The Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) presented its proposed PlanMaryland implementation strategies to the PlanMaryland Workgroup of the Maryland Sustainable Growth Commission on September 26.
MDOT representatives outlined 6 broad components describing how MDOT would incorporate PlanMaryland into its transportation planning process.
- Project Evaluation/Checklist – MDOT will strengthen its project evaluation process to incorporate Smart Growth law and the 12 planning visions.
- Planning Area Evaluation and Integration – MDOT will evaluate how proposed transportation projects will affect designated planning areas and sustainable communities under PlanMaryland and increase the use of performance metrics.
- Planning Areas: Projects and Discretionary Programs – MDOT will place more emphasis on sidewalk retrofits and bikeways in sustainable communities and enhance the coordination and review of various grant programs, including heritage areas, transportation alternatives, recreational trails, bikeways, community legacy, and the Smart Growth Infrastructure Fund.
- Technical Analysis/Decision Support Tool – MDOT is reworking the Maryland Statewide Transportation Model (MSTM) and the Model of Sustainability and Integrated Corridors (MOSAIC), which looks as transportation alternatives and multi-modal capability. The revised models will stress vertical integration and a more multi-modal transportation approach.
- Complete Streets Policy – Complete Streets is a new State Highway Administration policy issued in July of 2012 that among other things requires all road projects (including resurfacing) to consider whether the road can accommodate bicycle lanes.
- Special Area/Corridor Pilot Program – MDOT will continue the pilot program which plans for a “carbon neutral” transportation corridor along Route 40. The Department will also stress its Green Streets and Complete Streets programs and consider pilot programs for bicycle and pedestrian planning areas.
MDOT also provided an overview of its recently released draft 2035 Maryland Transportation Plan (MTP), which is subject to public comment until November 1. The MTP now incorporates the State’s GreenPrint, AgPrint, and GrowthPrint maps but MDOT does not anticipate including the more specific PlanMaryland Planning Areas. Click here for previous Conduit Street coverage of the draft 2035 MTP, including information on how submit a comment.
