Mobility + The Growth Machine

Current Conditions. Interior of the WMATA B30 bus to BWI from Greenbelt Metro Station.

In "Senator calls for Metro study: Giannetti says impending Fort Meade jobs demand Green Line extension to BWI," the Baltimore Sun reports on even newer suggestions that the WMATA Green Line subway system be extended to Fort Meade and the Baltimore Washington International Airport. From the article:

The large number of new federal jobs expected to move to the Fort Meade area should provide the impetus for an extension of the Washington Metro's Green Line to Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, says one area lawmaker. If the line were extended to BWI, it would result in a connection between the Washington and Baltimore mass transit systems. Currently, Baltimore's light rail system goes to BWI, but the D.C. subway stops in Greenbelt, about 20 miles away...

Though passage of a bill to fund a study might seem unnecessary, Giannetti said, he hopes to create excitement for the idea. "We need to pass this bill ... and say that we as the General Assembly endorse the idea of taking that Green Line up to the BWI Airport," he said. While the study wouldn't cost the state any extra money, building the extension itself could possibly cost more than $3 billion, depending upon where exactly the train would stop.

Giannetti said the relocation of people to the National Security Agency and Fort Meade areas will bring 40,000 new residents and more than 6,000 new jobs to the military facility, so having mass transit stops in that area is "crucial." According to one proposed route, Giannetti said the 20-mile extension could include stops at the Konterra Town Center, Guilford/Columbia East, NSA/Fort Meade, Odenton Town Center and Dorsey.

Mapquest map from Greenbelt to BWI Airport.

Index Keywords: transit