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Welcome to the Montgomery County Rapid Transit System Project site.

Mission

The Rapid Transit Steering Committee is to support and provide advice to the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) and County Executive in the implementation of a Rapid Transit System in the County, within the framework of adopted and soon to be adopted Master Plans in the County, and within the fiscal constraints and overall policy direction of the County Executive.

Composition

The Steering Committee will consist of 14 voting members, chaired by the Director of the Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT).  The following Executive Branch Department Directors will be members of the Committee:  General Services, Finance, Economic Development, the Office of Management and Budget, and the County Attorney.  The following agencies will designate one representative to the Committee:  Maryland DOT, M-NCPPC and WMATA.  The County Executive’s Transit Task Force will designate three representatives.  The Committee will have two representatives from the general public with direct knowledge and technical expertise in the subject matter.  In addition, the County’s Chief Administrative Officer will designate one individual to participate in meetings of the Committee.

Responsibilities

Whereas specific responsibilities may change as the technical planning and implementation of the Rapid Transit System evolves, the initial responsibilities of Committee Members will include:

1. Understanding the aspirations, relationships and constraints associated with the implementation of a new Rapid Transit System.  Committee members will become familiar with previous and on-going efforts undertaken towards the implementation of the Rapid Transit System; suggested implementation phasing; capital and operating costs of similar systems in the nation and foreign countries; legal requirements; and the roles and interaction of existing implementing transportation agencies in the County.
2. Organizational structure: Commission a study on the optimal organizational structure for the implementation of the Rapid Transit Systems including the planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance of the system, and make a recommendation to the CAO after completing its review of the study.
3. Funding of the System.  Participate in a study of feasible financing mechanisms for the planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance of the Rapid Transit System and make recommendations to the CAO for formal presentation to the County Executive and County Council for adoption.
4. Defining standards for the Montgomery County Rapid Transit System.  The Committee will recommend standards to be applied to the System in the County, including the possibility of starting with interim standards that can be easily upgraded as the system matures.
5. Support and Public Outreach – Communications.  Members of the Steering Committee will assist MCDOT in creating and maintaining transparent and realistic communications with elected officials; federal, state, local and quasi-government agencies and the with general public.
6. Schedule and Periodic Updates.  The Steering Committee will make recommendations regarding the development of realistic schedules for the implementation of different components of the Rapid Transit System; will monitor progress in the implementation of the same; provide advice on performance improvements and will approve periodic official communications to elected officials and the general public.
7. Other Responsibilities.  It is expected that additional or modified roles will be developed over time.  Those responsibilities will be added upon consensus of the entire Steering Committee.

Frequency of Meetings

It is expected that the Steering Committee will meet on a quarterly basis, although it may be desirable to have monthly meetings during initiation of the effort.

Rapid Transit System Project  -  Montgomery County, MD