A New Maryland Law Could Bring MARC Service to Crystal City

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Amazon HQ2 employees could one day commute via rail directly from Baltimore and other Maryland locations

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NEWS

A New Maryland Law Could Bring MARC Service to Crystal City

Matt Blitz February 17, 2021 at 2:45pm

A new Maryland law greases the wheels for Maryland Rail Commuter (MARC) train service to come to the new Crystal City station set to open in 2024.

HB 1236 — First Step for MARC Commuters Act — calls for the Maryland Transit Authority to “engage in good-faith negotiations” for a pilot program that would extend MARC service into Arlington and Alexandria. It could one day allow workers at Amazon’s HQ2 to commute in via rail from Baltimore or the Maryland exurbs.

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The new Virginia Railway Express station in Crystal City is planning to open in 2024 and is being specifically designed with MARC and Amtrak trains in mind, in hopes that these negotiations bear fruit. Amtrak, too, is “exploring” adding regional service to the station.

Maryland State Delegate Jared Solomon, who co-sponsored the bill, tells ARLnow that it provides “legal authority” for MTA to negotiate with Virginia and train companies. Virginia has been much more “forward-looking” with its rail infrastructure than Maryland, he said, adding the he hopes the bill leads to an agreement in the near future. ... “It’s a win-win-win for the region,” Solomon said.

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The law retroactively took effect on July 1, 2020 and is set to remain on books until June 30, 2022.