The Maglev Project
January 2, 2019
Maglev Update - Learning from the mistakes of others is wiser than rushing into a reckless policy. Read this recommendation from Carol Park, a senior policy analyst in the Center for Business and Economic Competitiveness at the Maryland Public Policy Institute:
If Maryland wants to improve its transportation system, it should focus on ensuring that its existing projects are safe and managed properly. Whether this is done by restructuring the MTA or by privatizing some of its operations to incentivize better performance, it will not take billions of dollars to ensure that Maryland residents have reliable public transportation.
According to Maglev’s Rogers, “Infrastructure is fundamentally a government responsibility, which has failed.” He is right. Many governments across the ocean have failed by partnering with private companies to build trains that turned out to be costly, dangerous, and reliant on government support. We can avoid recreating the same high-speed catastrophe in North America by abandoning the Northeast Maglev.
You can read her entire article at: https://www.mdpolicy.org/research/detail/lessons-from-asia-for-the-northeast-maglev
June 19, 2018
From: Senator Peters
Date: Tue, Jun 19, 2018 at 9:00 AM
Subject: South Laurel MagLev and Transportation Update
Dear Neighbor,
I wanted to give you an update about the work Delegate Valentino-Smith and I have been doing regarding transportation issues that impact your community.
As many of you know, we have been working diligently to protect the 23rd District from the proposed Superconducting Maglev which is still potentially slated to run through your city, your neighborhoods and in some cases your homes.
Your neighbor, Garold Stone, has been monitoring the latest developments and provided the update below. Please note that we will continue to fight to eliminate this unnecessary project:
SUMMARY - in addition to county-wide impacts of SCMAGLEV construction & operations:
- In April BWRR said Route J-1-East is to be dropped
- In April BWRR said Route J-1-West is to be relocated eastward closer to the west boundary of the BW Parkway
- In order to move J-1-W off of (away from) the up to 100 homes (*) that the current route J1W would seize under public domain
(*) based on the premise that Seizing 1 townhome out of a row requires seizing the whole row of 6, 7, 8 or more ... townhomes (particularly in the approved but not built final section of MHHA, SDP-0510) - MHHA homes that avoid seizure for Route J1W will still be TOO CLOSE to Route J1W, suffering other proximity impacts: economic (home values, HoA expenses) and physical (above ground visibility, noise, vibration, electromagnetic risks, during construction and operations).
- In order to move J-1-W off of (away from) the up to 100 homes (*) that the current route J1W would seize under public domain
- All of the above information from BWRR is unofficial until the ALTERNATIVES [ALTS] report is published in August 2018 (recently changed from May 2018)
See BWmaglev.info for NEPA timeline for Milestones/Reports and upcoming Draft Environmental Impact Study (DEIS) schedule.
ELABORATION
mhnews.blogspot.com/2018/06/20180609-scmaglev-update-nepa-timeline.html
BWRR revised map moving J1W eastward closer to west boundery of BW Pkwy
https://drive.google.com/open?id=11_jTH1_wF3EIf265XXdj_pLe7JHBf9Hi
Earlier J1W route maps
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1OxdSLmAAQyu0suYJt78p3hLjr7fmNqJt
In addition, on May 11th we requested another warrant study for a possible traffic signal at Rt. 197 and Snowden Pond Road. It can take up to 90 days for the results to be reported, however, please know that we are pushing forward with this request for this much needed traffic signal.
It remains a great honor to represent our community in the Maryland Senate. If I can be of service to you or anyone you know, please call my office at 301-858-3631, or email me at Douglas.Peters@senate.state.md.us.
Best Regards
Senator Douglas J.J. Peters
District 23, Maryland
February 24, 2018
On Saturday, Feb 24, 2018, at Deerfield Run Elementary School, Councilwoman Mary Lehman hosted a public meeting with presentations from Baltimore Washington Rapid Rail (BWRR) executives as well as Dennis Brady of Stop This Train and Daniel Puma from the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation. Issues of concern raised by many of the approximately 80 residents in attendance include:
- Unresolved differences between the ideal vision presented by BWRR and the real issues that will be faced by travelers, residents, transit employees, and taxpayers.
- Failure by Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) to provide adequate notice to the residents of Prince George’s County of the public meetings by sending notices only to Maryland residents who live nearer the proposed transit stations.
- The inadequate scoping process, which ended in April, and is limited to a comparison of track routes against a no-build option.
By failing to consider reasonable alternatives that include:
- upgrades to the existing railway (MARC, Amtrak) and other community transit options,
- or to consider changes in commuting needs that may be generated from new developments in virtual work places and work-from-home opportunities,
- or finding ways for smoother transfers to and from all transit options, with greater collaboration among all public transportation groups,
the resulting decision is likely to require significant taxpayer funds to maintain an arbitrary and limited choice.
- The expectation that all investors in the private companies ‘sponsoring’ the selected build option will be expecting a reasonable return on their investment and that taxpayers will be left with an expensive system to support, especially since other rapid transit systems around the world are being abandoned or supported by state taxes.
- The difference between actual jobs created and ‘job years’: Dennis Brady explained that the 74,000 jobs promised for the state of Maryland is much more likely to be only 10-15,000 jobs during the track construction phase. The promised 1500 jobs annually is also likely to be a significantly inflated figure.
- The unlikely ridership calculation of 15,000 people per hour was corrected by BWRR to 15,000 per day. The projected availability of a train leaving every four minutes also seems doubtful.
- The rolling stock depot concept has been abandoned.
- BWRR said that maintenance space and venting options will use existing commercial properties, citing a shopping center parking lot as one possible site.
- BWRR also debunked the Hyperloop project proposed by Elon Musk as unproven technology.
Apparently, Mr. Musk was granted a conditional, quasi-utility permit by the state of Maryland.
Click or Tap the photo to enlarge
January 20, 2018
While the proposed maglev train will not directly impact Snowden Pond at Montpelier, many community advocates oppose it. At the Greenbelt VFD on Sat, Jan 20, 2018, Greenbelt Advocates for Environmental and Social Justice hosted a community meeting to inform residents about the maglev project. This photo essay of distinguished leaders from Greenbelt and the surrounding communities present some of the many reasons why residents should say no the maglev.
Click or Tap the photo to enlarge
