| MOVING HOWARD COUNTY FORWARD Open for Public Review: Funding for Bridge Improvements and Electric Buses in Howard County BALTIMORE (April 13, 2011) -- Howard County and the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) have submitted amendments to the Baltimore Regional Transportation Board (BRTB) for the 2011-2014 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). - The Howard County amendment adds $9.7 million to repair and replace the decks of 6 bridges, using Federal Highway Administration Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation funds that were requested in Fiscal Year 2010. The projects are ready to proceed and must be included in the 2011-2014 TIP to receive the funding.
- The second amendment reflects a recent grant award to the MTA of $3.8 million in Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2010 Transit Investment for Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction (TIGGER) II Discretionary Grant money. These funds will be used for the Howard County Electric Bus Project.
Details of each of the proposed projects are below. Howard County Bridge Repairs / Deck Replacements - Henryton Road bridge over a tributary to the Patapsco River,
- Pindell School Road over Hammond Branch;
- Shady Lane over Dorsey Run;
- Daisy Road over Cattail Creek;
- Daisy Road B3849; and
- Old Montgomery Road over Deep Run.
Federal funding in the amount of $5.8 million comes from the Federal Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation Program. Local funding is in the amount of $3.9 million. MTA Support for Howard County Electric Bus Project - Replace three (3) diesel buses with electric buses to operate on Howard Transit's Green Route (serving downtown locations including the Columbia Mall, the Village of Wilde Lake, Howard Community College, and Howard County General Hospital);
- Install an inductive charger at Howard County Community College to provide energy to the bus batteries through electro magnetic induction.
- Build a transit shelter and an "Energy Information Station" to provide real-time information on the charging process including the recording of emission reductions and cost savings.
This project is fully funded by TIGGER II Discretionary Grant Funds.
A public review period will be held through Friday, May 6, 2011. The public is encouraged to review the draft documentation and submit comments.
To share your thoughts and ideas, submit all comments in writing to:
The Baltimore Regional Transportation Board Offices @ McHenry Row 1500 Whetstone Way, Suite 300 Baltimore, MD 21230 Fax: 410-732-8248 E-mail: comments@baltometro.org Web: www.baltometro.org/bboard
All mailed comments must be received no later than 3 days after the close of the comment period. A public meeting to answer questions and accept comments on these amendments is scheduled for Tuesday, April 26, at 7 p.m. at the Howard County Public Transportation Board meeting. This meeting will be held at the George Howard Building, 3430 Courthouse Drive, Ellicott City, MD 21043. Comments may be submitted at this public meeting or during the Public Comment Opportunity at the BRTB meeting on Wednesday, April 20, 2011, at 4:30 pm., or on Tuesday, May 24, at 9 a.m. (tentative vote). The BRTB meets at the Baltimore Metropolitan Council's offices, Offices @ McHenry Row, 1500 Whetstone Way, Suite 300, in the Locust Point area of Baltimore City. For more information, contact:
Regina Aris, raris@baltometro.org, 410-732-9572
Monica Haines Benkhedda, mhainesbenkhedda@baltometro.org, 410-732-0500 x1047 # # # | 
