Improving Transit

When people choose to ride public transportation, transit puts Families First by decreasing the number of cars on the road, reducing emissions in the air and creating a healthier environment. The O’Malley / Brown Administration is committed to addressing the growing demand for public transit and is dedicated to making this highly cost-effective and environmentally-conscious mode of transportation as readily available as possible to the people of Maryland.

Light Rail coming down Howard Street in Baltimore City

Gettting There Smarter

  • Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) leverages transit investments by bringing to life dense, mixed-use development near rail transit stations across the State.  This approach promotes transportation choices and can provide a major resource for accommodating future growth in the state.  TOD is Smart Growth, as it can help cut the costs associated with the ownership and operation of cars, reduce sprawl by providing development opportunities in areas that are walkable, and take advantage of existing infrastructure.  A number of TOD projects are expected to break ground during the next two to three years.
  • Maryland’s Next Generation of Transit is the O’Malley/Brown Administration’s aggressive approach to creating new transit initiatives designed to meet current and future demand in both the Washington and Baltimore regions.  These projects include the Purple Line and the Corridor Cities Transitway in the Washington region and the Red Line in the Baltimore region.  The transit initiatives are now in the planning stage and represent Maryland’s next generation of transit. 
  • MARC Growth and Investment Plan is a multi-phased, multi-year plan to triple the capacity of MARC, Maryland’s commuter rail system.  MARC is a key component of Maryland’s commuter network providing rail service for more than 30,000 commuters a day traveling between Washington’s Union Station and northern, central and western Maryland.  The MARC Growth and Investment plan establishes a series of improvement milestones for 2008, 2010, 2015, 2020 and 2035.