MTA Open House and Public Hearing on The Corridor Cities Transitway

Looks like the fun is about to begin. The MTA will have a CCT Open House to discuss the alternate alignments.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010
4:00 PM - 8:00 PM Open House and Hearing, Maps/Displays Available
4:00 PM Private Testimony Begins
6:00 PM Public Testimony Begins

The Activity Center at Bohrer Park
506 S. Frederick Avenue
Gaithersburg, MD 20877

More info at: http://www.mta.maryland.gov/cct1215ph.cfm

Streetcars in Toronto.

I was in Toronto today and I was able to see a lot of streetcars in action. It was a lot of fun.

The State is still studying CCT Alignments

According to this Gazette Article they hope to have a decision by the end of the year.

More 'Science City' and CCT news

There is an article in the Gazette covering the news of county vote.

"The council set staging requirements for development, to avoid allowing more traffic congestion than in similar zones, and agreed to require that half of the proposed Corridor Cities Transitway, a 14.1-mile mass transit line that would connect Shady Grove and Clarksburg, be completed before the second half of the plan can be built."

Plus in Nancy Floreen's blog we have the following.

"Most of the new development cannot proceed until funding is obtained for the Corridor Cities Transitway (CCT). The CCT would be either a light rail or bus rapid transitway transportation system extending from the Shady Grove Metro Station to Clarksburg."

Cool stuff.

'Science City' Approved by Montgomery County

Well, it looks the City of Tomorrow was approved yesterday. The county has finally given the green light to JHU development program. The CCT will feature prominently in the 'Science City' and is mentioned in Nancy Floreen's blog.

"Most of the new development cannot proceed until funding is obtained for the Corridor Cities Transitway (CCT). The CCT would be either a light rail or bus rapid transitway transportation system extending from the Shady Grove Metro Station to Clarksburg."

and

"The new community would be chiefly served by I-270 and the proposed Corridor Cities Transitway (CCT), which would be either a light rail or Bus Rapid Transit extension from the Shady Grove Metrorail Station. The plan calls for the Urban Square at the CCT station to be “a hub of daily activity with space for special events and gatherings, as well as some community retail for the convenience of CCT riders, workers and area residents.”"

I do really wish that they wouldn't mention the BRT alternate. I dislike it so much, and I don't even want to admit that it is still a consideration.

More coverage at:
WTOP - Science City planned off Shady Grove

"The county wants to see a proposed light-rail or light-bus transit system connect "Science City" to the Shady Grove Metro station."

Washington Examiner - County aproves 'Science City' campus

"Key to the plan is a proposed light-rail or light-bus transit system that would connect Science City to the Shady Grove Metro station"

Washington Post - Montgomery County gives go head for 'Science City'

"This creates the market and the density that the Corridor Cities Transitway needs," said Montgomery Planning Board Chairman Royce Hanson, whose staff devised much of the plan approved by the council. The "science city" could triple the number of jobs in the area west of Interstate 270 to at least 60,000, many of them high-paying. The development also will include retail and 9,000 housing units.

The transitway would link the Shady Grove Station on Metro's Red Line with the science city and run north, ending a few miles south of Clarksburg.

Without the additional riders, the light-rail line endorsed by the County Council would be too costly to compete for federal money. The allocation of federal transit funds is based largely on whether transit projects save enough passengers enough time to justify the federal investment."

I just wish that there was a construction or completion requirement for the CCT rather than just a "funding commitment" to start the 'Science City'. Oh well, time will tell. It's only 2010 you know, we still have years to go on this one.

Light Rail CCT needs gas.

Wtop light rail article. Looks promising for a LRT CCT. :)

Too bad about the Gas tax, but considering how much of a transportation shortfall there is with the gas tax, I can't complain too much.

Council Votes are in. Light Rail .... Barely

Looks like the Montgomery County council voted yesterday on the I-270 and CCT plans. It pretty much fell into a plan that I like.

Instead of a mega I-270 upgrade all they way to Frederick with four lanes in each direction, they instead support adding just two reversible HOV/HOT/etc... lanes. Reversible lanes make sense to me since the traffic is usually backed up in only one direction at a time.

My baby the CCT got the Light Rail blessing. I was really begining to worry that BRT was gaining support even though everyone knows its a stinker. Even the anti-growth people favored BRT since they knew that if built, it would discourage development.

Here are some related articles.

Washington Business Journal - Montgomery County Council to likely back light rail.
Washington Examiner - Crucial I-270 proposal up for Vote.
Washington Post - Montgomery Officials back I-270 HOT lanes (women and minorities hardest hit)
WTOP - Bus or Rail? County debates I-270 Gridlock solution.
Gazzette - Council favors fail for transitway.

Now it will just be up to the State of MD to decide. Come on Obama money!!!