by Joohyun Kim ‘14

Last month, $15 billion was made available for transportation due to Maryland’s gas tax increase. This 52-percent increase from last year is the highest funding increase the state has received for decades. The transit plan is expected to receive most of the funding.

The project contains funding for eight more car trains on the Red Line, and funding for three of the county’s proposed Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lines along Georgia Avenue, Route 29 and Veirs Mill Road. The purpose of building a BRT line is to integrate bus ways to provide lower costs and time saving transportation.

Both the supporters and opponents of this plan agree that BRT lines won’t solve all of MCPS’ transportation issues, but it will help the county’s 500,000 workers who need better transportation.