Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman unveiled the first draft of the county’s Move Anne Arundel transportation master plan, at one of the six worst congested corridors in Anne Arundel — Rt. 2, Richie Highway. The County Executive encouraged residents to provide feedback on the plan during the 45-day comment period prior to introduction to the County Council for final adoption.
Mr. Pittman made the announcement at a bus stop in Arnold during afternoon rush hour. He was joined by Delegate Mark Chang (District 32), Councilwoman Amanda Fiedler (District 5), County Transportation Director Ramond Robinson, and members of the Citizens Advisory Commission and Transportation Commission.
Move Anne Arundel addresses traffic congestion and the need for additional transit and transportation infrastructure to improve reliability and connectivity.
“Many plans just sit on the shelf gathering dust,” said County Executive Pittman. “Traffic congestion and long commutes destroy the quality of life for families in the county more than anything else. As funding accrues in the proposed Reserve Fund for Permanent Public Improvements, the plan provides us with a road map for prioritizing the county’s most pressing infrastructure and transit needs.”
The plan focuses on five key transportation areas that will be integrated into the county’s comprehensive plan: bicycle and pedestrian paths, transit development, corridor growth, major intersections, and the county’s Complete Streets policy.
The planning process recently completed a round of eight community forums held in each district throughout the county that gave citizens a chance to discuss key components of the draft document. In addition to online comments, county residents are invited to talk face-to-face with a county transportation staff member, who will be attending an ongoing series of public meetings on the General Development Plan into which the transportation plan will be integrated.
“As Anne Arundel County continues to grow, Move Anne Arundel will guide planning for the expansion of safe, efficient, equitable and sustainable multi-modal transportation,” said Amy Jones, Transportation Commission Chair. “This initiative is critical to the success of a multi-agency and multi-jurisdictional endeavor to sync land use and mobility.”
The final plan will also include a set of performance metrics designed to capture data that will improve overall travel system reliability, reduce fatalities and injuries, improve water quality, increase ride sharing in high traffic areas, and maintain county-owned transportation assets in good condition.
“We live in a growing and vibrant community,” said Del. Mark Chang, Chair of the Anne Arundel County Delegation. “A multi-modal innovative approach to transportation planning is vital if we’re to strike the right balance between managing growth, land use, and protecting our awesome natural resources like the Chesapeake Bay.”
