04/02/2021
source - MTA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GOVERNOR O’MALLEY, BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS APPROVE
ECONOMIC RECOVERY PROJECT TO IMPROVE MARC SYSTEM

Contract Worth $6 Million Will Upgrade Customer Information Systems at Stations

ANNAPOLIS, MD (April 2, 2020) – Governor Martin O’Malley announced today that the Board of Public Works (BPW) has approved another transportation initiative to be funded by President Barack Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. With the approval, the Maryland Transit Administration will soon begin installing new public address and customer information systems at MARC commuter rail stations across the state.

“Few things are more frustrating than having to listen to garbled announcements while waiting for your train at a station,” said Governor O’Malley. “To create an environment where more people choose transit, we must make the experience as convenient and customer friendly as possible. This investment will help accomplish that goal while putting people to work and furthering our economic recovery.”

The $6 million project, approved by the BPW yesterday, will replace the obsolete and unreliable public address system currently in use at MARC stations. The new system will interface with the existing MARC TRACKER system so passengers at the station will be able to hear and see messages regarding when the next train will arrive based on real-time information. The new audio and electronic message signs also will be used to alert passengers of approaching trains, relay schedule change or delay information as well as important safety messages. The new system will allow the MARC Operations staff to target messages to individual stations, providing customers with more specific information than before. The upgrades will be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The contract to upgrade the system was awarded to Intelect Corporation of Baltimore. The company is a certified minority business enterprise. Construction will begin later this month.

Improving the MARC stations is the latest element of Governor O’Malley’s comprehensive initiative to upgrade the MARC system. Thirteen new double-deck passenger cars were added to the fleet earlier this year. A total of 26 new energy efficient locomotives will soon enter service replacing older models, a move that will improve system reliability. Facilities at Laurel, BWI, Muirkirk and Penn stations also are being improved.

More information on Maryland transportation projects funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is available at www.marylandtransportation.com and click on the American flag icon.

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