Making Tracks The Case for Building a 21st Century Public Transportation Network in Maryland Maryland PIRG Foundation Making Tracks The Case for Building a 21st Century Public Transportation Network in Maryland Maryland PIRG Foundation Sarah Payne, Frontier Group Elizabeth Ridlington, Frontier Group Kristi Horvath, Maryland PIRG Foundation Johanna Neumann, Maryland PIRG Foundation March 2009 Acknowledgments The authors wish to thank Eric Christensen of the Maryland Transit Administration and Richard Chambers, Esq., board member of the Transit Riders Action Council of Metro- politan Baltimore, for their review of this report. The authors would also like to thank Tony Dutzik, Travis Madsen and Susan Rakov of Frontier Group for their editorial assistance. The generous financial support of the Rockefeller Foundation, Surdna Foundation, and Wallace Global Foundation made this report possible. The authors bear responsibility for any factual errors. The recommendations are those of Maryland PIRG Foundation. The views expressed in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of our funders or those who provided review. © 2009 Maryland PIRG Foundation With public debate around important issues often dominated by special interests pursuing their own narrow agendas, Maryland PIRG Foundation offers an independent voice that works on behalf of the public interest. Maryland PIRG Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organiza- tion, works to protect consumers and promote good government. We investigate problems, craft solutions, educate the public, and offer Maryland residents meaningful opportunities for civic participation. For more information about Maryland PIRG Foundation or for additional copies of this report, please visit www.MarylandPIRG.org. Frontier Group conducts independent research and policy analysis to support a cleaner, healthier and more democratic society. Our mission is to inject accurate information and compelling ideas into public policy debates at the local, state and federal levels. For more information about Frontier Group, please visit www.FrontierGroup.org. Cover photo: DC metro station, Robert Simon, under license from www.istockphoto.com Layout: Harriet Eckstein Graphic Design Table of Contents Executive Summary 1 Introduction 4 The Case for More and Better 6 Public Transportation in Maryland Travel Trends 7 The Benefits of Transit in Maryland 8 State Transportation Funding Has Been Focused on Roads and Highways 9 A 21st Century Transportation Vision for Maryland 11 Goals of Improved Public Transit in Maryland 11 D.C. Metropolitan Area Improvements 12 Baltimore Metro Area Improvements 17 Statewide Improvements 21 From Vision to Reality: 26 A 21st Century Transit System for Maryland Federal Government 27 State Policy 28 Conclusion 29 Notes 30 Executive Summary ransportation is an urgent problem for • More Marylanders are driving farther Maryland. Heavy automobile traffic is in automobiles than ever before. Since Tstealing time from Maryland families the 1980s, the number of per-capita and businesses, and forcing consumers to miles driven in Maryland has jumped burn more money at the gas pump. Traffic nearly 50 percent. is also making our air less healthy, deepen- ing our oil dependency, and creating more • Marylanders have the second longest global warming pollution. average commute time in the country, Clean, efficient public transportation second only to New York. The aver- already helps millions of Marylanders get age Maryland employee, for example, where they need to go—saving consumers spends 30.2 minutes commuting to time and money, cutting air pollution, re- work each day. This problem has ducing our dependence on oil, and helping worsened drastically in recent decades: to drive economic growth. in 2005, drivers in the Baltimore area To fix its transportation troubles and were wasting 700 percent more time help ensure a healthier, safer and more in traffic than they did in 1982. prosperous future, Maryland must in- vest in public transportation for the 21st • Between 2002 and 2006, gasoline ex- century. Officials must prioritize a set of penditures rose 81 percent in the state, important and connected transit projects, causing Marylanders to spend over $3 as well as provide the funding to make the billion more to fuel their cars. While vision of a brighter transportation future gasoline prices have fallen recently, a reality. Maryland’s dependence on oil leaves us vulnerable to volatile world markets Maryland’s car-based transportation and dependent on foreign sources of system is in trouble. It is leading the energy. state to more traffic, greater oil depen- dency, more money spent on gas, and • Transportation-based global warm- more global warming pollution. ing pollution increased 37 percent Executive Summary between 1990 and 2005 statewide, rose 7.5 percent compared to October jeopardizing Maryland’s efforts to cut of the previous year. global warming emissions. • In 2005, use of Baltimore’s public Despite limited transit options and transit network alone averted nearly falling gas prices, more Marylanders 10 million hours of traffic delays, are using public transportation. By do- saved consumers $200 million, avoid- ing so, they are delivering important ed burning over 30 million gallons of economic and environmental benefits. gasoline, and kept close to a million metric tons of global warming pollu- • The number of miles that passengers tion out of Maryland’s air. traveled on the state’s public transpor- tation services increased by 50 percent Maryland can reduce traffic, shrink between 1991 and 2007. Ridership per its oil dependency, help clean up its air, capita increased 30 percent between cut global warming pollution, and grow 1991 and 2007. Between January and healthier communities by investing in August 2008 alone, ridership rose 3.7 public transit. Good transit investments percent compared to the same period for Maryland include the following (not in 2007. in order of priority): • Ridership has continued to grow even • Creating a true regional rail system after gasoline prices began to fall: in for Baltimore by building the pro- October 2008, the number of pas- posed Red Line light rail, extending sengers on Maryland’s MARC system existing light rail and subway service, Figure ES-1. Year-Over-Year Change in Transit Ridership vs. Vehicle Miles Traveled, January-August 2008 versus January-August 20071 TransitRidership 4% +3.7% 3% ge n 2% cha t CarandTruck VehicleMiles 1% rcen Traveled e Ͳ 0.8% P 0% Ͳ1% 2 Making Tracks and improving connections among state needs a compelling vision for various transit lines and with other change. Unifying a variety of projects transportation facilities. under a single plan will additionally help capture the efficiencies of inte- • Building the Washington Metro grated planning and design. Purple Line to help commuters who travel suburb-to-suburb inside the • Allocate funds to make the vision a real- Capital Beltway to avoid taking the ity. Maryland continues to spend large Metro all the way into the District in sums on expanding highways. While order to get to work or home. crumbling roads and bridges should be repaired, the focus of Maryland’s • Improving MARC commuter rail transportation spending should be options and commuter bus services. providing an investment for the future, not repeating past mistakes. • Building transit to link urban The state should adjust its priori- centers with quickly growing areas, ties for distributing money from the such as construction of the Corridor Transportation Trust Fund to provide Cities Transitway connecting Mont- dedicated and sustained funding for gomery and Frederick counties and good transit investments. a light rail line connecting southern Maryland with the Metro’s Green Line. • Urge Congress to enact a new federal transportation funding law. The new • Taking advantage of transit state- law should prioritize investing new wide by helping counties, smaller capital in public transit; fixing existing cities and towns provide bus, carpool roads and bridges rather than building and bike-friendly services, such as the more highways; and spending tax- TransIT program operating in Fred- payers’ money more wisely by using erick County. federal dollars to invest in high-prior- ity transportation solutions. To fix its transportation problems for the long-haul, Maryland needs a clear • Integrate transit into the state’s long-term vision for 21st century transit and a plan development plan. Focusing BRAC-re- to back up transit projects with dedi- lated development projects and other cated and sustained funding. Maryland new development around principles officials should: of smart growth and transit-oriented development is an excellent strategy • Lay out a clear plan and timeline for more for building healthy communities and better public transit in Maryland. The statewide. Executive Summary Introduction n a cold night in mid-February 1827, travel along the B&O right-of-way cleared a group of 25 Baltimore bankers in the 1820s. Oand merchants made a decision that Today, Maryland needs a similar long- would catalyze transportation in America. term vision for transportation in our state. At a time when railroads were barely start- A quick glance at newspaper headlines ing to be tested commercially in Europe reveals the challenges that are in store: and when slow boat transport on the Erie we face a future in which we will struggle Canal was the fastest means of East-West to meet the resource needs of a