Issue Position: Transportation

Issue Position

Our region is in desperate need for new and innovative transportation and transit solutions. Traffic is our number one detractor for improving our quality of life, as well as being a drain on the economy and a hazard to the environment. We need to get more people out of their cars even as our population continues to grow and industry continues to expand.

Building the Corridor Cities Transitway (CCT) and the Purple Line will be a huge step in helping to achieve this aim. The CCT is a critical link between UpCounty Montgomery and the Shady Grove Metro Station, and is the linchpin in spurring hundreds of millions of dollars in new science and technology development in the Great Seneca Science Corridor. The Purple Line is a vital link between east and west county that will help to take thousands of cars off of the road and provide a mass transit alternative between Bethesda, Silver Spring, and College Park. Montgomery County delegates have been working diligently to secure dedicated funding for the WMATA Metro.

BRT (bus rapid transit) is one way we are looking to improve public transit in the region. These dedicated lines will reduce traffic congestion, speed up commute times, and reduce emissions.In 2016, Montgomery County was awarded a $10 million federal TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) grant toward the Route 29 project by the U.S. Department of Transportation. The Maryland State and Montgomery County governments will work with those at the federal level to develop this innovative line. We are also looking at ways to improve the Brunswick line of the MARC train.

When it comes to our transit woes, I am in favor of an "all of the above" approach to solutions. There is no one perfect solution, but rather a combination of systems and plans that will help improve quality of life, while also supporting multiple industries and providing as little disruption to day-to-day life as possible.

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