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A new report strengthens the case for MARC "run-through" service to Virginia
A new report strengthens the case for MARC “run-through” service to Virginia
TRANSIT By Alex Holt (Maryland Correspondent) May 22, 2020
Even with Maryland Governor Larry Hogan’s recent veto of a bill to study expanding MARC (Maryland Area Rail Commuter) service to Northern Virginia, the potential demand to bring “run-though” rail service across the Potomac River remains strong according to a new report presented to the Washington region’s main planning body this week.
The report, written by a Rockville-based transportation planning firm called Foursquare ITP, was commissioned last year by the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB), itself an offshoot of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG).
The TPB, which dates back to the 1960s, is primarily tasked with drawing up long and short-term regional transportation plans.
But another key part of its mission is to provide technical resources and analysis to its member jurisdictions’ individual transportation issues and projects. And that includes projects like through-running MARC trains into Virginia or VRE trains into Maryland.
The report defines “run-through” service as “a scenario whereby MARC and/or VRE provide service beyond their current terminus of Washington Union Station, and into Virginia or Maryland, respectively.” While the document itself more than 45 pages long, its main conclusions are pretty simple.
{snip}
TRANSIT By Alex Holt (Maryland Correspondent) May 22, 2020
Even with Maryland Governor Larry Hogan’s recent veto of a bill to study expanding MARC (Maryland Area Rail Commuter) service to Northern Virginia, the potential demand to bring “run-though” rail service across the Potomac River remains strong according to a new report presented to the Washington region’s main planning body this week.
The report, written by a Rockville-based transportation planning firm called Foursquare ITP, was commissioned last year by the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB), itself an offshoot of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG).
The TPB, which dates back to the 1960s, is primarily tasked with drawing up long and short-term regional transportation plans.
But another key part of its mission is to provide technical resources and analysis to its member jurisdictions’ individual transportation issues and projects. And that includes projects like through-running MARC trains into Virginia or VRE trains into Maryland.
The report defines “run-through” service as “a scenario whereby MARC and/or VRE provide service beyond their current terminus of Washington Union Station, and into Virginia or Maryland, respectively.” While the document itself more than 45 pages long, its main conclusions are pretty simple.
{snip}