Washington, D.C. – During today’s meeting of the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board, the proposed update to the region’s long-range plan revealed few new significant projects, while a financial analysis called for greater commitment to maintaining and enhancing the transportation system. 

This year’s update includes four regionally significant projects proposed by the District of Columbia, including a proposal to build three new segments of a larger streetcar network and a pilot project to convert automobile lanes on 9th, 15th, L, M Streets, and Pennsylvania Avenue in NW DC to bike lanes.  The plan update also contains over a dozen projects that Maryland and Virginia have identified to be delayed or deleted due to budget cuts.  For the full list, visit: www.mwcog.org/clrp

Members of the public are encouraged to comment on the proposed changes to the transportation plan by May 15, 2010.  The TPB will vote at next month’s meeting on the changes.  The TPB will then conduct an annual air quality analysis to ensure that the proposed projects do not prevent the region from meeting its air quality improvement goals in the decades ahead.

The TPB also received a briefing on a financial analysis of the revenues and costs for operating, maintaining, and expanding the region’s transportation system through 2040.  The analysis observed Metrorail performance and ridership may be limited by future funding availability.  Officials also noted the numerous housing and commercial developments being planned around Metro stations in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia as another reason its funding is critically important to the region. 

The independent analysis recommended a number of potential revenue solutions to the region’s transportation funding shortfall including fuel taxes, tolling, road pricing, and other types of direct fees for new projects.  It also urged major enhancements to traditional revenue sources for maintenance, preservation, and operations of the current transportation system. To view the presentation of the financial analysis, click here. 

Visit: www.mwcog.org/clrp to learn more about the proposed changes to the long-range plan and to submit a public comment.