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Montgomery County is seeking proposals for a study of a Bus Rapid Transit system that its chief proponent says would overhaul the current Ride On bus system and cut down on traffic and carbon dioxide emissions.

But the proposed $480 million project being touted by Councilman Marc Elrich could overlap with portions of a plan under consideration by the Maryland Department of Transportation.

MDOT spokesman Jack Cahalan said the state's potential Bus Rapid Transit plans would complement Elrich's more extensive plans. However, Elrich says he hopes to have his transit system in place before the state's.

Elrich (D-At large) of Takoma Park said that, if approved, his project could be completed by 2014. The county is seeking bids for a feasibility study.

However, Cahalan says the state has been studying its Corridor Cities Transit Way project for years and will announce before the end of the year whether it will move forward with a Bus Rapid Transit line from the Shady Grove Metro station to Clarksburg. Another option being considered is light rail, he said.

Montgomery County officials hope to have bids for the feasibility study for Elrich's Bus Rapid Transit plan by Nov. 16 and expect to select a firm by the end of December. That Bus Rapid Transit system would include 120 lane miles on major north-south and east-west roads.

To cut carbon dioxide emissions to 2002 levels, officials would need to reduce the number of vehicles on county roads by 8.3 percent, according to data presented by Elrich.

The councilman has generated enough support for the transit plan in the past two years that County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) proposed $500,000 for the feasibility study in the fiscal 2010 budget.

Cahalan called that the first step "in a very long process."

Still, Elrich said it could take the state 10 years to build a BRT line in Montgomery County, and he expects that his could be completed much sooner.

MDOT officials have been involved in some meetings with Elrich, and Cahalan says there is no competition between the two plans.

Elrich said he was aware of the state's consideration of Bus Rapid Transit, but said the county needed a transit option sooner than the state could provide it. He also said it was important to move forward because the state has not yet committed to BRT.

"We would look at doing it earlier and making (the state's plan) part of the overall system here," he said. "The state is limited in what they can do." Cahalan said the state is supportive of a feasibility study.

His plan also includes the possible extension of Bus Rapid Transit into Howard County along U.S. 29 for residents who work in Montgomery County.

"I am excited and pleased that Montgomery County is looking into this," said Howard County Executive Ken Ulman, who was expected to meet with Elrich this week to discuss the plan.

"I really applaud their taking the time and spending the resources to better understand if this is a viable long-term transit option. I think it holds some promise."

Former Montgomery County Executive Douglas M. Duncan (D) said he sees much potential in Elrich's bus transit ideas and added that he told Elrich he would talk with some people in the county who also might be interested.

"I'm a fan of big ideas, and it's about the only big idea I've seen coming out of county government in the last three years," Duncan said.

The Montgomery County Council has not discussed the issue in committee or as a full council, and Elrich said the discussions are unlikely before the feasibility study is completed — perhaps in a year.

The proposed Bus Rapid Transit system would operate in medians of existing roads, including Rockville Pike and Georgia Avenue.

The buses would operate more like light-rail trains than typical buses.