Press Releases
Montgomery County Executive Elrich, County Councilmembers, Federal, State and Municipal Officials Call for State to Return Corridor Cities Transitway (CCT) to Maryland Transportation Plan
For Immediate Release: Tuesday, October 29, 2019
Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich on Oct. 28 led a group of County Councilmembers, Federal, State and municipal officials, as well as Montgomery business leaders, to express their disappointment and concern with the Maryland Department of Transportation’s decision to eliminate the Corridor Cities Transitway (CCT) from the draft of the State 2020-25 Consolidated Transportation Program.
By deleting the public transportation project from its long-term plan, the State removes itself from the planning and funding of the project that would provide needed public transportation to support the Great Seneca Science Corridor in the Great Seneca Highway/Darnestown Road area. The CCT also would support the Universities of Shady Grove and would help the Montgomery’s UpCounty area that is overwhelmed with I-270 traffic.
The event was held at Montgomery County Fire Station 32 at 9615 Darnestown Rd., which is surrounded by areas that would benefit from the public transit that the CCT would provide.
“This [traffic] situation is intolerable and needs to be addressed,” said County Executive Elrich. “The Governor talks about [the Corridor Cities Transitway] being a local road project. This is not a local road project. This is a jobs project. The County made a huge investment and a big zoning decision in creating the science center around Shady Grove. That was a deliberate decision to try and bring science to a part of the County we could develop—and critical to that decision was the Corridor Cities Transitway. In fact, that development could not be supported without the Corridor Cities Transitway.”
County Executive Elrich and the other officials who spoke emphasized that the CCT was conceived to be an integral part of the growth and development of the area. It would provide transit to make the planned bio-tech area more accessible and encourage people and businesses to locate there.
Among those attending the event were County Council Vice President Sidney Katz; Councilmembers Evan Glass and Craig Rice; representatives for U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, Congressmen Jamie Raskin and David Trone, Maryland Senator Nancy King and Councilmember Gabe Albornoz; Maryland State Delegates David Fraser-Hidalgo (District 15), Lily Qi (District 15) and Kirill Reznik (District 39); Town of Washington Grove Mayor John G. Compton; City of Rockville Mayor Bridget Newton; and Town of Poolesville Commissioner Jerry Klobukowski. Community and business leaders attending included Maryland Balcombe, executive director of the Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce, and representatives of the Upcounty Citizens Advisory Board, the Germantown Alliance and Montgomery Village.
“The Corridor Cities Transitway would provide a crucial link between Montgomery County’s communities — improving public transportation and increasing our economic potential,” said Senator Van Hollen in a statement. “For years we have fought for funding for this project, knowing the huge impact it will have. The State’s decision to eliminate the CCT was short-sighted and deeply misguided. This project would provide an additional, much-needed transportation option to the County and create good-paying jobs along the way. I appreciate all the efforts of those gathered here today, and I will continue working with our State and local partners to push for this crucial infrastructure investment.”
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Release ID: 19-361
Media Contact: Neil H. Greenberger 240-777-6532