MARC Rail Communities Master Plan
The Action Committee for Transit is a residents' advocacy group dedicated to better communities through improved public transit and better streets for walkers and bikers in Montgomery County, Maryland.
The scope of work for the MARC Rail Communities Master Plan calls for studying transportation and land use issues affecting two stations on the MARC Brunswick Line, as well as for better pedestrian, bicycle, and bus connections to the two stations. We support these goals. Even with its current, very limited service, the MARC Brunswick Line is a vital transportation resource for Montgomery County, and it is very important for people to be able to get to the train on foot, by bike, and by bus.
However, we also ask you to extend the proposed northern Plan boundary of the Germantown portion north to Middlebrook Road, east of Germantown Road, and to include Seneca Valley High School in the proposed Plan boundary. This is important for two reasons:
- Many people walk in this area, including high school students.
- Data show that this is a dangerous area for people to walk.
If the one of the goals of the MARC Rail Communities Master Plan is to improve pedestrian connections in the area of the Germantown MARC station, it makes no sense to exclude Middlebrook Road or Seneca Valley High School from the plan area.
Sincerely,
Ronit Aviva Dancis, President