[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6268526,"mediaKeyId","3055199-26580c139c8c5ddc9988d32389ffa613","parentId",3055199,"title","TAC chair to step down; members urged to recruit officers and engage on Transit Development Plan","audioSeconds",2820,"startMs",135000,"endMs",2955000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3055199-26580c139c8c5ddc9988d32389ffa613&start=135&end=2955","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3055199-26580c139c8c5ddc9988d32389ffa613/thumbnail_135000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6268526/St-Marys-County/Maryland/TAC-chair-to-step-down-members-urged-to-recruit-officers-and-engage-on-Transit-Development-Plan","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6268526-083ea12a2ba19acd9628f1db8d32d462/orig.mp4?Expires=1770773307&Signature=i0-pDlrBZn99mfrpiHBHHGZKqHUgv7wR2ldToy1D89N6ucJe46UAexnvjnIaGp8pHqFZ-1M2ObYCuFG99ynA~Dv2AQPigWDHQQVqglHHCBuGxltf8X8cCrclNG4W83GGe4AVZgP2R54-rpmFvzaqwpId6ox~vu-QN2B2E8ClIoMWuS-MkCtHBS4BajwnPuWV33W3zqItxe84Q0J6kuFnfO9ceEJpTAM98uJaJdumLEyFd-GncnZd2QetHcyVqxSkqbofywAJNR8BkrWYJmGuj1ytnoyRaOrr3VobZaWp78xroFCUg0PT9j7IzN~vGRdMGeg~Ej~IPMrjSUfY-k-nTw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","St. Mary's County, MD","date","2025-04-19T00:15:07.917Z","article","The chair of the St. Mary's County Transportation Advisory Committee said this meeting is currently set to be their last and that the county must appoint new leadership before July 1 unless the chair's tenure is extended. The chair said the committee has roughly \"70 ish days\" to fill the three officer roles and emphasized the benefit of promoting from within or recruiting external leaders.

Why it matters: the chair cautioned that vacancies in officer roles could hinder the committee's ability to coordinate with county staff and ex‑officio partners on ongoing projects and planning processes, including the Transit Development Plan (TDP) and outreach activities such as the NAACP's driver's‑education effort. The chair urged incoming leadership to adhere to the committee bylaws, work closely with ex‑officios and the county liaison Allison Swint, and participate in the TDP contractor process.

The chair thanked volunteers, ex‑officio members and staff for supporting ridership surveys, contributions to the countywide transportation plan and outreach work. The chair said the committee should work more closely on the TDP, noting the advisory role the committee can play even though it does not prepare the plan itself.

Other items: committee members briefly updated the group on transportation priority letters to MDOT, noting the state is piloting an online submission system and may require a feasibility study before a project is accepted on the state list; committee members were warned to expect a more detailed online form and limited state funding to implement projects on the wish list.

Next meeting: the committee scheduled its next meeting for July 17 at 1 p.m. in the Commissioners Gallery Room at the Chesapeake Building, Leonardtown Government Center.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","4/17/25 Transportation Advisory Committee","oneSentenceSummary","The Transportation Advisory Committee chair said this is likely their last meeting and urged the committee to recruit officers before July 1, remain engaged with ex‑officio partners, and take a more active role in the county Transit Development Plan (TDP).","taxTitle","St. Mary's County, Maryland","taxId",51086,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6268529,"FDR Boulevard Phase 3B under construction; county advances feasibility study, sidewalks and roundabouts",664,1115000,1779000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3055199-26580c139c8c5ddc9988d32389ffa613&start=1115&end=1779","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3055199-26580c139c8c5ddc9988d32389ffa613/thumbnail_1115000.jpg","/articles/6268529/St-Marys-County/Maryland/FDR-Boulevard-Phase-3B-under-construction-county-advances-feasibility-study-sidewalks-and-roundabouts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6268529-61a6760f91b6ad9d51d4558c64a90162/orig.mp4?Expires=1770773307&Signature=TauBc7kARq72RK-LLmZj5BxAwcg~jPL6C4HCBQJdqbQmP8~7JbaOwNVsGT2Syid7w61~fIQqUrhFd80J83KCxUvyDv6XV038dWVNr2fZLPGXYnCQiRTWLflhep4mAgT73ytt5O~y7Dpc~p3As5S7qytsiSuOzqbretPK5y7tRk5v1-CTKFF0TYUU0TSz3Rk2DzNowZDfyhsij~jLammU~k0qihLmSjct6N7lEeSoQWQWpJKxtsYM80ZL6bHR6uW24Vc4X~rYqpbODMseZEkH9Z~MV~lBqvYIXgwAHG1aQ67a-mG7xPD4bUzdy82FYQXBKb2VoIXFKTvtNbKNo-l2qQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","St. Mary's County Department of Public Works and Transportation staff told the Transportation Advisory Committee that FDR Boulevard Phase 3B — the segment between Buck Hewitt Road and Pegg Road — is under construction, with most utilities relocated and storm‑drain and retaining‑wall work underway. Staff said the project should open “about the summer of next year” and include a traffic signal at Pegg Road; under a state agreement the state will maintain that signal while the county pays for maintenance.

County staff said a feasibility study for FDR Boulevard Phase 4 (Pegg Road to Great Mills Road) is included in the Metropolitan Planning Organization's Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) and will proceed to a request for bids. The MPO administrator said funding for the study is in place and the county will advertise for bids to begin the study.

Why it matters: staff described rising traffic on FDR Boulevard and Maryland Route 235, noted that a recent traffic count recorded about 61,000 average daily trips on Route 235 near Town Creek Drive and roughly 18,000 on the FDR segment behind Walmart, and said those volumes are increasingly near parity in peak periods. County staff said a completed feasibility study could recommend either roadway widening or bicycle/pedestrian alternatives depending on the results.

Other projects discussed: a Buck Hewitt sidewalk extension tied into Chancellor's Run Road (awaiting federal/state funding allocation), utility relocation on Maryland Route 5 at Great Mills Road (construction money pending), Pegg Road sidewalk plans at 100% and pending State Highway approval, a planned Tulagi Place connection to Willows Road (RFP under development), and the Wildwood Boulevard third‑lane and sidewalk project currently under daytime construction. Staff said two roundabouts — Wildwood Boulevard at Wildwood Parkway and Peg Road at Westbury — are in design or construction; the county is using a competitive rental‑contractor approach on some work and estimates the approach could save nearly $1 million on the Peg Road roundabout.

Staff also said crash causal information is controlled by the sheriff's office and state records; the county can report before‑and‑after crash counts but may need sheriff cooperation for cause analysis.

What comes next: MPO advertising for Phase 4 bids, state review of Pegg Road 100% plans, property acquisition for Pegg Road construction and continued work on Wildwood and roundabout projects. County staff asked committee members to monitor ROW and easement needs and to expect follow‑up briefings as the feasibility study and bid process move forward.","St. Mary's County public works staff reported progress on FDR Boulevard Phase 3B, utility relocations and storm‑drain work, and said a feasibility study for Phase 4 has been submitted to the MPO; the county also described multiple sidewalk projects, a Tulagi connection RFP and two roundabouts in design or construction.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6268534,"St. Mary's County seeks three buses as ridership rebounds; paratransit and base access strain service",1947,263000,2210000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3055199-26580c139c8c5ddc9988d32389ffa613&start=263&end=2210","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3055199-26580c139c8c5ddc9988d32389ffa613/thumbnail_263000.jpg","/articles/6268534/St-Marys-County/Maryland/St-Marys-County-seeks-three-buses-as-ridership-rebounds-paratransit-and-base-access-strain-service","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6268534-31698c1ee4a45263d9e284ad502150e9/orig.mp4?Expires=1770773307&Signature=dJB~DDvUhJGPosXKx0Dpb1UspuTRG1Jvk2eMAzbxZd94JuZbLdVKz5RFztNf6d3z5eCFgI4PCLxpfnuhzK3rakTMIzip4kz0y2gJGJTasZMgyFIXGVaufzvtOUnxMxipn6P9w0B8te~IsMksv9JgmPVICXLMvLY4xv-DrEYbKFB~Q5lDiY~b6riptJFzIm1g7~yOEthE9WRt~vrxq4mWo5LWnstNQ5P9OwzYDoNJphEEqOT5KR2XZI5o-v5EmoYuynHjpR2dnWyt267R3gpOdJeCtUfkWAXZTqIAHRshgIK6wT6iBj~5IxDga4dArnO5sUNVe4Jxz6rNcmrWfAxYZw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","St. Mary's County transportation staff said the county applied in March to the Maryland Transit Administration for three additional vehicles to expand a 23‑vehicle fleet to 26, and warned that nationwide delivery delays mean new buses may take about two years to arrive.

The committee was told the county has received two medium-bus replacements and three small replacements but has only one medium bus in service while GPS and camera systems are transferred; a non‑CDL vehicle is expected in July and three more small buses remain on order with a multi‑year delivery timeline. \"We're not sustainable with what we currently have. Our fleet is currently 23,\" a transportation staff member said during the staff report.

Why it matters: committee members and staff said the county is seeing ridership rebound after the pandemic and could face higher demand if commissioners approve a fare‑free service in the next budget. Staff said the county operates both fixed routes and paratransit; by rule, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) paratransit eligibility is limited when an origin or destination falls more than three‑quarters of a mile from a fixed route, and a separate SDAP program restricts travel by days and times. The combination of a tight fleet, growing fixed‑route demand and paratransit eligibility limits is straining service for riders who live outside the ADA buffer.

Staff told the committee that regional ridership recovery is underway: Tri‑County ridership is at about 65–67% of pre‑COVID levels overall, with some routes in Calvert and Charles counties already exceeding previous ridership. Staff said certain commuter trips remain at high load factors: \"the first two trips in the morning are sitting about 80% full\" on some routes.

Committee members raised the Navy base's return‑to‑work as a major factor in recent delays. Transportation staff said fixed routes generally do not enter the base, while a limited number of paratransit employees have base access; staff are working to secure more base passes for required employees but warned that expiring passes and a backlog in renewals put paratransit service to base locations at risk. Staff described increased delays during peak gate times and said that, without Navy outreach to promote alternative modes, county transit cannot by itself eliminate gate congestion.

What comes next: staff asked the committee to help identify partner organizations that could serve riders who live beyond the ADA three‑quarter‑mile threshold and to remain engaged while the county waits on vehicle deliveries and final budget decisions about fares. The committee also discussed monitoring routes with high load factors and continuing coordination with the Navy, aging and human services partners and the Tri‑County Council.

","County transportation staff told the Transportation Advisory Committee they applied to the Maryland Transit Administration for three buses to expand a 23-vehicle fleet, citing multi-year delivery timelines, rising ridership and limits on paratransit service caused by ADA eligibility rules and expiring base access passes.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

TAC chair to step down; members urged to recruit officers and engage on Transit Development Plan

FDR Boulevard Phase 3B under construction; county advances feasibility study, sidewalks and roundabouts

St. Mary's County seeks three buses as ridership rebounds; paratransit and base access strain service