Maglev Corridor Study

Although the scenario seems futuristic, the vision is taking shape in Maryland and the District of Columbia. The Baltimore-Washington Coalition is pursuing a bid for the 2012 games, while a high-speed Maglev transportation team—lead by the Maryland Mass Transit Administration of the Maryland Department of Transportation—is studying the potential alignments, technology, and operating parameters for a commercial Maglev system connecting Baltimore, MD and Washington, DC. The 40-mile corridor is one of seven in the country to receive planning grants under the $950 million Maglev Deployment Program, sponsored by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA).

Jack Kinstlinger, PE, KCI’s chairman and project manager for the consulting team, is excited by the technology: “For a long time, Maryland DOT has been studying Maglev as a means for relieving congestion and meeting the region’s expanding transportation needs. The system could eliminate as many as 30,000 vehicles daily, which would prolong the life of the current infrastructure and improve air quality. It also would draw tourists, conventions, and high-tech companies to the corridor.

“We’ve got a top-notch consulting team (lead by KCI and Parsons Brinckerhoff Quade & Douglas) making a good case for selecting Baltimore-Washington for the next phase of development,” he added. “We’ve identified a preferred technology, based on Germany’s Transrapid system; mapped alignments and station locations; assessed the project’s potential environmental impacts; estimated ridership, costs, and revenues; and developed a plan for financing. Eventually, we see the corridor extending north to Boston and south to Charlotte, NC. It’s a vision built on real-world technology that could revolutionize travel in the United States.”

In Fall 2000, the FRA will select one or more of the corridor study teams to complete Environmental Impact Statements. FRA plans to name a corridor finalist in 2003. For more information, visit the Maglev website at www.bwmaglev.com.

 



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