Cog Quarterly
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The Baltimore Metropolitan Council’s COG QUARTERLY Winter / 2018 pg14 pg10 pg 20 BALTIMORE BOUND MAPPIN’ IT B’MORE INVOLVED Tourism is an important economic One of the best tools BMC has B’More Involved, the federally required generator, supporting jobs, for analyzing regional economic public involvement arm of the BRTB, businesses and bringing in tax development is the Building Permit promotes civic engagement in our revenue, while it also enhances Database System. The database region’s transportation, planning, quality of life for residents. The shows both new construction environmental justice and equity. Baltimore region is working together and alterations that are valued This important information is a great to better coordinate tourism services, at more than $50,000. With so way for you to learn more, stay up-to- including transportation challenges, much information, it is important date on important events, news, and, to create a better experience for to visualize the data in a way that of course, let you know how you can visitors and thereby boost the local planners and the public can easily B’More Involved! economy. understand. 1 Baltimore Metropolitan Council Table of Contents Letter from the LETTER FROM THE CLICK TO YOUR HEART’S CONTENT! EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 01 COG Quarterly is an interactive digital magazine of BMC. Executive Director IN THE NEWS Blue text and contains hyperlinks to more information, so click away! Transportation 02 Bike/Ped 04 WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! Photos 05 Please email staff at [email protected] Planning will be necessary to transport MAPPIN’ IT 08 with any questions, comments or story ideas. For more information about BMC, visit www.baltometro.org. our region’s thriving tourism industry ASK AN EXPERT 10 CONNECT WITH US! LEADING LOCALLY 12 We’re very active social media and want you to be a part of the hen you look at the national news, Board of Directors fun. Follow us! COVER STORY 14 Wit’s easy to dismiss Baltimore as a chair, who talks about city with great challenges and struggles. his local and regional But outsiders are discovering what priorities in “Leading PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT 20 so many of us have known about this Locally” (Page 12). Schuh region for years: Baltimore is a dynamic highlights the work of his FROM THE VAULT 22 destination and it’s only getting better. county’s Transportation Commission in its effort you’ll notice some stylistic updates to Forbes started the momentum when to better connect local transportation the publication. We recently unveiled a it dubbed us No. 14 on “America’s assets, as well as his leadership in revamp of our logo, iconography, fonts Coolest Cities to Live” in 2012. Then combating the opioid crisis in our and color pallet, aimed at unifying and Zagat crowned Baltimore City No. 2 on Board of Directors region. modernizing our brand. Our facade “The Top 17 Food Cities of 2015.” So may be new and improved, but at our it’s no surprise (but still quite exciting) In addition, Augie Chiasera, president heart, we remain an anchor for regional that we made the New York Time’s “52 for M&T Bank’s Greater Baltimore STEVEN R. SCHUH ALLAN H. KITTLEMAN collaboration. Places to go in 2018,” a list of global and Chesapeake regions, shares his Anne Arundel County Executive Howard County Executive destinations. perspectives on how corporate citizens As always, thank you for reading COG (BMC Chair) like M&T Bank contribute to Baltimore’s Quarterly, and please stomp on over to Our Winter 2018 cover story, “Baltimore economy and shape its future our blog, too. JAMES J. MORAN Bound,” highlights regional tourism CATHERINE E. PUGH through investment and cross-sector Queen Anne’s County Board of and its intersection with transportation Baltimore City Mayor collaboration. Check out the Q&A (Page Sincerely, Commissioners (Page 14). The Baltimore region has (BMC Vice-Chair) 10). something for everyone – whether WILLIAM C. FERGUSON you’re a foodie or beer connoisseur, On Monday, February 12, BMC launched KEVIN KAMENETZ Maryland State Senator, D-46 a sports fanatic or patron of the arts, it’s new blog. Stomping Grounds - a Mike Kelly Baltimore County Executive nature enthusiast or leisure lover. The nod to our big regional backyard - BMC Executive Director tourism industry is a key component of will publish biweekly posts, featuring STEPHEN W. LAFFERTY our economy, and it’s an emerging factor novel musings on transportation, data, STEPHEN WANTZ Maryland State Delegate, D-42A in how we approach transportation economics, and all things that make Carroll County Board of Commissioners planning for the future. Baltimore great (Page 22). J. THOMAS SADOWSKI We also spotlight Anne Arundel County Finally, as you virtually thumb through BARRY GLASSMAN Executive Steven Schuh, BMC’s 2018 the Winter 2018 issue of COG Quarterly, University System of Maryland Harford County Executive COG Quarterly 1 IN THE NEWS Maximize 2045 2019 FY UPWP BRTB adopts highway safety targets for next long-range BRTB to seek public comments on draft Fiscal Year 2019 transportation plan, Maximize2045 budget and work plan MC staff members continue to In 2016, the fatality The metropolitan planning process work with the Baltimore Regional rate/100 million VMT shall provide for consideration B and implementation of projects, Transportation Board (BRTB) and its for the region was 0.83, strategies, and services that will advisory groups to develop the next while the national fatality address the following factors: regional transportation plan. The BRTB rate/100 million VMT expects to adopt this plan, known was 1.18, according to cover the categories of major capital • Increase the safety of the as Maximize2045: A Performance-Based the National Highway Traffic Safety projects, system preservation, and transportation system for Transportation Plan, by July 2019. Administration (NHTSA). system operations. The financial plan motorized and non-motorized also will show total estimated costs for users; Increase the security of Regional Highway Safety Targets Next Steps the system preservation and system the transportation system for The most recent step in this process Over the next several months, BMC staff operations categories. motorized and non-motorized users; was the adoption of highway safety will work with the BRTB and its advisory Examples of major capital projects targets, which BRTB completed in groups to develop the following critical are new or widened roads to expand • Protect and enhance the January 2018. These targets cover the elements of the long-range plan: capacity, major roadway or bridge environment, promote energy five federally mandated highway safety • Population and employment rehabilitations, and new or expanded conservation, improve the quality performance measures: forecasts for the 2024-2045 transit service. of life, and promote consistency between transportation period (in coordination with the System preservation covers such • Number of fatalities; improvements and State and local Cooperative Forecast Group); activities as roadway repaving, bridge planned growth and economic • Number of serious injuries; • Criteria for evaluating candidate repairs, transit vehicle replacement, he Baltimore Regional development patterns; • Rate of fatalities per 100 million projects (in coordination with the non-routine rehabilitations of transit (MPO), the BRTB must address Transportation Board (BRTB) will vehicle miles traveled (VMT); Technical Committee); and facilities, and maintenance of roadway T many transportation planning topics • Increase accessibility and mobility lighting and signage. soon welcome comments on its draft such as: freight movement and of people and freight; Enhance the • A financial plan (in coordination • Rate of serious injuries per 100 Budget & Work Program for Fiscal Year traffic, bicycle and pedestrian safety. integration and connectivity of the with the Maryland Department System operations covers routine million VMT; and 2019. Beyond these requirements, the BRTB transportation system, across and of Transportation and local transit maintenance activities as well • Number of non-motorized allocates funding to address critical between modes, for people and jurisdictions). as the salaries and wages of personnel The BRTB adopted a list of regional (pedestrian and bicycle) fatalities transportation issues specific to the freight; who maintain and operate transit and transportation planning activities last and serious injuries. Baltimore, such as improving the Financial Plan highway systems and vehicles. year and is updating the budget for the • Promote efficient system coordination between the Maryland The table below shows the highway second fiscal year. This plan includes management and operation; The financial plan will include Transit Administration and the Locally safety targets for the Baltimore region Call for Candidate Projects funding for planning activities from July Emphasize the preservation of the forecasts of the revenues expected to Operated Transit Systems. for the next three years: be available for highway and transit Once these elements - population 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019. existing transportation system; programs and projects in the region for and employment forecasts, project BRTB member jurisdictions and state • Promote efficient system Baltimore Region Highway Safety The BRTB’s Budget and Work Program the 2024-2045 period. These revenues evaluation criteria, and financial plan agencies propose program ideas and management and operation; Performance