He says it could benefit Washington County.,
Annapolis, Md (KM). The 2020 General Assembly will be considering legislation that could help expand commuter rail service to western Maryland. Delegate Paul Corderman (R-Washington Co) is working on a bill to require the Maryland Department of Transportation to conduct a feasibility study into extending the MARC train line to Washington County.
“To provide opportunities to the Metropolitan area. Job opportunities and economic opportunities. So we’re excited about that possibility,” he says.
If the MARC is extended to Washington County, Corderman says there’s a set of tracks that the commuter train could use. “We’ve asked them to look at a specific line. We’re open to any and all options, but there is a CSX line from the city of Hagerstown south through Washington County and connects to the Brunswick Line,” he says. “Half that line is currently active and still in use by CSX. The other half of that line is inactive. There would be some infrastructure needs that would have to be completed in that part of the county.”
But he says the rights of way are held by the Department of Natural Resources.
The Brunswick Line is the one used by commuters from Frederick County and surrounding jurisdictions to get to and from jobs in Montgomery County and other areas in the immediate Washington DC area.
If MARC comes to Washington County, Corderman says possible stops for the commuter train could be Keedysville, Sharpsbrug Pike (Rt.65) south of Hagestown, and the city of Hagerstown itself.
Bringing MARC to Washington County could provide a way for local residents to get to jobs in the immediate DC areas, says Corderman; and it would provide for Metropolitan Washington residents to do a “reverse commute” by coming out and visiting some of the sites in western Maryland.
Corderman says the bill has not been submitted yet. He says he’s waiting for its drafting to be completed.
“We’re not looking to take anything away from the service that you guys {Frederick County} already provide at Point of Rocks,” he says. “We see it as an enhancement, an opportunity to provide a greater access to individuals who may not use the train currently right now.”
By Kevin McManus