Home | Maryland Coalition for Responsible Transit

Our name is Maryland Coalition for Responsible Transit (MCRT). We evaluate transit projects for social equity, environmental justice, economic viability, and community accessibility. We believe that the Baltimore Washington (BW) SCMaglev must be stopped in order to implement future transit projects that meet our criteria of a much lower price and much less risk and impact to communities. Thus, we support the no-build option and are working to stop this project through the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process, specifically by building public capacity to respond to the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS).

We can be reached at mcrtaction@gmail.com

Greetings, everyone, including all elected officials and your staff!

We are the Maryland Coalition for Responsible Transit (MCRT). Our mission is to evaluate transit projects for social equity, environmental justice, economic viability, environmental impact, and community accessibility. We have closely followed the proposed Baltimore-Washington Superconducting Magnetic Levitation (SCMaglev) transportation project for several years. We wrote many white papers and an extensive set of comments in response to the project’s 2021 Draft Environmental Impact Statement. All of these can be found here on this website under the SCMaglev Opposition Tab (at the top right of this page). We have worked with government agencies, other organizations, elected officials, and communities to fully understand and address the extensive impacts this project would have in Maryland.

MCRT offers background and detailed resources on this proposed high-speed train that would run from Mount Vernon Square in Washington, D.C., both tunneling under and emerging above ground along the Baltimore-Washington Parkway in Prince George’s and Anne Arundel counties, to Cherry Hill, on the southern tip of Baltimore City. Residents will be impacted by this project. Their elected officials may well want to be prepared to answer questions from their constituents on their position(s) on this approximately $16 billion transportation proposal.

We have compiled extensive information on the SCMaglev project, available on this website (www.mcrt-action.org). These resources will be helpful for anyone interested in background on this project, including elected officials and their staff. For questions about our research or to arrange an

in-depth briefing or discussion, please send a request to mcrtaction@gmail.com.

Also note, Information flyers in English and Spanish are available at links on this website.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

Are you a Maryland resident alarmed by SCMaglev's hyped promises, unproven technology, and destruction of our communities and environment?

We are eager to share what we have learned and expand our alliances with neighborhood associations, nature advocacy groups, and other organizations. If you are in a position to write on behalf of your organization, please visit our Affiliate Intake Form.

News

April 16, 2023 - MCRT Spring 2023 Newsletter published. MCRT Goes to Annapolis - - MCRT Sends Letters of Inquiry to the MDE, FRA, and MDOT - - New Leadership in Annapolis - - SCMaglev Ridership Numbers Inflated? Yes! - - More TNEM “Blatant Subterfuge” - - Investors, Time to Drop Your Support for the SCMaglev? - - In What Universe Does the SCMaglev Make Sense? To read our latest edition click here.

April 13, 2023 - MCRT releases its 2022 Annual Report. To review the report click here.

March 28, 2023 - Update on Amtrak's new Acela scheduled to go into service this Fall. To see the Washington Post video click here.

March 20, 2023 - Come meet MCRT at the City of New Carrollton Multi-Cultural/Spring Festival on Saturday, April 8, 2023, from 12:00 noon until 6:00 p.m. at "Beckett Field". 8511 Legation Road, New Carrollton, MD 20784. Pick up Stop the SCMaglev Information sheet, and find out more about why SCMaglev is Not a good idea.

January 21, 2023 - The Maglev’s Diminishing Prospects published on Greenbelt Online. To read the article click here.

September 21, 2022 - Westport Community Pushes Back Over South Baltimore 7 Maglev Endorsement

Click here to read Melody Simmons' article in the Baltimore Business Journal. (Note: A subscription is required to read the article)

September 20, 2022 - MCRT Joins Baltimore Westport Associations In Setting the Record Straight

In its September 8th press release, the South Baltimore 7 Coalition (SB7) falsely claimed to represent all its members as endorsing the SCMaglev train project. This inaccurate and misleading report emanated from the convening of a special board meeting by the SB7 chair to pressure community leaders to vote in favor of a letter supporting this transportation project. The vote was not unanimous, as only three members voted in favor, two voted no, and one abstained.

The Northeast Maglev (TNEM) announced SB7's claim in its September 15th e-mail marketing newsletter, thanking the SB7 communities for “throwing their collective weight behind the Northeast Maglev project,” further spreading misleading information. To read the TNEM newsletter announcement click here.

The Westport Neighborhood Association (WNA) and Westport Community Economic Development Corporation (Westport CEDC) are setting the record straight regarding the SB7. The MCRT joins the WNA and Westport CEDC in challenging the continued deceptive and unsupported claims made by Baltimore-Washington Rapid Rail to promote building the SCMaglev. To read the September 20th MCRT press release click here.

September 14, 2022 - MCRT Report Released - SCMaglev Proposed Use of Konterra Property

MCRT experts have prepared this report to ". . . provide the “Konterra” references contained within the SCMaglev DEIS documents and supplement each of the extracted sections in order to provide context and additional information for each topic. Some commentary is provided in this document to explain our interpretation of the references." For a copy of this report, click here.

August 15, 2022 - FRA Responses to MCRT's FOIA Appeal

To read the FRA's response click here.

August 11, 2022 – MCRT Meets with Chairman Barve.
In our continuing efforts to meet with our elected leaders to discuss SCMaglev’s negative impacts on communities and the environment, and highlight BWRR’s unsubstantiated claims, MCRT leadership met with Delegate Kumar Barve (D-17), Chair of the Environment and Transportation Committee. The Environment and Transportation Committee is one of the key committees any legislation to limit the use of Maryland taxpayer funds to build and operate the SCMaglev must pass through. We look forward to working with the Chairman and our legislative allies to craft and successfully pass such legislation this coming year. Our thanks to Chairman Barve for meeting and sharing his perspectives with MCRT.

June 8, 2022 - MCRT's new SCMaglev Info handouts have arrived.

For the English version - click here.

For the Spanish version - click here.

February 10, 2022 - MCRT's 2022 Annual Meeting. To see the presentation slides, click here. To see the composite video of Senator Pam Beidle, Senator Augustine, Mayor Takisha James, and Delegates Jolene Ivey, Nicole Williams, and Tom Dernoga speaking in support of MCRT and in opposition to building the SCMagelv, click here.

Presentations

MCRT has prepared and made a series of presentations on the negative impacts of building and operating the SCMaglev would bring to Maryland, and raise challenges to the promises and marketing message promotors of the SCMaglev have stated. Here are a small sampling of these presentations. (click on the title to open)