The Baltimore Regional Transportation Board (BRTB), as the metropolitan planning organization (MPO) for the Baltimore region, seeks public comments through Friday, July 9 on two transportation-related documents – the draft 2022-2025 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and the associated Air Quality Conformity Determination.

Returning this year is an interactive project map, in which the public can view projects and offer comments. Staff have also created an interactive story map to offer the public an easy way to learn more about these plans. Details about the TIP and Conformity Determination, and how to provide comments, are available below.

Draft 2022-2025 TIP | Draft Air Quality Conformity Determination | How to Comment

Draft 2022 – 2025 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)

The draft 2022-2025 TIP is the list of regional transportation projects requesting federal funding in the near term. It includes $4.04 billion in proposed funding (federal, state, local, toll revenue) for highway, transit, bicycle and pedestrian projects during the next four years. The funding goes toward maintaining, operating and expanding the transportation system. These projects support regional goals such as accessibility, safety, and prosperity. Funding identified in the TIP is based on funding reasonably expected to be available from all sources.

The draft 2022-2025 TIP includes 129 projects, 6 of which are new. Highlights include:

• Anne Arundel County is dedicating $14 million in funding for a multi-modal transportation center in Parole at the Westfield Annapolis Mall to serve existing local and regional bus service, with possible future connectivity to modes such as bikeshare, carshare, and ride hailing services;
• Baltimore City, in partnership with the state of Maryland, is investing $12.6 million in an East-West Priority Bus Corridor, which will provide a comprehensive suite of investments facilitating more efficient transit trips, improving multimodal connections, and addressing existing safety issues.
• Baltimore City is also moving forward on vital roadway rehabilitation investments, including bicycle and pedestrian improvements, on portions of Belair Road, 25th Street, Fremont Avenue, Madison Street, Park Heights Avenue, Patapsco Avenue, and Pennington Avenue.
• Carroll and Harford Counties are dedicating federal and local funding for 20 essential bridge improvement projects.
• Howard County continues progress on a $27 million project at the US 29 and Broken Land Parkway Interchange which will provide new direct connections from the westbound US 29/Broken Land Parkway interchange ramp to a new road (Merriweather Drive) and to Little Patuxent Parkway. The project will also provide a direct connection from Merriweather Drive to Broken Land Parkway.
• MDOT SHA is dedicating $281 million in the draft 2022-2025 TIP on expanding the Baltimore Beltway (I-695) from I-70 to MD 43 by converting the inside shoulder into a new travel lane from I-70 to MD 43 and on reconstructing the interchange of I-695 and I-70.
• The Maryland Port Administration is partnering with CSX to leverage federal grant funding to reconstruct the 125-year-old Howard Street Tunnel in order to create double-stack rail access to and from the Port of Baltimore.
• The Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) is investing $102 million in toll revenues through 2027 on a project at the I-895/Baltimore Harbor Tunnel Toll Plaza replacing the existing toll booths with an overhead gantry which will eliminate traffic queues, improve vehicular and employee safety, and reduce vehicle emissions and fuel consumption.
• MDTA also continues engineering and construction on a $1.1 billion project in Baltimore and Harford Counties adding two additional Express Toll Lanes on I-95 from north of MD 43 to north of MD 24. This project is funded with toll revenues.

Please view the draft 2022-2025 TIP through the BRTB’s interactive project map or learn more in our story map. The draft 2022-2025 TIP is also available in PDF format for download:

Draft 2022-2025 TIP

Introduction and Background  |  Financial Plan

Projects by jurisdiction: Low-income and Minority Concentration  |  Appendices

Projects in the draft TIP are also available to review in pdf format by project sponsor, either a local jurisdiction or state agency:

Anne Arundel County  |  Baltimore City  |  Baltimore County

Carroll County  |  Harford County  |  Howard County

Maryland Port Administration  |  Maryland Transportation Authority

MDOT MTA  |  MDOT SHA and the Office of the Secretary

Analysis of Air Quality Conformity

The Baltimore region does not meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards and so must review its current transportation plans and programs to ensure conformity with the State Air Quality Implementation Plan (SIP).

The Air Quality Conformity Determination report details a comprehensive analysis of Baltimore region mobile source emissions as a result of implementing the draft 2022-2025 TIP. Highlights of the report include:

• Staff from BMC and the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) used the Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES) 2014a model, developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to analyze the amount of mobile source emissions generated from vehicle travel associated with the implementation of the projects in the draft TIP.
• The report addresses mobile source emissions of VOC and NOx, which are precursors of ground-level ozone emissions.
• Adopted forecasts for population, housing, and employment in the Baltimore region were used for this conformity analysis.
• Current data about the types and purpose of vehicles, fuel data, and meteorological data were used as input into the analysis.
• This Conformity Determination shows that transit ridership is projected to increase from 2022 to 2045.
• Projected mobile source emissions for draft 2022-2025 TIP are well below the motor vehicle emission budgets set in the state implementation plan, or SIP.
• Implementation of the projects proposed in the draft 2022-2025 TIP will not worsen the region’s air quality or delay the timely attainment of national air quality standards.

The conformity determination is available in PDF format for download. Download the Draft Conformity Determination of the draft 2022-2025 TIP:

Conformity Determination | Appendices

Share Your Thoughts

Public comments are welcome from Tuesday, June 8 through Friday, July 9, 2021. The BRTB will vote on these documents on Tuesday, July 27, 2021.

Public Comments Received | BRTB Response to Comments

Join Us for a Virtual Public Meeting

Those interested in learning more about the draft 2022-2025 TIP and Air Quality Conformity may do so during a virtual public meeting on:

• Thursday, June 17 at 7 p.m.

To share your thoughts and ideas, send all comments in writing to:

ONLINE	EMAIL	TWITTER	VOICEMAIL	FAX
https://publicinput.com/H2050	H2050@PublicInput.com	@BaltoMetroCo @BmoreInvolved #BRTBlistens	855-925-2801 x 8248	410-732-8248

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Comments are also welcome during the public comment opportunity at the BRTB meetings at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, June 22, or Tuesday, July 27 (scheduled vote).

Note: MDOT MTA, in lieu of a separate mandated public comment period, has exercised its option to use the procedures of the BRTB’s public involvement process for the 2022-2025 TIP. The public participation process for the TIP meets the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) public participation requirements for MDOT MTA’s Program of Projects (POP).

For more information:

Contact Regina Aris, assistant transportation director, by email at raris@baltometro.org, or by phone at 410-732-9572.

Notice

The Baltimore Regional Transportation Board operates its programs and services without regard to race, color, or national origin in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and other applicable laws. Appropriate services can be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities or those in need of language assistance who submit a request at least seven days prior to a meeting. Call 410-732-0500.

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