Maryland

[AlexandriaVA]

Hogan doesn't even try to hide his contempt for Baltimore and the close-in DC suburbs anymore.

[cpzilliacus]

Hogan doesn't even try to hide his contempt for Baltimore and the close-in DC suburbs anymore.

A fair amount of people from those jurisdictions also cross the Chesapeake Bay - and some do it frequently. 

But the voters in Baltimore City, Montgomery County and Prince George's County did not bother to go to the polls in 2014 (turnout in Montgomery County was close to record-poor), perhaps because they were not impressed with then-Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown's campaign. 

In the meantime, Hogan played-up the large cost of the Red Line light rail (mostly in Baltimore, now entirely cancelled) and the Purple Line light rail (costs were cut-back and some shifted to the counties, now on ice for now thanks to the Town of Chevy Chase lawsuit), and the stormwater runoff tax (which his campaign called a "rain tax").   

Many voters in Harford County; Anne Arundel County and Frederick County (plus essentially every other exurban or rural county statewide) perceived absolutely no benefit from those proposed light rail lines, and the Hogan campaign knew it.

So Baltimore City and Montgomery and Prince George's Counties  have themselves to blame.

[AlexandriaVA]

At least you implicitly admit that these state-level highway projects aren't done in the interests of the state, but rather as political rewards/punishments.

[cpzilliacus]

At least you implicitly admit that these state-level highway projects aren't done in the interests of the state, but rather as political rewards/punishments.

There will always be politics in the funding of transportation projects.

Like it or not, Larry Hogan, Jr. (R) won the 2014 election for governor of Maryland.

If there were no politics, the Harry W. Nice Bridge would have been replaced decades ago, and the ICC would have been built in the 1980's, and there would probably be more road capacity crossing the Chesapeake Bay right now.

[BrianP]

Washington Post: Hogan: $5 million study set for new Chesapeake Bay crossing

The last paragraph which is separate from the headline is what caught my eye:

The governor also announced a new state license plate that will feature Maryland's flag. The Maryland Department of Transportation's Motor Vehicle Administration will start issuing the new plate on Monday, Sept. 26 for all passenger cars, SUVs, trucks, motorcycles and multipurpose vehicles.

Which can be seen here:
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-license-plates-20160830-story.html

[AlexandriaVA]

At least you implicitly admit that these state-level highway projects aren't done in the interests of the state, but rather as political rewards/punishments.

There will always be politics in the funding of transportation projects.

Like it or not, Larry Hogan, Jr. (R) won the 2014 election for governor of Maryland.

If there were no politics, the Harry W. Nice Bridge would have been replaced decades ago, and the ICC would have been built in the 1980's, and there would probably be more road capacity crossing the Chesapeake Bay right now.

Except for the fact that Virginia has recently adopted a points-based ranking syste, however imperfect: http://vasmartscale.org/projects/

Virginia's SMART SCALE (§33.2-21.4) is about picking the right transportation projects for funding and ensuring the best use of limited tax dollars. It is the method of scoring planned projects included in VTrans that are funded by HB 1887. Transportation projects are scored based on an objective, outcome-based process that is transparent to the public and allows decision-makers to be held accountable to taxpayers. Once projects are scored and prioritized, the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) has the best information possible to select the right projects for funding.

Maryland, on the other hand, has had a similar initiative, but has run into the opposition of Larry Hogan, Jr. (R): http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-transportation-scoring-20160319-story.html

Defying Republican Gov. Larry Hogan, the Democratic-led House of Delegates approved legislation Saturday that would create a system for ranking transportation projects – a plan the administration vehemently opposes.

So from my perspective, it seems like Larry Hogan, Jr. (R) didn't want to lose his perogative to dole out goodies to his political base. Not saying that other governors (from either party) wouldn't react the same, but it is worth noting that Terence Richard "Terry" McAuliffe (D) didn't pout when the Smart Scale bill came across his desk.

[cpzilliacus]

So from my perspective, it seems like Larry Hogan, Jr. (R) didn't want to lose his perogative to dole out goodies to his political base. Not saying that other governors (from either party) wouldn't react the same, but it is worth noting that Terence Richard "Terry" McAuliffe (D) didn't pout when the Smart Scale bill came across his desk.

The bill (and scoring system) approved by Gov. McAuliffe is quite different from the one that the Maryland General Assembly passed. 

For one thing, the Commonwealth's scoring scheme excludes the unworkable obsession that many Maryland Democrats have with mass transit and attempting to force residents to use same.  FTR, I am a lifelong registered Maryland Democrat.

Maryland's former Secretary of Transportation, Delegate Bob Flanagan (R-9B, Howard County), wrote a critique of the Maryland scheme that you may read here.

Some of what Flanagan wrote:

The scoring system is built on the ideology of 1000 Friends of Maryland. It relies on neglecting highway needs in order to benefit transit, on the theory that this will reduce congestion on roadways.  This is an unproven and factually unsupported goal.

For example, the advocates for the Purple Line were forced to admit that traffic would not be alleviated on the Washington Beltway after the project was completed.

The scoring system does not have a strategy for promoting mobility; it does not recognize the need or encourage its development. Instead the scoring system would irrationally obstruct a strategy for managing congestion/promoting mobility. Projects like the Route 32 widening and Route 29 widening have a demonstrable transportation strategy.  1,000 friends of Maryland strongly opposed both of these projects.

[AlexandriaVA]

It doesn't have to be either-or. Nothern Virginia is building new lanes (Beltway HOT, 66 HOT, other projecst) as well as mass transit (Silver Line Phase II, BRT in Alexandria). You can have both, and there's more to transportation planning beyond the tired "build more lanes" appproach to everything. Didn't Maryland get slammed recently in the Post for falling behind on investment?

[cpzilliacus]

It doesn't have to be either-or. Nothern Virginia is building new lanes (Beltway HOT, 66 HOT, other projecst) as well as mass transit (Silver Line Phase II, BRT in Alexandria). You can have both, and there's more to transportation planning beyond the tired "build more lanes" appproach to everything. Didn't Maryland get slammed recently in the Post for falling behind on investment?

Remind me when Maryland last built a lane on any of its urban freeways that was not HOV or toll? 

[cpzilliacus]

Baltimore Sun editorial: The Bay Bridge problem

[froggie]

Remind me when Maryland last built a lane on any of its urban freeways that was not HOV or toll?

I-70 through Frederick over the past few years.  I-695 in the southwest corner.  Technically the local/express weirdness near FedEx Field through Largo added a lane as well.

[cpzilliacus]

Remind me when Maryland last built a lane on any of its urban freeways that was not HOV or toll?

I-70 through Frederick over the past few years.  I-695 in the southwest corner.  Technically the local/express weirdness near FedEx Field through Largo added a lane as well.

The I-70 project was part of upgrading from what had been the old Frederick Bypass (U.S. 40). I-695 was from South of I-70 to I-95 (parts of which are complete, other parts still under construction).  The section at FedEx Field will be obsolete as soon  as the Redskins leave (team owner Dan Snyder already making plans to leave Maryland, even though  he is contractually  bound to be there until after the 2027 season).

These all have one thing in common - short, and more about safety than improving traffic flow.

[kj3400]

If we're not widening freeways (non toll or HOT wise) or doing mass transit, what exactly are we as a state doing?

[froggie]

These all have one thing in common - short, and more about safety than improving traffic flow.

I would disagree with you on the latter regarding the I-70 and I-695 improvements.  695 especially was all about traffic flow.

Forgot another one:  MD 295 was widened between I-195 and I-695 about 5-6 years ago.

[vdeane]

So from my perspective, it seems like Larry Hogan, Jr. (R) didn't want to lose his perogative to dole out goodies to his political base. Not saying that other governors (from either party) wouldn't react the same, but it is worth noting that Terence Richard "Terry" McAuliffe (D) didn't pout when the Smart Scale bill came across his desk.

The bill (and scoring system) approved by Gov. McAuliffe is quite different from the one that the Maryland General Assembly passed. 

For one thing, the Commonwealth's scoring scheme excludes the unworkable obsession that many Maryland Democrats have with mass transit and attempting to force residents to use same.  FTR, I am a lifelong registered Maryland Democrat.

Maryland's former Secretary of Transportation, Delegate Bob Flanagan (R-9B, Howard County), wrote a critique of the Maryland scheme that you may read here.

Some of what Flanagan wrote:

The scoring system is built on the ideology of 1000 Friends of Maryland. It relies on neglecting highway needs in order to benefit transit, on the theory that this will reduce congestion on roadways.  This is an unproven and factually unsupported goal.

For example, the advocates for the Purple Line were forced to admit that traffic would not be alleviated on the Washington Beltway after the project was completed.

The scoring system does not have a strategy for promoting mobility; it does not recognize the need or encourage its development. Instead the scoring system would irrationally obstruct a strategy for managing congestion/promoting mobility. Projects like the Route 32 widening and Route 29 widening have a demonstrable transportation strategy.  1,000 friends of Maryland strongly opposed both of these projects.

The local MPO also used a scoring sheet for the last TIP update.  Like the Maryland one, it very heavily weighted complete streets/smart growth/transit; it didn't even include current facility condition (though it did at least include a section on whether it was a major route or not).

http://www.cdtcmpo.org/tipdoc16/solicitation/solicitation.htm

[cpzilliacus]

These all have one thing in common - short, and more about safety than improving traffic flow.

I would disagree with you on the latter regarding the I-70 and I-695 improvements.  695 especially was all about traffic flow.

Forgot another one:  MD 295 was widened between I-195 and I-695 about 5-6 years ago.

Less than 2 miles.  I think it was done in association with the replacement of the bridge that carries West Nursery Road over 295. 

[cpzilliacus]

The local MPO also used a scoring sheet for the last TIP update.  Like the Maryland one, it very heavily weighted complete streets/smart growth/transit; it didn't even include current facility condition (though it did at least include a section on whether it was a major route or not).

http://www.cdtcmpo.org/tipdoc16/solicitation/solicitation.htm

No amount of Smart Growth policy across the U.S. outside of Metropolitan New York City is going to bring transit ridership to the level of ridership into and out of Manhattan.

That does not prevent promoters of such policy  from making such claims.

[cl94]

The local MPO also used a scoring sheet for the last TIP update.  Like the Maryland one, it very heavily weighted complete streets/smart growth/transit; it didn't even include current facility condition (though it did at least include a section on whether it was a major route or not).

http://www.cdtcmpo.org/tipdoc16/solicitation/solicitation.htm

No amount of Smart Growth policy across the U.S. outside of Metropolitan New York City is going to bring transit ridership to the level of ridership into and out of Manhattan.

That does not prevent promoters of such policy  from making such claims.

I agree and that is solely because of population density. If fuel prices skyrocket to European prices, that might change, but until then, people love their cars too much. People in Metro New York don't have the same level of attachment to driving everywhere and transit usage is reinforced from a young age due to the cost and time associated with driving.

[cpzilliacus]

I agree and that is solely because of population density. If fuel prices skyrocket to European prices, that might change, but until then, people love their cars too much. People in Metro New York don't have the same level of attachment to driving everywhere and transit usage is reinforced from a young age due to the cost and time associated with driving.

Given that U.S. politicians are usually terrified of raising motor fuel  prices enough just to maintain the built system already in place, I doubt there will ever be per-gallon or per-liter prices on fuel close to what can be found across the pond.

[froggie]

No amount of Smart Growth policy across the U.S. outside of Metropolitan New York City is going to bring transit ridership to the level of ridership into and out of Manhattan.

That does not prevent promoters of such policy  from making such claims.

Who is making such a claim?  I have not heard such from the people I know in the DC area.

[AlexandriaVA]

Of course nobody's making that claim. It's a straw-man argument used by people who only see mobility in terms of the state government building more road lanes, so any investment in transportation that isn't more road-lanes must be an effort "to force people into mass transit". Heaven forbid the state government try to make mass transit more efficicent (i.e. Purple Line) as a standalone goal.

[cpzilliacus]

No amount of Smart Growth policy across the U.S. outside of Metropolitan New York City is going to bring transit ridership to the level of ridership into and out of Manhattan.

That does not prevent promoters of such policy  from making such claims.

Who is making such a claim?  I have not heard such from the people I know in the DC area.

It was made repeatedly during the planning and promoting of Metro in the 1960's and 1970's, and Montgomery County's transit promoters have said it from time to time, usually in association with with the phrase "we cannot build our way out of congestion" (but implicitly stating that if the transit lines they want are built, then highway traffic congestion will go away).

You can read one example of such claims from the Montgomery County Sierra Club here and this gem.

[AlexandriaVA]

No amount of Smart Growth policy across the U.S. outside of Metropolitan New York City is going to bring transit ridership to the level of ridership into and out of Manhattan.

That does not prevent promoters of such policy  from making such claims.

Who is making such a claim?  I have not heard such from the people I know in the DC area.

It was made repeatedly during the planning and promoting of Metro in the 1960's and 1970's, and Montgomery County's transit promoters have said it from time to time, usually in association with with the phrase "we cannot build our way out of congestion" (but implicitly stating that if the transit lines they want are built, then highway traffic congestion will go away).

You can read one example of such claims from the Montgomery County Sierra Club here and this gem.

I suppose then that you in fact believe that we can build our way out of congestion. I'd love to see your vision for the DC area...

Obviously transit serves to move people who live or commute along transit lines. If we wanted to improve highway speeds we'd build more highways....the statements about transit helping highways is just good politics on the part of pro-transit folks to get non-transit users on board (it makes motorists believe that if they support transit, that their own motoring experience will improve).

It's sort of like how I usually sign petitions supporting bike lanes. Usually there will be a statement about how bike lanes will help with traffic. Well duh, obviously they won't have a major impact, but they'll move bike users faster than otherwise, which is the point of them.

In other words, sure it's dishonest to claim that transit and bike lane investments will help automobile traffic, but I don't see it as any different than the pro-highway crowd making unrealistic claims about highways being tools of economic development. With limited resources you usually need to exaggerate or lie in politics to get your issue to the front of the line.

[cpzilliacus]

No amount of Smart Growth policy across the U.S. outside of Metropolitan New York City is going to bring transit ridership to the level of ridership into and out of Manhattan.

That does not prevent promoters of such policy  from making such claims.

Who is making such a claim?  I have not heard such from the people I know in the DC area.

It was made repeatedly during the planning and promoting of Metro in the 1960's and 1970's, and Montgomery County's transit promoters have said it from time to time, usually in association with with the phrase "we cannot build our way out of congestion" (but implicitly stating that if the transit lines they want are built, then highway traffic congestion will go away).

You can read one example of such claims from the Montgomery County Sierra Club here and this gem.

I suppose then that you in fact believe that we can build our way out of congestion. I'd love to see your vision for the DC area...

For starters, price every freeway and federal parkway high enough to assure reasonably  free-flow, probably with free or discount passage for HOV-3 vehicles and all buses.  First call on that revenue must be  to repair and in some cases expand the roads on which the revenues are collected.

Obviously transit serves to move people who live or commute along transit lines. If we wanted to improve highway speeds we'd build more highways....the statements about transit helping highways is just good politics on the part of pro-transit folks to get non-transit users on board (it makes motorists believe that if they support transit, that their own motoring experience will improve).

Good politics but often unsupported by  facts, especially in travel markets that have little hope of attracting much in the way of transit patronage.

It's sort of like how I usually sign petitions supporting bike lanes. Usually there will be a statement about how bike lanes will help with traffic. Well duh, obviously they won't have a major impact, but they'll move bike users faster than otherwise, which is the point of them.

I like bike lanes (mostly real bike lanes, safely separated from motorized traffic), and believe they should be built when possible, especially when improving or widening a highway or building an entirely new highway.  Examples include I-66 inside the Beltway, the Wilson Bridge and Md. 200 (but the bike trail along 200 is great but not close to complete due to the failure of Montgomery County and Prince George's County elected officials to aggressively promote same).

In other words, sure it's dishonest to claim that transit and bike lane investments will help automobile traffic, but I don't see it as any different than the pro-highway crowd making unrealistic claims about highways being tools of economic development. With limited resources you usually need to exaggerate or lie in politics to get your issue to the front of the line.

Regarding economic development and highways, I refer you to the East-West Divide. 

East has very little high-quality highway access to the D.C. core, and not much to National and Dulles Airports. 

West does better with those metrics.  Remember that company managers local and from out of town (who generally make decisions about where to site a business) do not want to spend hours stuck in traffic to get to and from the airport. 

[cpzilliacus]

Baltimore Sun editorial: The Bay Bridge problem

Annapolis Evening Capital editorial: Hogan's historic step is just the first for a new Bay Bridge