Last Chance: Transportation Plan Comments Due Tuesday

County planners will gather Tuesday night for a final hearing on a plan that will map out transportation improvements for the next two decades.

What: Final hearing for the county's Transportation Functional Master Plan (TFMP)
When: 6-8 p.m. Tuesday
Where:

It is the final scheduled public hearing on the county's master transportation plan, which is a part of the county's General Development Plan (GDP). Comments offered at the meetings become part of the official record for the plan.

The latest meeting comes after input from a seven-person Citizen Advisory Committee, appointed by County Executive John R. Leopold, and a series of public forums over the past 18 months. On June 5, community leaders from around the county .

"Change is going to happen with or without public input, but by participating in the process, residents and business owners can shape the future. Transportation changes always have pros and cons and it is important to understand both," Pat Troy of the Association for Severna Park Improvement Renewal and Enhancement (ASPIRE) wrote in an email to Patch.

The plan's intent is to chart what major areas of transportation are likely to need improvement over the next few years, and how to approach them. It is not a spending plan, and funding for the items must be secured later, likely with the help of the state, said Larry Tom, the director of the county Office of Planning and Zoning.

“Ongoing economic constraints make it unlikely we will see significant new programs or construction projects in the next several years,” Tom said. “Nonetheless, this is an ideal time to examine our priorities so that the county is successful in seeking federal and state assistance when funding does become available.”

 (APC) President Elizabeth Rosborg urged Broadneck residents to turn out for the Tuesday meeting, saying it was "critical" that concerns be aired now.

"There is extreme competition for state and federal transportation funding, and in addition, the transportation element of the GDP needs to be completed. For these reasons, we need your input," said Bill Nevel, a member of the APC.

Nine major highway corridors and four secondary corridors were involved in the study, including Maryland Route 32, Maryland Route 3 and Maryland Route 170. 

Other corridors in the study include:

• US Route 50: Prince George’s County Line to Chesapeake Bay Bridge.
• Maryland Route 2: Central Avenue to West Street.
• Maryland Route 2: US Route 50 to Interstate 695.
• Interstate 97: US Route 50 to I-695.
• Maryland Route 100: Maryland Route 648 to Howard County line.
• Baltimore-Washington Parkway: Prince George’s County line to I-695.
• Magothy Bridge Road to Hog Neck Road to Ft. Smallwood Rd.
  (MD 173) to Baltimore City line.

Secondary corridors

• Maryland Route 170
• Maryland Route 176
• Maryland Route 713
• Benfield Road

"It's important to think toward the future when considering our transportation needs, and to consider the effects of technology, economics, and similar factors, in determining what we'll desire as a community," Linda Zahn, CEO of the wrote in an email to Patch.

Odenton Patch editor Tim Lemke and Severna Park Patch editor Leslie Hunt contributed to this article.