LOCAL

Delegate seeks MARC study for Washington County

Tamela Baker
tbaker@herald-mail.com

ANNAPOLIS — The newly formed “Transit Caucus” unveiled its priorities Wednesday, including legislation for a study to bring Maryland Area Regional Commuter trains to Washington County.

The caucus, comprised of members of both the Maryland House of Delegates and the Senate, listed the study among six legislative goals designed to reemphasize mass transit in the state’s budget.

Del. Paul Corderman, R-Washington, is proposing legislation to “require the Maryland Department of Transportation to study and make recommendations on the feasibility of a commuter MARC Train extension” to three potential stops in Washington County: Keedysville, downtown Hagerstown and a stop adjacent to Md. 65.

Corderman said cars and roads are still important, especially in the western portion of the state, and “without a doubt” Interstate 81, long the top transportation priority in Washington County “needs to be widened.

“But also I’d like to see a balance to have some opportunities for transit and growth.”

Extending MARC to the county would open job opportunities in the metropolitan areas of Maryland for local residents, he said.

But it could also be a boon to local tourism, he added, as residents of those urban areas “do a reverse commute, so to speak, (to) come out here and see all the great things we have.”

According to documents from Corderman’s office, MDOT’s study should:

• examine existing facilities and identify the possibilities and challenges to establish and develop commuter rail service.

• study the public transportation needs of Washington and Allegany counties in the vicinity of Interstates 70 and 81

• confer with local governments, residents and members of the business community

• examine specific rail connections

• identify all potential stops and estimate potential ridership for each

• study the potential ridership for rush-hour-only service vs. all-day service

• identify infrastructure needs

• estimate the capital and operating costs of establishing such a rail extension

• explore the potential effect on CSX Transportation operations

Del. Mike McKay, R-Washington/Allegany, also is a member of the Transit Caucus. He wanted to be a member, he said, because there’s also been talk of extending the MARC network to Hancock at some point.

“I wanted to make sure I was part of the conversation as it affects the people of Hancock,” he said.

Other items on the priority list include legislation to add millions in capital funds to mass transit projects, add more oversight to public-private partnership transit projects, require Metro Transit Administration buses to switch to electric power and to require the state to pay for final environmental phases for a mass transit project in Southern Maryland.

Del. Paul Corderman, R-Washington, speaks Wednesday during the inaugural news conference of the General Assembly’s new Transit Caucus.