Transportation Improvement Program 2023–2026

The Baltimore Regional Transportation Board (BRTB), as the metropolitan planning organization (MPO) for the Baltimore region, seeks public comments through Monday, August 1 on two transportation-related documents – the draft 2023-2026 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and the associated Air Quality Conformity Determination.

Returning this year is an  interactive TIP project map  in which the public can view projects and offer comments.

Note, this story map and the interactive TIP project map are for visualization purposes. Detailed information about each project identified in the interactive TIP is online at  baltometro.org .

The draft 2023-2026 TIP is the list of regional transportation projects requesting federal funding in the near term. It includes $4.26 billion proposed funding (federal, state, local, toll revenue) for highway, transit, bicycle and pedestrian projects during the next four years.

Ideally, the region would want to keep all roads, bridges, and sidewalks safe, in good condition and congestion free and build a transit system that is in good operating condition and one that everyone would love to ride. Unfortunately, the region's transportation needs outweigh the available resources. Somewhere in the middle is a balanced approach to addressing road and transit needs, and regional and local priorities. Highlights of the funding:

• The projects listed in the TIP are a carefully selected mix that takes into account the level of resources that can reasonably be expected to be available.

• The funding goes toward maintaining, operating and expanding the transportation system. These projects support regional goals such as accessibility, safety, and prosperity. Funding identified in the TIP is based on funding reasonably expected to be available from local, state, and federal sources.

A detailed dashboard of tables and charts showing funding in the 2023-2026 TIP by category, project sponsor, and location is below.

The draft 2023-2026 TIP includes 132 projects, 7 of which are new this year. This map also includes Transportation Analysis Zones (TAZ) classified as Environmental Justice (EJ) areas where they have a greater concentration of low income population or minority population than their respective regional averages. EJ analysis seeks to ensure that the benefits and burdens of transportation investments are shared as equitably as possible among all affected communities.

• Baltimore City is also moving forward on vital roadway rehabilitation investments, including bicycle and pedestrian improvements, on portions of Belair Road, 25th Street, Fremont Avenue, Madison Street, Park Heights Avenue, Patapsco Avenue, Pennington Avenue, Northern Parkway, and Russell Street.

• Baltimore, Carroll and Harford Counties are dedicating federal and local funding for 28 essential bridge improvement projects.

Note: Projects can often fit into multiple categories. For example, many highway and bridge projects also incorporate bicycle and pedestrian elements such as bike lanes and sidewalks. In addition, most transit projects in the TIP are regional in nature and thus are not mappable. This includes items such as transit vehicle replacement and repair, preventive maintenance, and infrastructure improvements.

The Baltimore region does not meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards and so must review its current transportation plans and programs to ensure conformity with the State Air Quality Implementation Plan (SIP).

The  Air Quality Conformity Determination report  details a comprehensive analysis of Baltimore region mobile source emissions as a result of implementing the draft 2023-2026 TIP. Highlights of the report include:

• Staff from BMC and the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) used the Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES) 2014a model, developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to analyze the amount of mobile source emissions generated from vehicle travel associated with the implementation of the projects in the draft TIP.

• The report addresses mobile source emissions of VOC and NOx, which are precursors of ground-level ozone emissions.

• Adopted forecasts for population, housing, and employment in the Baltimore region were used for this conformity analysis.

• Current data about the types and purpose of vehicles, fuel data, and meteorological data were used as input into the analysis.

• Projected mobile source emissions for draft 2023-2026 TIP are well below the motor vehicle emission budgets set in the state implementation plan, or SIP.

• Implementation of the projects proposed in the draft 2023-2026 TIP will not worsen the region’s air quality or delay the timely attainment of national air quality standards.

• The Baltimore region is a "marginal" nonattainment area for the ground-level ozone standard set in 2015. This means that levels of ozone pollution in the air are slightly higher than the federally allowable amount of 70 parts per billion (ppb).

• The level of ozone that the region experienced between 2018 and 2020 as a "design value", or the value that the US EPA uses to determine whether a region is reaching the standard, was 72 ppb. As a result, the region is not attaining the standard and the BRTB must conduct a conformity determination.

• The air quality analysis evaluates whether the transportation projects in a region's TIP and Plan would hinder the progress of that region attaining the air quality standard.

Let the BRTB know what you think

Over $4.26 billion worth of transportation investments and improvements are being planned that will shape our region’s future for decades to come. Please let us know what you think about this draft investment plan —  add your comments to our interactive map .

Those interested in learning more about the draft 2023-2026 TIP and Air Quality Conformity Determination may do so during a  virtual public meeting on Wednesday, July 26 at 7:00 p.m. 

Or, send us your comments in writing to:

Online:  https://publicinput.com/2023-2026TIP  Voicemail: 855-925-2801 x 6662 Email: 2023-2026TIP@PublicInput.com Text: Text '2023-2026TIP' to 73224 Twitter: @BaltoMetroCo | @BmoreInvolved | #BRTBlistens

Public comments are welcome from Wednesday, June 29 through Monday, August 1, 2022. The BRTB will vote on these documents on Tuesday, August 23, 2022.