baltimoresun.com

Scrapping of traffic-congestion plan urged - Proposal tilts too heavily toward highways, mass-transit advocates say

By Michael Dresser

Sun Reporter

August 29, 2007

A coalition of mass-transit advocates urged the Baltimore Regional Transportation Board yesterday to scrap its $8.7 billion draft plan for traffic congestion relief over the next 28 years, contending that the proposal is heavily skewed in favor of highway projects.

The advocates are attacking a potential blueprint for what the region's transportation system would look like in 2035. They say the draft Transportation Outlook 2035, prepared by local governments and the transportation board's staff, directs too much money to road projects, including many that would encourage sprawl and violate the state's Smart Growth policies.

At a public hearing last night, speakers almost unanimously turned thumbs down on a plan that critics described as lacking in regional vision.

Advocates demanded a roughly even split of the funds to finance a full regional rapid transit network and MARC system improvements.

The Greater Baltimore Committee expressed disappointment that the draft didn't include a Metro system extension to Morgan State University and Good Samaritan Hospital.

Gregory Schaffer, president of Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, asked why the East Baltimore campus, with more than 6,300 employees, had been left out of plans for a new transit line and a MARC system upgrade.

(Proposed) 2008-2012 Transportation Improvement Program
The proposed 2008-2012 Transportation Improvement Program is being developed by the NYMTC members. This 5-year program runs from October 1, 2007 through September 30, 2012.

Transportation improvements identified in the TIP are based on both the members’ proposals and a region-wide public solicitation of proposed transportation improvements which was completed in the Summer of 2006. The improvement proposals from this solicitation were then evaluated based on their relevance to the Regional Transportation Plan and to the criteria of the relevant Federal funding programs.

Preliminary project lists of transportation improvements for the 2008-2012 TIP were developed in the Winter of 2006. These lists were approved by the TCCs in the Spring of 2007.  NYMTC has compiled these listings into a regional Draft 2008-2012 TIP document.  Whenever NYMTC updates or revises its TIP or Plan, the demonstration of conformity with air quality budgets at certain milestone dates is produced as required under the Clean Air Act.  One new requirement of SAFETEA-LU is a Financial Plan.  The draft 2008-2012 TIP, its accompanying Conformity Determination, and the Financial Plan is available for the 30-day public comment period from August 23, 2007 through
September 20, 2007. 

As part of the public review process, several public meetings are held during the TIP development process. The public is also encouraged to submit written and e-mail comments. The schedule of meeting can be accessed through the following TIP link: TIP Comment Period and Meeting Schedule. After the NYMTC Principals adopted the Council’s TIP scheduled for September, it will then be forwarded to the New York State Department of Transportation for inclusion into its State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). The State STIP will in turn be forwarded to the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration in time for their review and approval by October 1, 2007. On that date NYMTC will be able to draw down dollars for transportation improvement projects listed in its 2008-2012 TIP.

The proposed list of 2008-2012 TIP improvements can be viewed and downloaded from this website through the link, TIP Downloadable File Area. Copies can also be obtained by contacting Christopher Hardej at 212.383.7253 or chardej@dot.state.ny.us.

Policy on Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Preparation

Denver Regional Council on Governments

2005