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<section article="gtr" article_name="Transportation" number="7-902" title_number="7" title_name="Mass Transit" subtitle_number="9" subtitle_name="Railroads">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>“Level of service” includes the number of round trips operated on a route and the number of stations along a route.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>“Route” means a passenger railroad service line described under subsections (b) through (d) of this section.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>The Administration shall continue to operate the following passenger railroad services at levels of service at least equivalent to the level of service established as of July 1, 1981:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>The CSX line between Brunswick and the District of Columbia;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Amtrak line between Penn Station in Baltimore and the District of Columbia; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The CSX line between Camden Station in Baltimore and the District of Columbia.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>The Administration shall continue to operate the passenger railroad service on the Amtrak line between Perryville and Penn Station in Baltimore at the level of service at least equivalent to the level of service established as of May 1, 1991.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>The Administration shall continue to operate the passenger services on the CSX line between Frederick and Point of Rocks at the level of service at least equivalent to the level of service established as of December 17, 2001.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Administration may not close a station on any route before June 30, 2008.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the Administration may close the Jessup Station on the CSX line between Camden Station in Baltimore and the District of Columbia at any time if the Administration finds that the ridership at the Jessup Station does not warrant keeping the station open.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>The Administration shall adopt regulations to facilitate the transportation of bicycles on board passenger railroad services.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <text>Before closing a station on a passenger railroad service line described in subsection (b) of this section, the Maryland Transit Administration shall review and report, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, to the Governor and the General Assembly, on the following:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>With respect to the Dickerson and Boyds MARC stations on the CSX line between Brunswick and the District of Columbia:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>The impact on traffic congestion along the Interstate 270, Md State Route 117, and Md State Route 28 corridors as a result of the station closures;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The impact of future growth in upper Montgomery and southern Frederick counties, particularly in Clarksburg over the next 5 years, and the projected ridership for the Boyds and Dickerson stations as a result of that future growth;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>The impact of the projected growth in upper Montgomery and southern Frederick counties on traffic congestion along the Interstate 270, Md State Route 117, and Md State Route 28 corridors and the transit alternatives that are contemplated to meet any increased demand;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>The methodology used to compute average daily ridership;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>The impact on projected ridership on the line if the stations are closed and later reopened due to impending growth;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vi">
        <text>The projected ridership if train stops are increased from three stops each to nine stops each for trains arriving at Washington Union Station and from four stops each to ten stops each (to discharge passengers only) for trains departing Washington Union Station;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vii">
        <text>Under an expanded schedule, the estimated increase in train service as a result of increasing the number of stops;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="viii">
        <text>Options to increase ridership at stations with low ridership, including investing in a ridership campaign to promote stations with low ridership;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ix">
        <text>The projected ridership after investing in a ridership campaign to promote the stations;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="x">
        <text>The schedule for installing ticket vending machines at the stations and whether such vending machines have already been purchased;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="xi">
        <text>Whether a vending machine that is scheduled to be installed at another station could temporarily be used at either or both of these stations;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="xii">
        <text>The impact on riders boarding at these stations if vending machines are not installed at the stations;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="xiii">
        <text>An evaluation of potential increased bus service to the stations, and parking lot expansion near the stations, including any possible options for parking lot expansion;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="xiv">
        <text>Specific efforts undertaken to:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>Attract new riders on the lines and to retain riders already using the lines; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>Improve access for individuals with disabilities;</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="xv">
        <text>Potential alternatives to closing stations that would achieve greater efficiency on the Brunswick and Camden CSX lines;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="xvi">
        <text>Potential sources of alternative funding for the operating and capital costs of keeping the stations open, including collaboration with local governments; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="xvii">
        <text>The description of the $300,000 passenger warning system for the Dickerson Station and whether other possible, less costly, passenger warning systems were considered and the reasons why such systems were not employed; and</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>With regard to the St. Denis Station on the CSX line between Camden Station in Baltimore and the District of Columbia:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>The information required under item (1)(vii) through (xvi) of this subsection;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The implications of closing a passenger railroad service facility that is a State or federally designated historic landmark or that is located in a State or federally designated historic district;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>The impact on traffic congestion along the Interstate 95, Interstate 295, and Md State Route 100 corridors as a result of the station closure;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>The effect of closing the St. Denis Station on ridership at the Halethorpe Station, including the effect on traffic and parking at the Halethorpe Station and in Arbutus;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>The projected ridership at the St. Denis Station if train stops are increased up to nine stops; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vi">
        <text>The projected ridership at the St. Denis Station if service to and from Baltimore is resumed.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="h">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Until a public hearing is held on the matter, the Administration may not establish or abandon a station on a route.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Administration shall give notice of a hearing at least 30 days before the hearing.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The notice shall be:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Published once a week for 2 successive weeks in two or more newspapers of wide circulation throughout the Administration’s commuter rail service area; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Posted in all of the Administration’s offices, stations, and terminals and all of its commuter rail rolling stock in revenue service.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>The 30–day period begins when the notice first appears in the newspaper.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <level label="i">
        <text>If the Administration gives inadequate notice of a public hearing on a matter described in paragraph (1) of this subsection, the Administration may not establish or abandon a station unless a legally sufficient public hearing is held.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>For the purposes of this paragraph, notice shall be considered inadequate if:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>The Administration does not comply with the newspaper publication requirement under paragraph (3)(i) of this subsection; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>At least 30% of the Administration’s facilities are not posted as required under paragraph (3)(ii) of this subsection.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>The Administration may implement a change of policy on a matter described in paragraph (1) of this subsection only during the time period beginning 6 weeks after the date of the public hearing and ending 6 months after the date of the public hearing.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
