BRAC Officials Push for Federal Funding

A top official working on the region’s response to BRAC told business leaders earlier this week that nearly $5 billion in transportation upgrades would be needed to accommodate the growth near Fort Meade, but said even a much smaller injection of federal money would be helpful. 

About 1,000 new workers have arrived at Fort Meade since the beginning of the year due to base realignment and closure (BRAC) activities, and officials are aggressively pushing for additional funding for road upgrades, while calling on workers to find alternatives to driving to Fort Meade in their cars.

Jean Friedberg, the regional transportation coordinator for the Fort Meade Regional Growth Management Committee, said a comprehensive transportation demand management plan could help reduce the number of cars coming to the base. But he said that ultimately, the area’s roadways need to be expanded and there is little money available for such improvements.

Friedberg made his comments to members of the West Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce at a March 22 meeting at Kaufmann’s Tavern in Gambrills.

He said that the worker population at the base will rise from 48,000 to 70,000 by 2020, with an estimated 116,000 private sector jobs added in the vicinity to support the base’s growth. About 5,800 jobs will be added to Fort Meade specifically due to BRAC, but other agencies including the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command will also add thousands of jobs.

Anne Arundel County has spent $4.5 million on BRAC-related transportation improvements, while the state has spent $135 million. Most of the necessary upgrades remain unfunded.

To accommodate all of those workers comfortably, the area’s roads would need to add 267 lane miles, with a price tag of $4.7 billion, Friedberg said. 

“We know that money isn’t going to be available, short-term or long-term,” Friedberg said.

His comments came as Anne Arundel County Executive John R. Leopold joined with other regional leaders in asking Congress to assist with BRAC-related transportation needs. In a letter, Leopold called on Maryland’s congressional delegation to introduce a one-time appropriation or push for access to unused federal stimulus dollars.

Howard County Executive Ken Ulman, Laurel Mayor Craig Moe, Harford County Executive David Craig and Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker also signed the letter.

Officials are not seeking a specific dollar amount, but said $20-30 million to pay for intersection improvements along Route 175 would be helpful.

"The federal government has been a no-show," said Robert Leib, the regional BRAC coordinator. "The haven't been on our team, for real."

Last month, the National Academies of Sciences issued a report calling on the federal government to pay more toward transportation upgrades in the communities near expanding military bases, including Fort Meade.

“We are actively preparing to welcome these expanded activities and are grateful for the many positive impacts on our communities,” the letter read. “However, as you are well aware, there remain significant funding issues related to the impact of growth on our transportation systems.”

Nearly all of the most recent new workers to Fort Meade are employees of the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), and the agency will have about 4,800 employees at the base by summer’s end. With many of those workers choosing to commute from homes in Washington, D.C. and Northern Virginia, nearly one-fourth have expressed interest in riding new subscription bus service or using carpools or vanpools.

The transportation demand management plan outlined by regional officials calls for peak traffic loads to be reduced by at least 27 percent through a combination of those alternative commuting options, plus telecommuting and mass transit.

“The jury is still out,” Friedberg said. “We still have to see these people arriving in buses or vans to call it a success. Unless we achieve our demand management goals, we’re going to have backups.”