Corridor Cities Transitway

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[edit] Description

A map of the officially proposed transitway route (orange), with an alternate alignment proposed by the Action Committee for Transit (blue).

The Corridor Cities Transitway (CCT) is a proposed light rail or bus rapid transit line in Maryland that would run from the Shady Grove Metro station in Gaithersburg northwest to Clarksburg. The Master Plans for both Montgomery and Frederick Counties provide for the eventual extension of the CCT northward along I-270 into Frederick City.

The study is being performed by the Maryland Transit Administration in coordination with the larger I-270 / US 15 Multi-Modal Corridor Study being conducted by the Maryland Department of Transportation, which is examining multiple options for the region including possible Express Toll Lanes along I-270. A Draft Environmental Impact Study is currently expected to be completed in Spring 2007, after which public meetings will be held to review the findings. It is anticipated the preferred mode will be decided upon in Summer 2007.

[edit] Route Controversy

The officially proposed transitway route curves west from Shady Grove Metro through several scattered office parks in south Gaithersburg before looping back north and east to rejoin the CSX railroad tracks near Metropolitan Grove. The route would be very slow for riders from the upper portions of the line hoping to reach Shady Grove, and misses important walkable new urbanist neighborhoods that are conducive to supporting transit. As a result of these perceived inadequacies, the Action Committee for Transit, an important local advocacy group, has proposed an alternate "two-spurred" alignment that would replace the Quince Orchard Road segment of the route with a new segment directly connecting Metropolitan Grove with Shady Grove, and slightly adjusting the location of multiple proposed stops. Supporters of the "two-spurred" alignment believe it would better serve both commuters in upper Montgomery County, as well as transit-dependent pedestrian populations in Kentlands, downtown Gaithersburg, Crown Farm and Clarksburg Town Center.