1. Rail Planning Efforts and Lessons Learned Nicole Katsikides Acting Director, Office of Freight & Multimodalism Maryland Department of Transportation Presentation to AASHTO SCORT Tuesday, September 21, 2010

2. Maryland Transportation Plan Goals  Quality of Service  Safety and Security  System Preservation and Performance  Environmental Stewardship  Connectivity for Daily Life

3. Rail Planning  Collect projects from all rail users  Collect and refine policy areas, objectives, actions  Prioritize Projects after evaluation based on guidance  Maryland is home to significant rail projects  B&P Tunnel  Part of National Gateway  Delmarva rail efforts with DE and VA  Crescent Corridor in Western Maryland  Other NEC projects

4. Statewide Freight Plan  First comprehensive multimodal freight plan  Included both passenger and freight rail policies and projects due to shared infrastructure  Tied project prioritization to Maryland Transportation Plan goals  Captured significant stakeholder input, broad range of policies and projects.

5. Outreach  Most exciting aspect in terms of gaining support  Captured broad range of freight and passenger rail needs  Used MPO’s creatively, MPO’s now help support projects

6. Stakeholder Support Groups  Established Freight Stakeholder Advisory Committee  Internal Advisory Committee (and MPOs)  Rail team, rail advisory group

7. Integration with State Plans  Considered Maryland Transportation Plan goals  Attached weighting to those goals  Selected measures for each goal  Ran each project through methodology  Developed high, medium and low priorities  Rail projects scored relatively high, but need for corridor planning or intermodal planning exists

10. Positive Actions  Keeping a regional perspective  Engaging stakeholders  Strong inventory  Commodity Flow information for freight  Implementation organization, strategic plan

11. Challenges  Implementing new policies  Creative financing and new funding sources  Standardization of benefit calculations where appropriate, concrete guidance on planning and HSIPR  Project limits/NEPA guidance and preparation  Work with regional partners, Amtrak and FRA to understand which projects are linked (i.e. NEPA)  Why plan?

12. For More Information: Nicole Katsikides Office of Freight and Multimodalism 410-865-1225 nkatsikides@mdot.state.md.us www.mdot.maryland.gov/OFL/Freight