Baltimore-Washington D.C. Maglev
Encyclopedia
The Baltimore – Washington D.C. Maglev project is a proposal from the United States
cities of Baltimore, Maryland and Washington, D.C.
to build a 39.8 miles (64.1 km) maglev train
system between their respective central business district
s.
(FRA), a unit of the U.S. Department of Transportation. The objective of the program is to demonstrate high speed maglev technology in commercial service through a project of about 40 miles in length, so that it can be considered later in the century for implementation in a longer distance intercity corridor application. Section 1218 envisioned $1 billion in federal funding for a single demonstration system which must be matched by other sources 2 to 1. FRA selected seven projects for further study in May 1999, and they received $55 million in further funding to develop their proposals. Of these seven, Baltimore-Washington and Pittsburgh advanced to next stage as semi-finalists in April 2001. Federal funding of the project development continued through fiscal year 2004. However, due to legislation passed by the State of Maryland in 2004, the Balitmore-Washington project dropped out and did not receive federal funding for fiscal year 2005. Instead, the program funded Pittsburgh and a line between Las Vegas and Annaheim in fiscal year 2005, with all federal funding removed from the program after that year. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
revived federal funding of intercity high speed rail, particularly in the context of the Las Vegas to Anaheim route.
Proposed stations for the bid include Hilton Baltimore
, Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport
and Union Station
in Washington D.C. The construction plans for the Hilton Baltimore allocate a specific amount of space underground for a maglev station.
A maglev would have made the transportation infrastructure of the two cities more appealing to the United States Olympic Committee
. The cities lost in their joint 2012 Olympic bid; however, representatives from the two cities have stated that they are interested in a joint bid for the 2016 Olympics
.
The project received federal approval for a continued funding study in January 2001. The project issued a DEIS (Draft Environmental Impact Statement
) and public hearings were scheduled for December 8–16, 2003 and online comments were being accepted until January 30, 2004. The project is still in planning stages and has not received any approval beyond funding study. The project hit legislative snags in 2004, 2005, and 2006.
Funding for the project was uncertain as of November 2006. Maryland Senate Bill (SB508) passed in 2004, forbids the state spending any money from any source for the purpose of studying, developing or constructing a maglev system in the state.
The Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act of 2005 allows the Department of Transportation to spend up to $1,000,000 in federal funds for the purpose of completing a final environmental impact statement
on a magnetic levitation
transportation (MAGLEV) system. The state refusal to fund the system may make it difficult for Baltimore to get federal approval for construction. Also in 2005 the project had not completed a final environmental impact statement to send to the federal government.
In 2009, the Maryland Department of Transportation
released "Maryland's FY 2009-2014 Consolidated Transportation Program (CTP)" document which is divided into different PDF documents. In the "Maryland Transportation Administration" document on page 42, marked "Page MTA-38" in the lower-right hand corner is a listing for the Maglev System Study which lists under description: "Feasibility study and preparation of environmental documentation involved with operating magnetic levitation trains between Baltimore and Washington, with a stop at BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport." the justification section is very interesting in that the Maryland Transit Administration has received "special federal funding as part of a national demonstration of Maglev technology" it continued that "if feasibility is demonstrated, Maglev could provide rapid and efficient transportation between Baltimore, Washington, and BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport." The current status of the project is that it has completed the DEIS (Draft Environmental Impact Statement) phase and completed an "environmental reevaluation."The CTP states that from the MAGLEV project's start through 2008, $16,868,000 was expended in planning with $12,973,000 coming from the federal government (which matches the $13 million reported on the FRA site.) For fiscal year 2009, the CTP allocates $100,000 for planning. There is a note at the end stated that the City of Baltimore contributed $100,000 for the Maglev System Study project.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
cities of Baltimore, Maryland and Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
to build a 39.8 miles (64.1 km) maglev train
Maglev train
Maglev , is a system of transportation that uses magnetic levitation to suspend, guide and propel vehicles from magnets rather than using mechanical methods, such as friction-reliant wheels, axles and bearings...
system between their respective central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
s.
Proposed construction and progress of project
Section 1218 of the "Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century" created a National Magnetic Levitation Transportation Technology Deployment Program. The program is administered by the Federal Railroad AdministrationFederal Railroad Administration
The Federal Railroad Administration is an agency in the United States Department of Transportation. The agency was created by the Department of Transportation Act of 1966...
(FRA), a unit of the U.S. Department of Transportation. The objective of the program is to demonstrate high speed maglev technology in commercial service through a project of about 40 miles in length, so that it can be considered later in the century for implementation in a longer distance intercity corridor application. Section 1218 envisioned $1 billion in federal funding for a single demonstration system which must be matched by other sources 2 to 1. FRA selected seven projects for further study in May 1999, and they received $55 million in further funding to develop their proposals. Of these seven, Baltimore-Washington and Pittsburgh advanced to next stage as semi-finalists in April 2001. Federal funding of the project development continued through fiscal year 2004. However, due to legislation passed by the State of Maryland in 2004, the Balitmore-Washington project dropped out and did not receive federal funding for fiscal year 2005. Instead, the program funded Pittsburgh and a line between Las Vegas and Annaheim in fiscal year 2005, with all federal funding removed from the program after that year. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, abbreviated ARRA and commonly referred to as the Stimulus or The Recovery Act, is an economic stimulus package enacted by the 111th United States Congress in February 2009 and signed into law on February 17, 2009, by President Barack Obama.To...
revived federal funding of intercity high speed rail, particularly in the context of the Las Vegas to Anaheim route.
Proposed stations for the bid include Hilton Baltimore
Hilton Baltimore
The Hilton Baltimore is a 757–room hotel located on West Pratt Street in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Initially proposed in 2003, actual construction of the city-owned venture took place between 2006 and 2008 as part of the Baltimore Convention Center...
, Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport
Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport
Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport is an international airport serving the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area in the United States. It is commonly called BWI, BWI Airport or BWI Marshall, BWI being an initialism for "Baltimore/Washington International" and the...
and Union Station
Union Station (Washington, D.C.)
Washington Union Station is a train station and leisure destination visited by 32 million people each year in the center of Washington, D.C. The train station is served by Amtrak, MARC and Virginia Railway Express commuter rail services as well as by Washington Metro subway trains and local buses...
in Washington D.C. The construction plans for the Hilton Baltimore allocate a specific amount of space underground for a maglev station.
A maglev would have made the transportation infrastructure of the two cities more appealing to the United States Olympic Committee
United States Olympic Committee
The United States Olympic Committee is a non-profit organization that serves as the National Olympic Committee and National Paralympic Committee for the United States and coordinates the relationship between the United States Anti-Doping Agency and the World Anti-Doping Agency and various...
. The cities lost in their joint 2012 Olympic bid; however, representatives from the two cities have stated that they are interested in a joint bid for the 2016 Olympics
2016 Summer Olympics
The 2016 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXXI Olympiad, are a major international multi-sport event to be celebrated in the tradition of the Olympic Games, as governed by the International Olympic Committee...
.
The project received federal approval for a continued funding study in January 2001. The project issued a DEIS (Draft Environmental Impact Statement
Environmental impact statement
An environmental impact statement , under United States environmental law, is a document required by the National Environmental Policy Act for certain actions "significantly affecting the quality of the human environment". An EIS is a tool for decision making...
) and public hearings were scheduled for December 8–16, 2003 and online comments were being accepted until January 30, 2004. The project is still in planning stages and has not received any approval beyond funding study. The project hit legislative snags in 2004, 2005, and 2006.
Funding for the project was uncertain as of November 2006. Maryland Senate Bill (SB508) passed in 2004, forbids the state spending any money from any source for the purpose of studying, developing or constructing a maglev system in the state.
The Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act of 2005 allows the Department of Transportation to spend up to $1,000,000 in federal funds for the purpose of completing a final environmental impact statement
Environmental impact statement
An environmental impact statement , under United States environmental law, is a document required by the National Environmental Policy Act for certain actions "significantly affecting the quality of the human environment". An EIS is a tool for decision making...
on a magnetic levitation
Magnetic levitation
Magnetic levitation, maglev, or magnetic suspension is a method by which an object is suspended with no support other than magnetic fields...
transportation (MAGLEV) system. The state refusal to fund the system may make it difficult for Baltimore to get federal approval for construction. Also in 2005 the project had not completed a final environmental impact statement to send to the federal government.
In 2009, the Maryland Department of Transportation
Maryland Department of Transportation
The Maryland Department of Transportation is a government agency in the U.S. state of Maryland. MDOT is overseen by Transportation Secretary Beverley K. Swaim-Staley, who replaced John Porcari in 2009 upon the latter's appointment as Deputy Secretary of the United States Department of...
released "Maryland's FY 2009-2014 Consolidated Transportation Program (CTP)" document which is divided into different PDF documents. In the "Maryland Transportation Administration" document on page 42, marked "Page MTA-38" in the lower-right hand corner is a listing for the Maglev System Study which lists under description: "Feasibility study and preparation of environmental documentation involved with operating magnetic levitation trains between Baltimore and Washington, with a stop at BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport." the justification section is very interesting in that the Maryland Transit Administration has received "special federal funding as part of a national demonstration of Maglev technology" it continued that "if feasibility is demonstrated, Maglev could provide rapid and efficient transportation between Baltimore, Washington, and BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport." The current status of the project is that it has completed the DEIS (Draft Environmental Impact Statement) phase and completed an "environmental reevaluation."The CTP states that from the MAGLEV project's start through 2008, $16,868,000 was expended in planning with $12,973,000 coming from the federal government (which matches the $13 million reported on the FRA site.) For fiscal year 2009, the CTP allocates $100,000 for planning. There is a note at the end stated that the City of Baltimore contributed $100,000 for the Maglev System Study project.