Dive Brief:
- The Maryland Department of Transportation and the Maryland Economic Development Corp. announced plans Oct. 10 to encourage transit-oriented development near six train stations between Baltimore and Washington, D.C.
- The plan offers recommendations on developing 170 acres of undeveloped state-owned land around these train stations, creating at least 2,600 new housing units to help address the state’s housing shortage.
- The plan designates the Odenton and Bowie State University stations along the Maryland Area Regional Commuter, or MARC, Penn Line as first priorities for development. The Maryland DOT said in a press release that it is already working with partners at both sites to enable joint development.
Dive Insight:
MARC operates commuter rail along three lines that provide nearly 9 million annual rides, according to the Maryland Transit Administration. The Penn Line — MARC’s busiest line — runs between Perryville, Maryland, and Union Station in Washington, D.C. The TOD plan envisions denser, mixed-use development around selected transit hubs along the route. It also looks to increase transit use and tax revenues along the Penn Line while reducing traffic congestion.
“This strategic plan will not only help improve transit connectivity but will also lead to the creation of new jobs and more affordable housing options,” said Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld, in a statement.
At the Odenton station, the plan seeks to add mixed-use development including 900 new housing units, which could create more than 1,300 new jobs and $270 million in state and local tax revenue, it says. At the station serving Bowie State University, the plan envisions expanding the campus on the west side of the rail line and adding over 400 housing units.
If implemented, in addition to adding housing near each of the six designated train stations, the plan would create both construction and permanent jobs along with $1.7 billion in annual retail sales, Maryland DOT projects. The Transportation Department also expects the plan to generate more than $800 million in gross tax revenues over 30 years and add more than half a million additional MARC trips each year.
Increased ridership and investment along the Penn Line would also serve the state’s plans to expand MARC service within Maryland and to Delaware and Virginia.
