Background
How the Plan was Developed
Beginning in winter 2019, the Regional Transit Plan was developed over an 18-month period with the participation of the public, the Regional Transit Plan Commission, the Baltimore Metropolitan Council, a working group of the Locally Operated Transit Systems (LOTS), representatives from the local jurisdictions, and technical experts. The Plan was further shaped by valuable input from over 1,500 in-person interactions with members of the public throughout the region, plus thousands of responses to online surveys and hundreds of comments on the draft Plan in spring 2020. Per the legislation’s requirements, the Regional Transit Plan was finalized and submitted to the General Assembly by October 1, 2020. MTA is currently updating the 2020 RTP and will submit an updated plan to the General Assembly and the Baltimore Regional Transit Commission (BRTC) by October 1, 2025.
Elements of the Planning Process
Resources
An iterative process of data analysis and public engagement resulted in a library of resources archived here for reference. This material includes presentations and supporting documentation from Commission meetings and open houses, as well as associated legislative documents, and local, regional, and state transportation plans.
Technical Reports
The four Technical Reports below provide additional detail and analysis that support the Plan.
Existing & Future Conditions
- Establishes regional baselines for:
- Transit allocation
- Transit needs
- Transit performance
- Describes anticipated growth and change across the region (e.g., population, jobs, and travel patterns)
- Offers insights as to where the Plan can focus its efforts to address existing challenges and meet future needs.
- Download Technical Report (PDF)
Customer Journey
- Describes the six steps that compose a complete transit trip
- Identified opportunities to enhance the trip, drawing on case studies fromother transit agencies from around the world
- Connects findings to strategies identified in the Plan
- Download Technical Report (PDF)
Transit Network Improvements & Regional Transit Corridors
- Describes the Transit Network Improvements identification process
- Describes the methods and analysis by which Regional Transit Corridors were selected and prioritized
- Outlines next steps to advance the Transit Network Improvements and Regional Transit Corridors in the implementation phase
- Download Technical Report (PDF)
- Download Corridor Profiles (PDF)
Public Engagement
- Summarizes outreach and engagement throughout the three phases of the Plan's development
- Identified key themes from what the Project Team heard from the public and stakeholders
- Provides ways in which the Plan reflects public input on the draft Plan
- Download Technical Report (PDF)
Commission Meeting Materials
#1 Commission Meeting - 3.27.19
#2 Commission Meeting - 4.25.19
#3 Commission Meeting - 6.18.19
#4 Commission Meeting - 9.20.19
#5 Commission Meeting - 10.29.19
#6 Commission Meeting - 12.13.19
#7 Commission Meeting - 06.18.20
#8 Commission Meeting - 09.17.20
Open House Meeting Materials
Legislative Documents
Maryland law required the original RTP to be adopted by October 2020 and updated every five years thereafter. Legislation added in 2023 added a requirement that the Baltimore Regional Transit Commission approve each update. Please see below for the relevant legislation: