Michael Dresser mentions this:

The proposal being batted around in Prince George’s would take the Green Line as far north as Route 32 near Savage before it would curve east toward Fort Meade and Odenton. That would make it a lot easier to get to Washington via Metro without getting mixed up in traffic jams.

He also links to the Greater Greater Washington post on the subject. Dresser proposes that the MTA in MD get together with the WMATA in making the two systems more connected if this happens. He mentions the possibility of the light rail connecting to Metro somewhere as well as the B30 bus from BWI making trips to the new terminus of the green line (it now goes to Greenbelt.)

Another intriguing proposal Dresser mentions is allowing for off-hours or weekend connections for MARC’s Camden Line in the Savage or Laurel area.

WBAL.com

The O’Malley administration thinks light rail is the best choice for two major transit projects.

Governor O’Malley said Tuesday morning that the state will propose two new light rail lines – one in Baltimore and one in the DC suburbs.

State officials favor light rail for the Red Line, which would run from the Woodlawn area of Baltimore County to the Johns Hopkins Bayview medical campus in east Baltimore. The 14-mile Red Line would connect with the city’s existing transit network.

The so-called Purple Line would be a 16-mile light rail track from Bethesda and New Carrollton that supplements the existing Metro subway.

The state will ask the Federal Transit Administration to help fund the projects, both of which are expected to cost more than $1 billion.

Baltimore Sun

While gubernatorial aides would not tip their hand on the governor’s Red Line choice, the guest list for the Baltimore event included many public supporters of what is known as Alternative 4C: light rail in a tunnel under downtown, Inner Harbor East, Fells Point and Cooks Lane but otherwise on the surface.

UPDATE
The Baltimore Sun comes out in favor of the plan.

Due to last night’s DC Metro accident (death toll now stands at 9 with 100+ injured) there are several issues this morning for people commuting to DC from MD.

A Red Line operator today announced on a Metro train that all Red Line trains would be traveling at a max speed of 35 mph today. Trains on both the Red and Green/Yellow lines seemed to be stopping farther up on the platform as well – especially the 6 car trains.

WMATA:

Disruption at Fort Totten. Due to a situation outside Fort Totten station, customers traveling on or connecting to the Red Line are encouraged to add an additional hour to their travel time.

MARC:
Brunswick line: Due to the WASH METRO accident, the Brunswick Line will not operate Tuesday morning, 23 June 2009.

Alert DC:

***TRAFFIC ALERT UPDATE***

Morning Rush Road Closures and Metro Travel Information

Washington, D.C. – Several District streets in northeast remain closed tonight due to a major incident involving two Metro trains. The trains collided along the red line between Fort Totten and Takoma Park.

The following roads in northeast DC remain closed this evening in the vicinity of the crash and will likely not open in time for tomorrow morning’s rush hour:

• North Capitol northbound is rerouted at Riggs Road
• South Dakota Avenue (a small section on the south side of the bridge) is closed
• Nicholson Street is completely closed

New Hampshire Avenue inbound lanes only will be open between 5:30am and 9am for rush hour traffic. New Hampshire will reclose at 9am between North Capitol and Eastern Avenue. Motorists are strongly advised to use alternate routes and detours as recommended. Maryland road operations are assisting and placing Variable Message Signs in decision making locations in Montgomery County to assist motorists with alternate routes. DDOT has also deployed VMS signs for travelers heading northbound. Delays are expected.

Residents and commuters are encouraged to use alternate travel times or telecommute. Motorists are advised to avoid the area and take alternate routes and detours including:

o Riggs Road
o Piney Branch Road
o Missouri Avenue
o New York Avenue
o Rhode Island Avenue
o Bladensburg Road
o Michigan Avenue to Irving St to southbound N. Capitol Street
o Georgia Avenue
o 16th Street
o I-295 S to Benning Road or Howard Road

DDOT Road Operations Patrols and Traffic Control Officers will be deployed to assist with traffic backups.

Metro recommends passengers avoid the Red Line for the remainder of Monday and Tuesday, or expect significant delays as the area of track involved in the accident will remain closed to train traffic. For more information on train delays visit the Metro web site at www.wmata.com

Metro Released the following information earlier this evening:

Tuesday Red Line service altered as a result of Monday collision
Red Line service will be severely impacted on Tuesday, June 23, as a result of a fatal collision on the Red Line on Monday, June 22, between the Fort Totten and Takoma Metrorail stations.

Red Line riders will have several options on Tuesday morning, however if they are able to avoid the Red Line, that may be the best option for Tuesday.

The Red Line will be operating in two sections on Tuesday. Trains will run back and forth between the Glenmont and Silver Spring Metrorail stations and between the Shady Grove and the Rhode Island Avenue-Brentwood Metrorail station. All trains will be six- and eight-car trains on the Red Line and they will be running about 8 to 10 minutes apart. Trains are expected to be very crowded. The Takoma Metrorail station will be closed to Red Line traffic.

Free Metrobus shuttles will be available to take customers around the incident between the Silver Spring, Fort Totten, Brookland-CUA, Rhode Island Avenue-Brentwood and Georgia Avenue-Petworth Metrorail stations. People can expect long waits for buses as a full Metrorail train often carries 100 people or more per car and a bus can only hold about 50 people at a time.

Metro officials recommend that customers who normally use the Red Line between the Glenmont and Silver Spring Metrorail stations should commute to Metrorail stations between the Shady Grove and Grosvenor-Strathmore Metrorail stations, or to use the following Metrobus lines to avoid the service disruption:

• Metrobus C8 line (Glenmont to White Flint)
• Metrobus Q2 line (Wheaton to Rockville)
• Metrobus C2, C4 line (Wheaton to Twinbrook)
• Metrobus J1 line (Silver Spring to Medical Center)
• Metrobus J2, J3, J4 line (Silver Spring to Bethesda)
• Metrobus L7, L8 line (Friendship Heights)

Metro officials also recommend that people utilize the Green Line from Greenbelt to the Fort Totten Metrorail station for service into downtown DC.

MARC’s Brunswick Line service will be suspended on Tuesday due to the proximity of its tracks to the accident scene.

DC Alert:

New Hampshire Bridge inbound [one lane open] from Eastern Ave to North Capitol St. NE