BRAC Bulletin: State seeks federal funds for BRAC transportation issues

By Jason Flanagan — Gov. Martin O’Malley is seeking $106 million from the federal government in hopes of keeping alive several transportation projects vital to the state’s expanding military bases.

“The funding Gov. O’Malley has asked our delegation to fight for will ensure that we maintain our high quality of life as we welcome new neighbors,” said Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown, who is in charge of the state’s Base Realignment and Closure efforts.

“Perhaps more importantly, though, it will ensure that the Department of Defense meets its mission to protect our national security.”

The state’s funding of BRAC-related transportation projects is on life support due to declining revenues. The state’s federal delegation, led by U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski, has already scored hundreds of millions of dollars in the past year for state road and transit projects. The proposed funding would come from the federal government’s fiscal year 2011 budget.

The state is seeking $81 million from the Defense Access Roads program to expand and improve roads that access Fort Meade, National Navy Medical Center and Aberdeen Proving Ground – installations that will see 50,000 new jobs by September 2011.
State and local officials have long sought funding for intersection improving and expansion of highways, such as Route 175 in Anne Arundel, around installations.

State officials have had to delay funding for these projects in the past due to the tightening of fiscal strings.

The state is also seeking another $25 million from the Federal Highway Administration’s Public Lands Highway Program to pay to help fund transportation projects, such as the widening of Route 175 and improving the Monocacy Boulevard corridor in Frederick County.

Expanded bike paths

While officials wait on federal funding, Montgomery County officials are seeking to expand pedestrian and bicycle traffic heading into the National Navy Medical Center.

NNMC and nearby National Institutes of Health are “located in a densely populated urban area that is served by a network of trails and paths that connect them to DC, Rockville, Silver Spring and beyond,” said Phil Alperson, Montgomery’s Base Realignment and Closure coordinator.

“Upgrades to the paths and trails in the immediate area of NNMC will enable more people to take advantage of that network.”

The area around NNMC already has roads clogged with traffic, and BRAC is expected to increase NNMC’s workforce to by one-third, adding 2,500 to the 8,000 workers already at the Bethesda medical center.

The proposed project consists of:
•    sidewalks along the east side of Rockville Pike (MD 355) from Jones Bridge Road to Cedar Lane;
•    bike path along south side of West Cedar Lane from Old Georgetown Road to Rockville Pike;
•    bike path connection along Cedar Lane to Rock Creek Trail at Beach Drive;
•    bike path along north side of Jones Bridge Road from Rockville Pike to Connecticut Avenue; and
•    signage improvements along Battery Lane and Glenbrook Parkway.

The State Highway Administration, in a separate project, is planning to extend the Bethesda Trolley Trail to NIH.

Officials said they are encouraging current and incoming workers to take advantage of the pedestrian and bicycle access. Alperson said NNMC is hoping to NIH’s efforts, which include a “very active bicycle club with over 600 members.”

There are no similar plans for Fort Meade, which is not located in a densely urban area like NNMC. However, Fort Meade and local officials are working on plans to extend public transit options to the fort via rail, bus and vanpooling.

Montgomery County officials held a public hearing in late March. For more information on the project, or to submit comments to the county, click here.