Transit System

The blizzard of 2009 brought two feet of snow and greatly impacted business activity throughout the Baltimore area, especially retailers hoping to attract shoppers in the days leading up to Christmas. Most of Baltimore relies primarily on surface transportation options such as cars and buses. Unfortunately, cars and buses alike are often rendered useless when it snows, which was the case when the snow started falling. Meanwhile, the light rail and subway systems continued to operate on schedule.

As of 8:30 a.m. Thursday, traffic was slow on U.S. 50 westbound at the Capital Beltway, due to an accident involving six vehicles. According to the Maryland Transit Administration, light rail service is suspended between the Timonium and Hunt Valley stations due to construction work. A shuttle bus service is available instead. There are no other major delays reported on Baltimore area transit systems.

Howard County Executive Ken Ulman is moving on three fronts to reorganize the regional bus system known locally as Howard Transit, which also connects to the city of Laurel and to Arundel Mills and BWI Thurgood Marshal Airport. Ulman is studying a citizens committee's recommendations on the subject and wants to hire a new, higher-profile county transit coordinator. Meanwhile, the county is moving to buy a vacant 6-acre bus maintenance facility in Savage to serve as a publicly owned base for the system.

As of 9 a.m. Thursday, traffic was slow on the inner loop of I-695 near Reisterstown Road, due to an accident. Accidents were slowing traffic on I-695 at the Curtis Creek Drawbridge in Baltimore County, Oliver Street and Milton Avenue in Baltimore City, and Darien Drive and Parkland Place in Glen Burnie. A disabled vehicle was blocking traffic on U.S. 50 westbound at the Bay Bridge. Debris in the road was blocking traffic on I-95 northbound at Route 100 in Howard County.

From vacation in France ... Paris has the best subway system I've ever used. Trains go anywhere you want. (Even the snooty 8th arrondisement. No black holes for rich neighborhoods, such as for Georgetown in the D.C. metro system. And they run frequently. We haven't waited more than four minutes for a subway all week. READ JAY'S BLOG For Jay Hancock's take on local business news that affects you, read him daily at baltimoresun.com/blogs Even better: the Velib system for bike rentals.

Beginning Monday, Carroll Transit System will offer rides to the public for fares of $2 to $10.The private, non-profit transportationcompany now provides van service for seniors and the disabled through the county Department of Aging.Starting Monday, people of any age can call 876-RIDE to schedule a trip at least 24 hours in advance, said Charles E. "Bud" Nason, executive director of the transportation company. He said the service iscalled "demand-response," because it is based on call-ahead reservations rather than fixed routes.

What first seemed to be a scam at the expense of the ailing Carroll Transit System turned out to be the opposite.The woman Westminster police questioned last week about soliciting door to door in the name of the non-profit transportation agency turned out to be a client who relies on the agency to get her to medical appointments, said Linda Boyer, executive director of the system.Betty Ann Walker, 31, of Ward Avenue rides the Carroll Transit vans several times a month for doctor visits and shopping.

Carroll Transit System has set a Feb. 1 deadline for deciding whether to keep the doors open, close or radically cut back service because of a potential $70,000 deficit.By that morning, the board of directors expects to know whether it can depend on help from the county commissioners that will allow the agency to operate at a lower cost.The county commissioners and their staff have said they want to help Carroll Transit continue operating, but have not resolved technical and legal questions.

I felt a little sorry for the bus driver who so candidly answered my question the other night. When I asked why he was 15 minutes late, he told me it was equipment failure. He was behind the wheel of a Maryland Transit Administration bus obviously at the end of its working life and normally used only for school runs. I looked up and saw, yes, the bus had an 89 number, meaning it first began service in 1989 and was still grinding away on the streets at rush hour. No wonder it was late.

What first seemed to be a scam at the expense of the ailing Carroll Transit System turned out to be the opposite.The woman Westminster police questioned last week about soliciting door to door in the name of the non-profit transportation agency turned out to be a client who relies on the agency to get her to medical appointments, said Linda Boyer, executive director of the system.Betty Ann Walker, 31, rides the Carroll Transit vans several times a month for doctor visits and shopping."I was going to help them out," Miss Walker said after she heard the agency was considering closing because of state budget cuts.

As of 9 a.m. Wednesday, traffic was slow on Route 543 at Prospect Mill Road in Harford County, due to an accident. Light rail service is suspended between the Timonium and Hunt Valley stations due to construction work. A shuttle bus service is available instead. There are no other delays reported on Baltimore area transit systems.

As of 9 a.m. Monday, traffic was slow on I-95 southbound near White Marsh Boulevard, due to an accident involving two vehicles. Accidents were slowing traffic Reisterstown Road and Garrison Boulevard in Baltimore County, Dorsey Road and Aviation Boulevard in Anne Arundel County, Route 22 at Tudor Lane in Harford County, Wise Avenue at Lynch Road in Dundalk, and Washington Boulevard at Freestate Drive in Elkridge. Debris in the road was blocking traffic on Route 2 northbound near Dover Road in Anne Arundel County.

As of 9 a.m. Thursday, traffic was slow on I-895 southbound near Lombard Street, due to an accident involving three vehicles. Emergency roadwork was blocking traffic on the ramp from I-70 eastbound near I-695 in Baltimore County. King Avenue was closed near Franklin Square Drive in Rosedale due to repair work on a broken water main. Light rail service is suspended between the Timonium and Hunt Valley stations due to construction work. A shuttle bus service is available instead.

As of 9 a.m. Friday, Jarrettsville Pike was closed near Dulaney Valley Road in Baltimore County, due to an accident that resulted in two deaths. Accidents were slowing traffic at Route 24 southbound at Edgewood Road in Harford County and Route 36 at Schucks Road in Harford County. A disabled vehicle was blocking traffic on I-95 northbound at the Fort McHenry Tunnel. Charles Street is closed from Centre Street to Read Street for the Flower Mart, as well as portions of Madison Street and Mount Vernon Place near Charles Street.

It was almost as if someone waved a "magic wand" over Carroll Transit System, said board president Peggie Roland at a special meeting last night.Since Wednesday, the agency's projected deficit of $70,000 turned into an expectation to end the fiscal year June 30 with a surplus of at least $10,000.The board's meeting last night was scheduled the week before to decide whether the transportation agency should even stay in business.With the new expectation of being in the black, the board voted to keep Carroll Transit going through June 30 and to review the situation again then.

The fate of the county's public transportation could be decided at a meeting today of the Carroll Transit System executive board.Two of the options the board will consider today are closing the nonprofit agency or scaling back services, said Linda Boyer, executive director.The board meets this morning and will send its recommendation to the full board of directors when that panel meets Feb. 17.Mrs. Boyer said she had hoped to know today whether the county would be willing to provide a loan and mechanics to help the agency.