FROM OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Thank you for reading BMC Quarterly, a brief overview of the Baltimore Metropolitan Council’s activities and initiatives to keep you in the loop.

It has already been a busy year at BMC. We recently hosted the first meeting of the Baltimore Regional Transit Commission, which will seek to provide long-overdue oversight and advocacy for greater Baltimore’s public transit system. We welcomed a new Board of Directors Chair in Queen Anne’s County Commissioner Jim Moran, and new Vice Chair in Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman. We are working on several transportation planning projects and preparing to roll out more. And speaking of rolling out, our annual Bike to Work Central Maryland program is set for the week of May 13.

With all this and more, it’s a packed issue of BMC Quarterly, and it’s looking likely to be a packed year of programs for our agency. As always, I’m proud of the work we do, and our amazing staff who make it happen. I hope you’ll read on to find out more about what we’re up to, and that you won’t hesitate to reach out to us with any questions or comments about our agency’s activities. We would love to hear from you.

Sincerely,

Mike Kelly
Executive Director
Baltimore Metropolitan Council

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TOP STORY

Baltimore Regional Transit Commission

We were honored to host the Baltimore Regional Transit Commission (BRTC) for its inaugural meeting on Friday, February 2.

Created by the Maryland General Assembly in the 2023 legislative session, the Commission will work to identify and prioritize local and regional transit needs, and begin laying the groundwork for a new future of transit governance in the region. The Commission will engage state partners at the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA), as well as Locally-Operated Transit Systems and transportation planning professionals, to pursue an ambitious vision of oversight and advocacy.

The Commissioners, appointed by Governor Wes Moore, Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott, Baltimore County Executive John Olszewski, Jr., Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman and Howard County Executive Calvin Ball, represent transit riders, employers, industry experts and others with a stake in improving greater Baltimore’s transit networks. BRTC members elected Baltimore attorney Jon Laria as Chair.

In their first meeting, Commissioners heard from MTA Administrator Holly Arnold and deputies, as well as our staff supporting the work of the BRTC, to learn more about the challenges facing transit in the Baltimore region, and the work underway to overcome those challenges. In future meetings, the Commission will begin to develop a forward-looking work plan.

The next BRTC meeting is set for Friday, March 8 at 10 a.m. Members of the public are welcome to join virtually or in-person.

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IN OTHER NEWS

GoSmart Maryland Commuter Resource

We recently launched launched GoSmart Maryland, a new platform providing residents of Baltimore and Carroll counties with easy access to information on carpool and transit options, as well as programs that offer car-poolers, cyclists and transit riders a free ride home in an emergency and financial incentives for ditching cars.

GoSmart Maryland offers a free service to help businesses provide free and low-cost transportation benefits that help employers and employees save money, reduce stress and benefit the environment. GoSmart Maryland can help businesses find programs that help recruit and retain top talent, achieve sustainability goals, save on payroll taxes and secure free benefits for workers. Free programs include employees pre-tax benefits, employ subsidies and the guaranteed ride home benefit.

Learn more at gosmartmd.com.

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Regional Bulk Purchasing Contract Database

The Baltimore Regional Cooperative Purchasing Committee (BRCPC) opened up a database of regional contracts, making details about the group’s high-volume purchasing of commodities and services accessible to the public.

We convene and staff the BRPCP, which provides a forum for state and local governments, public schools, community colleges, nonprofits and other agencies to buy in bulk, leveraging their collective purchasing power to secure better rates and save millions on expenditures such as energy, vehicles, office furniture, software and services like daycare. Many BRPCP members are public agencies, and money saved on these bulk contracts frees up funding for services.

The database will serve as a resource for connecting bidding opportunities and vendors. Learn more at baltometro.org/brcpc-database-launch.

Also, don't miss the Maryland Public Safety and Emergency Communication Product Expo on Wednesday, March 27 at the BWI Marriott. Emergency managers, safety officials and communications staff from around the state can take this opportunity to connect with suppliers showcasing the latest in safety and communications technology and services. Click here to learn more and register.

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BOARD UPDATE

Our Board of Directors named Queen Anne’s County Commissioner James J. Moran as the 2024 Chair at its most recent meeting on Friday, January 26. Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman will serve as Vice Chair. We also recently welcomed Mark Anthony Thomas, Chief Executive Officer of Greater Baltimore Committee, appointed by Governor Wes Moore to represent the region's private development sector.

“The Baltimore Metropolitan Council does important work in all our jurisdictions,” said Moran, the Board's longest-serving member. “I’m looking forward to moving us forward.”

Our thanks to Moran and Pittman, as well as to Howard County Executive Calvin Ball, our 2023 Chair, and all our board members. Our next Board of Directors meeting is set for Friday, April 19 at 9 a.m. and will be a joint meeting with the Baltimore Regional Transportation Board. Members of the public are welcome to attend virtually or in-person.

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ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Transportation Planning Budget (UPWP)

The Baltimore Regional Transportation Board (BRTB) is drafting a transportation planning budget for the upcoming fiscal year, proposing $10.6 million for a range of studies, plans and projects. If BRTB members and federal regulators approve the budget, formally titled the Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP), we will start this work when the fiscal year begins on July 1.

Funding items in the proposed budget for fiscal year 2025 include:

• Conducting a Transportation Needs Assessment to identify needs and challenges for users of the region’s transportation system, with a focus on vulnerable populations,
• Continuing the Transportation and Land Use Connection grant program, which quickly unlocks resources to help local jurisdictions improve bicycle and pedestrian facilities,
• Expanding the Look Alive road safety outreach campaign to reach more people who drive, bike and walk in the region through more creative and engaging methods,
• Planning a shared-use path connecting the Patapsco Light Rail Station to Baltimore’s Cherry Hill neighborhood, advancing another piece of the Patapsco Regional Greenway,
• Drafting the region’s next short-range transportation plan (with a five-year horizon) and laying the groundwork for the next long-range plan (with a twenty-year horizon).

These are just some of the items proposed. New tasks are described in the draft document, which is available for review online. A public comment period closes on March 11. Learn more and weigh in at publicinput.com/BRTBbudget.

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Patapsco Regional Greenway: Stoney Run

We are developing plans for a four-mile shared-use trail connecting Elkridge Main Street to the BWI Trail at Stoney Run Road. The trail will be part of the Patapsco Regional Greenway (PRG), an envisioned 40-mile trail network from Baltimore’s Inner Harbor to Sykesville in Carroll County. The trail will link with another PRG segment we helped design from Elkridge to the Guinness Open Gate Brewery, expanding connections for bicyclists, pedestrians and other users.

We are working with Anne Arundel County, Howard County and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources on the plans. An initial public comment period will close on February 16, 2024, and included a meeting at the Howard County Library Elkridge Branch on February 6. Learn more and share your thoughts at publicinput.com/prg.

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PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT: CLIMATE POLLUTION REDUCTION GRANT PLANNING

We recently received a $1 million Climate Pollution Reduction Grant from the Environmental Protection Agency, which will help us collaborate with local and state partners to create climate action plans for our region. These include a Priority Climate Action Plan (PCAP) due next month, and a Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CCAP) due in the summer of 2025.

The PCAP will include a greenhouse gas inventory, a list of priority emission reduction measures and an analysis of potential benefits to low-income and disadvantaged communities. The CCAP will build on the PCAP with a more extensive look at the inventory, reduction measures and other analyses. These planning efforts seek to help our region bring down greenhouse gas emissions and make our communities less vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

Click here to learn more about our CPRG planning and how to get involved.

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UPCOMING MEETINGS

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SAVE THE DATE

Mark your calendar! Bike to Work Week 2024 will run Monday, May 13 through Sunday, May 19. Registration will open soon, and registrants can collect free Bike to Work t-shirts at participating locations (supply limited). Subscribe for updates via biketoworkmd.com.

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Baltimore Metropolitan Council (BMC) works collaboratively with the chief elected officials in the region to create initiatives to improve quality of life and economic vitality. As the Baltimore region’s council of governments, BMC hosts the Baltimore Regional Transportation Board (BRTB) and supports local government by coordinating efforts in a range of policy areas including emergency preparedness, housing, cooperative purchasing, environmental planning and workforce development.