Maryland Governor O'Malley Outlines Vision for Transit Communities in Maryland

Discusses Need to Invest in Maryland’s Future

GREENBELT, MD (March 19, 2008) – Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley today unveiled his vision for the development of sustainable communities around Maryland’s existing transit stations, while addressing elected officials, business organizations, developers and environmental groups from around Maryland at a luncheon in Prince George’s County.

Governor O’Malley’s vision includes promoting future growth in areas served by transit, to enhance economic vitality, increase transit ridership, reduce sprawl and vehicle emissions impacting the environment and improve the quality of life in the state.

“For decades in our State and in our country, our transportation system has followed land-use,” said Governor O’Malley. “Now, we must focus our land-use where our transportation systems can best support growth. We need to maximize the benefit of that investment by creating new communities of jobs, housing and retail in walking distance of transit stations, taking advantage of the infrastructure that is in place today.”

The Governor described “transit oriented communities” as neighborhoods similar to those lived in by our grandparents where people could walk from their homes to jobs and the grocery store or to a transit stop where they could board transit carrying them where they needed to go. He added that these could be vibrant places where, more often than not, people could leave their cars in their driveway.

Governor O’Malley has introduced legislation to allow the State of Maryland to aggressively promote transit-oriented development (TOD) as a smart growth tool to revitalize communities. The legislation now before the Maryland General Assembly (HB373/SB 204 – Maryland Transit Administration – Transit Oriented Development) puts investment in transit communities on equal footing with other transportation priorities and removes legal road blocks to using state resources and land for such communities.

Studies indicate that residents who move near transit stations typically reduce their driving by 40 percent. According to a recent study by the Washington Council of Governments, if future growth were to be concentrated at Metro stations, the region could increase transit ridership by nearly 8 percent and decrease severe highway congestion by 4.6 percent.

“We know the challenges our State faces in regards to sustainability, with our population expected to grow by 1.1 million and 725,000 jobs expected in the next 20 years,” added Governor O’Malley. “With thousands of acres of undeveloped and underdeveloped land within a half mile of Maryland’s 112 transit stations, theoretically a network of transit communities could absorb all 1.1 million new residents. It gives you an idea of the existing potential for smart growth.”

Governor O’Malley said the opportunities are particularly apparent in Prince George’s County. While other areas in the Washington region have benefited from development around Metro stations, there is development on only one of 15 Metro station properties in Prince George’s County, even though a total of 2,531 acres surrounding the remaining stations sits undeveloped.

In addition to legislation introduced this year, Governor O’Malley has increased transit investment. In the FY 2008-2013 Consolidated Transportation Program, state commitments to transit include:

* $411 million to develop new transit lines including the Purple Line, the Corridor Cities Transitway and the Red Line in Baltimore;
* $289 million for the MARC Growth and Investment Plan to eventually transform a rush hour commuter rail line into an all day, seven-day-a-week transit system; and
* Maryland’s commitment to maintaining the Metro system with a $50 million a year match for Metro dedicated funding.

Source: Maryland Governor

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