Listen to this articleLongtime Baltimore-based attorney Jon M. Laria of Ballard Spahr Tuesday was named chair of the Baltimore Regional Transit Commission (BRTC), a new 16-member body that provides oversight, input, and advocacy for transit services in the Baltimore region.
Laria was appointed to the commission by Gov. Wes Moore.
State legislation established the BRTC last year to give the Baltimore region a stronger voice in state-level public transit funding, planning, and operation. The BRTC’s charge is to provide oversight of the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) and bring local stakeholder perspectives, advice and support to the MTA for its complex network of buses, trains, and other transit-related vehicles and facilities in the Baltimore region.
BRTC commissioners include representatives from local and state government, transportation, business and industry, and transit advocacy and labor organizations, as well as transit riders. One of the region’s most accomplished real estate attorneys for several decades, Mr. Laria is special counsel at Ballard Spahr and former longtime managing partner of the firm’s Baltimore office.
In addition to his position as BRTC Chair, Mr. Laria serves as a Commissioner of the Maryland Commission on Transportation Revenue and Infrastructure Needs. The TRAIN Commission, as it’s known, was created by state legislation last year, as well. Its mandate is to review, evaluate, and make recommendations on the prioritization and funding of transportation projects throughout Maryland.
Owing to his key role in transit planning for the state and region, Mr. Laria will be a featured speaker at an online event Feb. 29 from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.: “A look ahead at the (new!) Baltimore Regional Transit Commission and the TRAIN Commission’s 2024 work plan.” The virtual event is presented by Transit Choices, a coalition of business organizations, universities, cultural institutions, developers, environmental groups, community groups, transportation planners, young entrepreneurs, and concerned individuals pursuing a vision of an efficient and effective public transit system in Baltimore.
In his legal practice, Laria represents clients in all types of commercial real estate transactions, including development, financing, acquisition and leasing and focuses on land use, zoning and entitlements. He has provided counsel for some of Baltimore’s most prominent development projects.
