Counties face multiple struggles in meeting citizen transportation needs.  To learn about approaches to overcome these struggles, local officials attended a MACo Summer Conference session titled “Creative and Collaborative Transportation Solutions to Meet Citizen Needs.”  This session, moderated by Delegate Frank Turner, Vice Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, explored regional and other approaches to achieve efficiency within and across jurisdictional boundaries and ways to help citizenry better understand their transportation options.

Beth Kreider, the Director of Local Transit Systems for the Maryland Transit Administration spoke first on the panel. Beth offered numerous examples of partnerships and regional models to meet citizen transportation needs.  Next, local officials heard from George Cardwell, Anne Arundel County’s Planning Administrator with the Office of Planning & Zoning/Transportation and John Powell, Howard County’s Transportation Administrator about a new regional approach to deliver transportation services to the citizens of Anne Arundel and Howard Counties. This regional approach has enabled both jurisdictions to deliver an efficient and cost-effective transportation solution.  The last speaker was Jessica Monahan, the National Association of Counties (NACo)’s Associate Legislative Director. Jessica discussed how collaborative transportation approaches fit into the federal landscape. She discussed legislation currently before Congress and the emphasis being placed on Metropolitan Planning Organizations to help address transportation needs.