Transit System

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.

Your editorial, "Annapolis Gridlock" (Jan. 4), is off base. In order to get transportation funds back to normal several things need to happen. The legislature needs to put on their big boy pants and replenish the transportation trust fund to the funding levels before Gov. Martin O'Malley raided it for general fund projects. This must be done before any budget or funding is passed in the next session. The Mass Transit Administration must determine how much it actually costs to operate the various transit systems and adjust fares accordingly.

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 9 a.m. Friday, traffic was slow on Frederick Road westbound near I-695 in Baltimore County, due to an accident. Accidents were slowing traffic on Telegraph Road near Mayfield Road in Anne Arundel County, Route 648 near Amberly Road in Anne Arundel County and Riedel Road near Westport Lane in Anne Arundel County. Monument Street is closed between Wolfe Street and Patterson Park Avenue in East Baltimore, due to sinkhole repairs. Maryland Transit Administration bus 35 has been diverted.

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.

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.

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.

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.

One year ago this week, Carroll Transit System Inc.'s board of directors was trying to decide whether to close the financially troubled agency.Yesterday, the directors were discussing expanded service to south Carroll County and announcing a new executive director.The new executive director will be James O. Mathis of Sykesville, a former board member of the agency, Board President Peggie Roland told county commissioners at a joint quarterly meeting yesterday at Bullock's Airport Inn.Carroll Transit is a private, nonprofit agency that has a contract with the county to provide public transportation.

As of 9 a.m. Thursday, traffic was slow on I-195 eastbound at I-95 in Baltimore County, due to a fatal accident in which one vehicle went over a highway overpass. All eastbound lanes and shoulders are closed while officers investigate the cause of the accident. Accidents were slowing traffic on I-95 southbound near the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel, I-95 southbound near I-195 in Baltimore County, and Route 29 northbound near Route 100 in Howard County. A vehicle fire was slowing traffic on the inner loop of I-695 near Greenspring Avenue in Baltimore County.

As of 9 a.m. Wednesday, I-895 was closed in both directions at the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel in Baltimore City, due to an accident involving seven vehicles. Accidents were slowing traffic on Russell Street at Bayard Street in Baltimore City, Route 100 westbound near Catherine Avenue in Anne Arundel County, and Erdman Avenue and Parklawn Avenue in Baltimore City. Monument Street is closed between Wolfe Street and Patterson Park Avenue in East Baltimore, due to sinkhole repairs. Maryland Transit Administration bus 35 has been diverted.

Traffic was easing on I-97 southbound near Route 32 in Anne Arundel County around 11 a.m., an hour after all were reopened in the wake of a fatal accident. Accidents also slowed traffic on Veterans Highway and Benfield Boulevard in Anne Arundel County, Route 32 eastbound near Sanner Road in Howard County, and I-95 northbound near Route 24 in Harford County. Monument Street is closed between Wolfe Street and Patterson Park Avenue in East Baltimore, due to sinkhole repairs. Maryland Transit Administration bus 35 has been diverted.

As of 9 a.m. Thursday, the eastbound lanes of Route 40 were closed near Miller Road and the Patapsco River Bridge in Baltimore County, due to an accident. A disabled vehicle was slowing traffic on U.S. 50 eastbound at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. Traffic was slow on the 200 block of Maiden Choice Lane near Tanglewood Road in Baltimore County, due to a 12-inch water main break. According to Baltimore's Department of Public Works, 40 homes or businesses have lost service due to the water main break.

As of 9 a.m. Tuesday, traffic was slow on Loch Raven Boulevard near Deanwood Road in Parkville, due to an accident involving a pedestrian who was struck. Baltimore County police say a female adult was hit by a vehicle early Tuesday morning, but they have not released additional details. Accidents were slowing traffic on Riva Road and Woodside Road in Anne Arundel County and Martin Boulevard near Riverton Road in Baltimore County. A disabled vehicle was slowing traffic on U.S. 29 northbound near Old Columbia Road in Howard County.

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.