I completely agree; as we've seen with the current light rail, it takes a very long time to get from downtown to the airport. I can't imagine anyone with a choice willingly taking a 45 minute train ride when you can drive from Columbia to BWI or downtown fairly easily. The express bus sounds like a much better (and infinitely cheaper) option.

I agree that the light rail to Columbia does not make sense as the trip would take too long.
I do think an extension to Dorsey or at least Arundel Mills does make sense (the northern portion of the yellow line clearly does also).
However, I disagree that it should be extended from BWI Business District; I think it should be extended from Cromwell down Dorsey Rd. The simple reason is, if you extend it from BWI Business District, BWI Airport becomes a one station dead-end, and it'll likely be a shuttle train like Penn Station is now. That increases the inconvenience of public transit to the airport for people with luggage. Also, you then have both BWI and Cromwell as dead-ends on the south side.
The downside to this plan is the loss of BWI Rail Station as a light rail stop, but there is talk of putting in a MARC Station on Rt. 170 near Rt. 100, this can be a light rail stop on the way to Arundel Mills. You could also extend the light rail from BWI Business District to BWI Rail Station and then to BWI Airport. Or just wait for the planned BWI people mover, which will likely happen before the yellow line is finished anyway!

That transit system map is so yesterday. It's a 1960's city-centric transit plan that will not get the ridership to justify it's cost. There are only 90,000 jobs downtown...do we really need all that rail?

I think the light rail to the airport is a great service if you're talking a plane. If you drive there, you have all the hassle of leaving the car in one of those long-term lots, which necessitates waiting for one of the little shuttle buses, and comes with a price. Take the lt rail, and you just walk from it to the check in gate.

Picking someone up is different, I admit.

Light rail from Columbia extending through Baltimore is silly at least because it's trying, in exaggerated fashion, to combine what should be two modes of rail for two population densities. One line trying to serve both suburban/exurban long haul commuter trips and urban short hops doesn't make much sense. And, knowing what I know about Columbia, I'd say that yeah an hour and ten minute trip to just downtown isn't going to snag many riders, but I also don't think an express bus connecting to a 45 minute light rail commute is going to help much either.

It doesn't seem that much of a stretch to lay a spur from Jessup to Columbia and run, with actual frequency, MARC trains between Baltimore and Columbia.

Light rail from Columbia extending through Baltimore is silly at least because it's trying, in exaggerated fashion, to combine what should be two modes of rail for two population densities. One line trying to serve both suburban/exurban long haul commuter trips and urban short hops doesn't make much sense. And, knowing what I know about Columbia, I'd say that yeah an hour and ten minute trip to just downtown isn't going to snag many riders, but I also don't think an express bus connecting to a 45 minute light rail commute is going to help much either.

It doesn't seem that much of a stretch to lay a spur from Jessup to Columbia and run, with actual frequency, MARC trains between Baltimore and Columbia.

Most encourging to see the proposition that well designed Express Bus, between selected population centers, has some discussion. Compare, it is baffling how most overlook the hideous, ongoing and endless heavy burdens on taxpayers for support payments on dubious rail projects.

A point here, about why the lock step of planning for service to an imagined City CBD. That ain't what it used to be and has declined as an assured source of riders...

Mike,

I see what you're saying on the 310 and 320 but if someone thought it was a good idea to have a commuter bus line between York and Baltimore work in conjunction with the light rail to avoid duplicity into downtown, what's stopping the MTA from thinking the same thing, especially with the current budget woes?