for-getting-projects-off-the-drawing-board-and-into-action Thu, 06 Mar 2008 16:35:54 -0600