At its October meeting, the TPB approved three Transit Within Reach projects, heard from the state DOTs on their statewide carbon reduction strategies, and received a recap of the October 18 Intercity Rail and Bus Travel Work Session.
Meeting agenda, materials, and recording
Chair’s Remarks
Chair Reuben Collins reported that COG, along with chief administrative and financial officers from local governments, is coordinating with WMATA, elected officials, and representatives from the District, Maryland, and Virginia to work toward WMATA’s 2025 operations needs and a long-term solution for WMATA’s financial well-being. Chair Collins said that there has been promising progress, and WMATA has identified a set of scenarios that reduces the potential funding deficit. As follow-up, Collins requested that the TPB receive an update on the WMATA initiatives at a future TPB meeting along with updates on the Maryland express lanes project.
ACTION ITEM
Transit Within Reach Project Approvals
John Swanson, TPB Transportation Planner, introduced three Transit Within Reach projects for board approval. Transit Within Reach is one of the TPB’s local technical assistance programs that funds design and preliminary engineering to improve walking and cycling connections to existing high-capacity transit stations or stations that will open by 2030. The program funds consultants who work directly with the local jurisdictions that receive the funding.
At the October meeting, the board approved funding for the following:
- District of Columbia
Engineering for redesign of a segment of sidewalk on 9th Street NW near the E Street corridor. The segment is on a property not slated for redevelopment, and the project will improve walkability and safety in a well-traveled area.
- City of Gaithersburg
Thirty-percent design for a shared-use path connecting the Gaithersburg and Washington Grove MARC stations. The project coordinates with the design of a Montgomery County trail leading to Shady Grove Metro.
- Fairfax County
Thirty-percent design for a road diet on Prosperity Avenue near Dunn Loring Metro station. This will reduce the number of lanes from four to two with inclusion of a protected bike lane that will extend east of the study area.
For more details on the projects and the program, read the Transit Within Reach news release.
INFORMATIONAL ITEMS
Carbon Reduction Program – State Carbon Reduction Strategies
TPB Transportation Planner Erin Morrow provided an overview of the Carbon Reduction Program, which will provide states and territories with $6.4 billion in formula funding over five years. As part of the funding requirements, state DOTs—including the District DOT, Maryland DOT, and Virginia DOT—need to develop a carbon reduction strategy consultation with MPOs in the state by November 15, 2023.
With the October TPB meeting serving as the consultation, all three DOTs presented their draft carbon reduction strategies. Shawn Kiernan, Senior Manager of Strategic Climate Initiatives, presented on behalf of Maryland. The Maryland 2022 Climate Solutions Now Act requires a 60 percent reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from 2006 by 2031 and a plan for achieving net zero emissions in the state by 2045. The carbon reduction strategies in Maryland’s plan have been publicly shared, and the state’s strategy reflects ongoing planning efforts to reduce emissions.
Chris Berg, Director of Sustainability with Virginia DOT, noted that Virginia’s carbon reduction strategy outreach included an initial public survey. There was a noticeable focus on bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, bus rapid transit, and electric vehicle infrastructure in survey responses. Stakeholder feedback stressed the importance of highlighting co-benefits such as improved safety with bicycle-pedestrian infrastructure, economic development, improved access to jobs through transit, health quality of life, reduction of air pollution, and accessibility.
Emma Cross, District Department of Transportation (DDOT) Air Quality Transportation Planner, said that the TPB’s carbon reduction strategy supports goals laid out in existing plans including moveDC, goDCgo, Sustainable 2.0, and the region’s Visualize 2045 plan. DDOT’s strategy will include examples of DDOT-eligible projects that are on the wish list or are existing projects that have been successful and could use more funding. Example projects include electrification of freight and delivery vehicles, idling food trucks, LEV streetlights, bike lane and network trails, bus priority program, and bus electrification.
Takis Karantonis, Arlington County Board Member, expressed concern about VDOT’s SMART SCALE being tweaked in a way that favors highway expansion, which can be necessary, but does not signal that budget decisions and policies are focused on carbon reduction.
Chris Berg said that the Virginia carbon strategy document is focused on letting Virginia and the MPOs around the state implement carbon reduction funding. VDOT has a number of auxiliary efforts underway that include electric vehicle programs, low carbon concrete, and other initiatives but those are outside the scope of the strategy of the document presented. Berg stated that other VDOT offices will continue to work on broader policy issues related to the SMART SCALE prioritization process.
In response to a question from TPB 2nd Vice Chair James Walkinshaw, TPB Staff Director Kanti Srikanth said that TPB staff will make it a priority to review VDOT’s draft strategy document as quickly as possible. Srikanth stated that the TPB staff did provide thoughts on how climate change is a priority for the board, and the specific strategies the TPB board has identified in order to support development of Virginia’s strategy.
Laurel Hammig, National Park Service Regional Planner, asked that the three DOTs consider the value of trees in carbon sequestration and incorporation of trees in transportation projects as appropriate. Hammig noted that the George Washington Memorial Parkway is looking at forest health and opportunities for improvement along that corridor.
Cindy Dyballa, City of Takoma Park Council Member, urged Maryland staff to consider making a commitment to set goals within a timeframe that would reflect well in terms of obtaining federal funding beyond the baseline. Gary Erenrich, representing Montgomery County, followed Dyballa’s comments by asking for clarification on how MDOT is going to program new funds and what would be the priorities for funding as well as how funds would be accessed for local or regional projects.
Srikanth emphasized that the carbon reduction funding being set aside for the TPB planning area and the process for selecting projects is under discussion among the TPB, DC, Maryland, and Virginia. Srikanth explained that any project receiving Carbon Reduction Program funds will have to be approved by the TPB in its Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), so the TPB will have further discussion about the carbon reduction program-related decisions moving forward.
Intercity Rail and Bus Travel
Prior to the board meeting, the TPB held an Intercity Rail and Bus Travel Work Session. Representatives from Virginia Passenger Rail Authority, Maryland Transit Administration/MARC, Amtrak, American Bus Association, and Union Station Redevelopment Corporation updated the TPB on ridership trends, service and facility upgrades, and partnerships between jurisdictions. A full recap of the session is available in TPB News.
Committee and Director’s Report Highlights
TPB Technical Committee, TPB Community Advisory Committee, TPB Access for All Advisory Committee, Steering Committee, and Director’s reports are available on the October TPB meeting page.
Steering Committee and Director’s Report Highlights
Kanti Srikanth reported the following:
- The TPB Steering Committee approved TIP amendments related to adding lane mileage in the District of Columbia that is part of the federally designated critical urban freight corridor. Also, the committee approved a TIP amendment for additional funding for the Maryland Route 4 at Suitland Parkway interchange construction project.
- The TPB provided letters of support for a City of Alexandria transit-oriented development grant and a City of Manassas applications for a Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods grant.
- The Metropolitan Washington Air Quality Committee (MWAQC) approved revisions to the state implementation plan for the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia, for submission to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The revision was needed due to an EPA-required software update for calculating emissions. The revisions are expected to be approved in mid-2024 which would enable the TPB to use updated emissions budgets for its Visualize 2050 conformity analysis.
- The TPB’s 2022 State of Public Transportation Report will be released in fall 2023. TPB staff will share more information in a future TPB News.
- The region’s Street Smart campaign kicked off on October 25 at the Vienna Metrorail Station. Street Smart is designed to remind drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians of the importance of traffic laws and safe travel.
NEXT MEETING
The next TPB meeting is scheduled for November 15 at 12:00 P.M. A YouTube livestream option is available for all TPB board meetings.
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