MARC Commuter train project can be done

In the letter to the editor to the Maryland Independent by Gary V. Hodge, president, Southern Maryland Alliance for Rapid Transit (SMART) on June 15, he stated, “Don’t get sidetracked: Light rail is the best investment in our future.” He went on to say that “In the Maryland Independent’s June 6 profile of Arthur Ellis and previous coverage of his remarks at a candidates’ forum, he suggests that extending MARC commuter rail service into Southern Maryland and putting commuter buses on highway shoulders is the answer to our traffic congestion and commuting problems.”

Mr. Hodge went on to say how my ideas will not work and our commuters have to suffer with the current traffic congestion nightmare for at least another decade. I do not accept Mr. Hodge’s pessimism. The MARC Commuter train service works for tens of thousands of commuters in Harford County, Baltimore City, Washington, D.C., Brunswick, Frederick, and even Martinsburg, West Va.

For the Charles County extension of MARC, we would acquire the right-of-way to construct a direct rail link to Washington, D.C., where our commuters would not have to travel to Bowie. They would go directly to Union Station in Washington, D.C.

What many people don’t know is that there was rail passenger ser vice to Charles County that began around July 2, 1872, and ended on Oct. 29, 1949. We can restore that service with modern upgrades to MARC in order to service the 75 percent of Charles County’s working population who travels to Washington, D.C., or Northern Virginia ever y weekday. Waiting 10 to 20 years for any relief to our traffic nightmare is unacceptable.

Just this year in the Mar yland General Assembly, $8.5 billion dollars was awarded to Montgomer y County to attract one company, Amazon. That money transfer was to provide for transportation improvements, among other things, for Montgomer y County. Amazon did not have to wait 10 to 20 years for their money, neither do the citizens of Charles County. Failure and despair is never an option.

I pledge to our citizens to use my leadership training and experience, as a decorated and award winning United States Air Force officer and a certified public accountant, to get things done in Annapolis — for Charles County.

Arthur Ellis, Indian Head The writer is a state senate candidate for Charles County’s District 28.