Page 6 - WILMAPCO - Transporter - Summer 2021

Statewide Transit Plan Looks at Connecting Delaware and Maryland
The Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT MTA) is drafting a Statewide Transit Plan to provide a vision, goals, and strategies for connected and coordinated transit in Maryland.
The plan will also address connections to and from neighboring states, including the popular request to connect MARC and SEPTA trains in Delaware. This connection is also term vision for transit in MDOT MTA’s MARC Cornerstone Plan and Central Maryland Regional Transit Plan.
In addition to plans and studies, MDOT MTA works closely with all rail partners in the region to construct improvements that will enhance existing service and enable future expansion. There are many ongoing track and facility improvements under construction that will continue over the next several years. In April, MDOT MTA broke ground on construction of a $64.2 million MARC Riverside Heavy Maintenance Building and Railyard, which will be fully operational in 2023. MDOT MTA continues to advance the planning of the MARC-SEPTA connection so it will be ready for implementation when critical enabling projects like the Riverside facility are complete.
Other recent movement for this connection is the Maryland General Assembly’s passage of the MARC Expansion of Service Act proposing a pilot service of two morning and two evening trains between Perryville, Maryland
and Newark, Delaware. In April and May, MDOT MTA staff held a dialog with stakeholders, including WILMAPCO’s technical and public advisory committees, about the desired pilot schedule and features. The next step is to pursue negotiations with regional rail partners and to submit a report
in December 2021. Expect to hear more about this connection in the coming months.
Go to mta.maryland.gov/statewide-plan upcoming summer comment period for the Draft Statewide Transit Plan.
Page 6