Moving forward and more on the Corridor Cities Transitway…..
Though never considered a problem under federal law, the environmental impact of the CCT was required to be analyzed. According to a new state study, the routing of the proposed CCT would have a minor impact on the environment, partially due to the fact that the buses or trains would be traveling in the middle of existing roads. The impact on the natural environment and wildlife habitat would be minor, since the area is already built up.
The Maryland Transit Authority recently reviewed the route changes to better serve the new developments of Crown Farm and Science City, west of I-270 near Shady Grove, and putting a station closer to the Kentlands.
Justifying construction of a new station hinges on the future plans of Science City in Gaithersburg. Science City, also known as the Great Seneca Science Corridor Master Plan, is slated to triple the jobs in the area, as well as resulting in approximately 9000 new housing units. Now the caveat – much of Science City development depends on having the transitway built first.
On December 15 a public hearing will be held to determine whether express buses or a light-rail would be the best mode of transportation. The Montgomery County Council endorsed the light-rail at a cost of nearly $1 billion dollars, as opposed to an estimated $530 million for a bus-way. However, due to monetary resources, bus rapid transit would be welcomed and supported just as well.
Plans to ease congestion on I-270 are also in the works: new interchanges to accommodate future widening, adding lanes and adding express toll lanes.
State transportation officials are seeking Federal money to build a light rail between Bethesda and New Carrollton (purple line) and a light rail in Baltimore (red line).
