Duncan And Curry Urge Approval Of Takoma Langely Transit Center

Header--Montgomery County, Maryland. Press Releases

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Contact: Esther Bowring, 240-777-6530
John Clark, 240-777-7200

For Immediate Release: May 2, 2000

DUNCAN AND CURRY URGE APPROVAL OF
TAKOMA LANGLEY TRANSIT CENTER

Montgomery County Executive Douglas M. Duncan and Prince Georges County Executive Wayne K. Curry today urged the Maryland Mass Transit Administration (MTA) and the Montgomery County Council to fund the Takoma Langley Crossroads Transit Center, the busiest non-Metrorail bus station in Montgomery County. The Executives are asking the MTA and the Montgomery County Council to provide funding to construct the transit center as a means of supporting transit riders in the area.

"Transit is an integral piece of any plan to relieve traffic congestion, and as we encourage more and more residents to use mass transit for their commuting needs, we must provide an adequate infrastructure to accommodate higher demand," said Duncan. "The Takoma Langley Crossroads Transit Center is an essential component of our Ride On bus system that will ensure good service in East Silver Spring and the City of Takoma Park, areas where residents heavily rely on transit. The center is also an important link in my 'Transportation Relief Investment Program' (TRIP) and 'Rewarding Work' initiatives that relieve our crowded roadways and give residents better access to jobs through public transportation."

Montgomery and Prince Georges Counties have jointly requested $650,000 under MTA's Smart Growth Transit Grant program to fund half the cost of constructing the new $1.3 million transit center. Duncan requested the remaining $650,000 in his capital budget submitted in January to the Montgomery County Council. Although initially voting to remove the project from the capital budget, the Council reconsidered its position in April and tentatively approved funding to build the terminal, contingent on the state awarding the grant.

While the transit center serves both Montgomery and Prince Georges County residents, the station is located in Montgomery County and handles terminal operations for the County's Ride On bus system.

Each weekday, bus routes using the Takoma Langley Crossroads Transit Center carry more than 12,000 passengers. The area served by the center is home to about one-third of the County's Latino population and has amongst the highest residential and commercial densities in Maryland.

The current terminal is located in the parking lot of the Hampshire Langley Shopping Center, which was never designed to accommodate bus service, let alone over 200 buses a day serving 547 daily trip runs. Despite the importance of the bus station, Ride On has been forced, on occasion, to find alternative locations because there is no formal agreement with the shopping center's owner. If forced to leave the current location, Ride On service could be abruptly disrupted.

"We are pleased to support Montgomery County in the formal establishment of this transit hub which will serve the residents of Prince Georges and Montgomery County in equal numbers," said Curry. "This center reflects a dramatic growth in the use of all modes of transit service throughout the nation. In Prince Georges County, ridership on TheBus service has doubled in the last two years."

Ride On requires a terminal in the East Silver Spring/Takoma Park area to ensure schedule reliability, particularly since there is no additional capacity at the Silver Spring Transportation Center to handle service needs if displaced from Langley Park.

The new transit center will minimize bus travel times, provide greater separation between bus traffic and other traffic, and provide adequate space for buses waiting to begin service or return to Silver Spring. Included in the new design are four to six bus bays and enhanced passenger shelters, benches, and waiting areas.

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