anchor Description
This project provides funds through a cooperative agreement with the US Department of Transportation's Build America Bureau to form a Regional Infrastructure Accelerator called AccelerateMC in Montgomery County. AccelerateMC will: Evaluate innovative funding strategies, including project bundling as strategy to accelerate delivery and secure federal funds, and crowd funding for disadvantaged communities; Develop a financial strategy, including preparing the County to apply for federal TIFIA loans and determining how to leverage funding streams committed to the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) program; Evaluate delivery methods and conduct risk assessment for projects within the BRT program, including opportunities to deliver a bus depot as a public private partnership; Advance programmatic third party agreements with the State, municipalities, developers, utility companies, and other stakeholders; Develop a strategic approach to accelerate the acquisition and lower the cost of right-of-way; Explore ways to develop the workforce and resources necessary to manage and advance the program; and Share experiences, strategies and lessons learned regionally through knowledge transfer strategies such as transit roundtables, technical papers, presentations and engagement of students.
anchorEstimated Schedule
A cooperative agreement with USDOT's Build America Bureau will be finalized and executed in late with work to commence immediately thereafter. Work funded through the agreement will be completed in
anchor Justification
AccelerateMC will look at ways to enhance the speed and efficiency of delivering the county's BRT system. The proposed BRT will reduce congestion on County and State roadways, increase transit ridership, and improve air quality. The BRT will enhance the County's ability to meet transportation demands for existing and future land uses. Plans & Studies: MCDOT Countywide Bus Rapid Transit Study, Final Report (July County Executive's Transit Task Force (May and Countywide Transit Corridors Functional Master Plan (November MCDOT US Bus Rapid Transit Project Description Report (March Maryland Transit Administration, MD Bus Rapid Transit Corridor Planning Study (April Maryland Transit Administration, US Bus Rapid Transit Corridor Planning Study (April MDOT MD (Veirs Mill Road) Draft Corridor Study Report (September MD Phase Corridor Study Report (June Corridor Forward: The Transit Plan (Spring
anchorFiscal Note
This project is Federally funded with no local match supplemental in Federal Aid for the amount of
anchorCoordination
Maryland Department of Transportation, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, City of Rockville, City of Gaithersburg, Prince George's County.