The Baltimore Regional Transportation Board, a group made up of the leaders of the region's local governments, today unanimously approved Gov. Martin O'Malley's plan for building the proposed east-west Red Line as a light rail system located partly on the surface and partly in tunnels.

The endorsement comes as no surprise but is an important step toward securing approval for the state's application for federal funding. The vote provides backing for the governor's designation of the plan as the region's locally preferred option" even though it faces fierce opposition from some residents of West Baltimore and Canton.