Traffic Group to Develop Conceptual Plan for New Rapid Transit System in Montgomery Co.
Posted December 2, 2011
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White Marsh, MD-based The Traffic Group, Inc. has been selected by the Montgomery County Revenue Authority and the Montgomery County Executive's Transit Task Force to develop a conceptual plan and cost estimate for a new rapid transit system in the County.
At 150-170 miles, the rapid transit system being considered by the Transit Task Force has the potential to be the largest integrated system of its kind in the entire United States. By comparison, similar systems in the U.S. range from seven to 20 miles. The City of Chicago is proposing a system that would be about 90 miles.
"Our region boasts the worst traffic in our country, which delays the average commuter 74 hours per year," says Wes Guckert, PTP, President of The Traffic Group. "The use of rapid transit systems costs less than a third of a traditional light rail system and could capture 80-85 percent of light rail riders. In other words, this has the potential to save Maryland millions of dollars while reducing traffic congestion."
The Traffic Group will prepare concepts detailing how and where exclusive lanes, reversible lanes or guideways will be constructed for each of the 24 routes, including cost estimates broken down for each segment of the rapid transit system.
The plan, being funded by the Rockefeller Foundation, aims to provide "gold standard" design ideas, which would include the following features:
• Rapid Transit Vehicles (RTVs) physically separated from automobile traffic;
• Dedicated RTV lanes throughout the entire system, preventing the system to become comingled with general traffic;
• Modern, stylish RTVs;
• Consistent yet distinct iconic stations that will be safe, wide, weather-protected, and equipped with real-time data on location of RTVs and user-friendly maps;
• Off-vehicle fare collection.
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