Transit Not Traffic In The News

"There's only so much that can be done at a state, local, region (level), but there's more that can be done, especially in Central Maryland," said Central Maryland Transportation Alliance President Otis Rolley, who joined Maryland PIRG at the plan's release.

One of the largest obstacles to public transportation is a federal funding system that rewards roads and penalizes buses and trains, transit advocates said.

The federal government will contribute up to 80 percent of the necessary funds for some road projects, transit only receives up to 60 percent funding support, making public transportation more costly for state and local government, according to the report.

In 2006 the federal government invested $10 billion in transit projects nationwide, according to the report, a quarter of that in roads.

While lobbying the federal government for additional funding, Maryland PIRG also advocates changes to state law allowing gas-tax revenues to be used for transit projects, making them more affordable.

"People are wedded to their automobiles and until it's affordable and easy they're not going to use transit," said County Executive John R. Leopold, who is pushing transit-oriented development in the county's latest growth plan.

The new plan will encourage growth around the MARC station in Odenton and around BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport, concentrating new homes around existing public-transportation hubs.

Mr. Leopold has set a goal of improving the county's lackluster 8 percent ridership for public transportation, and the county has notched some bus successes - saving the south county route after Annapolis lost federal funding and launching a new Glen Burnie service.

And transit advocates typically leap to light rail as a the cure for all the region's traffic woes. Both Sen. John Astle, D-Annapolis, and Del. Ron George, R-Annapolis, pushed bills requiring the state to study light rail in the city though neither is likely to pass this year.

Still, Annapolis Regional Transportation Management Association Executive Director Heather McColl suggested Anne Arundel build off of its current successes with Washington-bound commuter buses before investing in an expensive rail line.

"Let's capitalize on our successes," she said. "We've got a mass of people moving east to west in the morning and west to east in the evening."

Simple fixes, such as more buses or extending the high-occupancy-vehicle express lane on Route 50, are cheaper and faster ways of encouraging more transit riders, Ms. McColl said.

While commuters to Washington can easily hop from bus to train to Metro using a single fare card, Baltimore-bound commuters do not have the same luxury.

"We have a number of different lines," Mr. Rolley said. "There are various lines that don't connect with each other. ...If we can connect the dots just within that region, we'll have moved ahead light years."

For now governments are still investing heavily in roads rather than transit.

Gov. Martin O'Malley's upcoming fiscal 2009 budget includes $270 million in new tax money for transportation projects, primarily for roads, with $32 million due to Anne Arundel, a 2.9 percent decrease from last year. The county's budget lists $333.7 million in needed road and bridge improvements, with $25 million slated for the current fiscal cycle.

"(Extending Baltimore's) Red Line is going to cost $1 billion," Mr. Rolley said. "It's needed, but it's going to cost us $1 billion. Commuter buses will not cost you $1 billion."