Elkton Transit Oriented Development Plan

Currently, along the nearly 460 miles of commuter rail lines between Richmond, Virginia and New London, Connecticut, there is one major gap: the 20 miles between Perryville, MD and Newark, DE. WILMAPCO, the regional transportation planning agency for Cecil County, has completed two feasibility studies which confirmed the need for rail service across Cecil County. The WILMAPCO Council passed a resolution in January 2006 urging the State of Maryland to pursue commuter rail service to Elkton. The MTA MARC Growth & Investment Plan recommends completion of a new Elkton Station by 2015 to allow for extension of commuter rail in Cecil County.

Rail service is a critical component of Elkton’s plans to further economic development and provide greater travel choices to this rapidly growing area. Currently, bus transit services exist in Elkton which could also serve this area and create connections with the proposed rail station: DART Route 65 provides weekday service between Elkton and Newark, DE and travels past the Amtrak Station on Bow Street; Cecil County Transit operates “THE BUS” within a block of the station area with service to Perryville and Glasgow. An intermodal transportation center, around the site of the Amtrak station on Bow Street in the Elkton Central Business District (CBD) would serve as a civic, commercial and institutional activity center and must be accessible via all modes of transportation, including bicycling, walking, and bus transit. Proper design of related facilities is needed to:

 

• Enhance community character in downtown Elkton
• Enhance regional accessibility, connectivity, and mobility
• Support Maryland Smart Growth policies
• Help improve regional ambient air quality through the reduction of vehicle travel and traffic congestion in downtown Elkton