Anne Arundel county officials have announced a consolidation of transportation services and planning into one office as a move designed to improve efficiency.

County Executive Steve Schuh announced that work done by the Department of Planning and Zoning, such as long-range transportation planning and grants, and the Department of Aging, primarily organizing and providing transportation for the elderly and special-needs communities, will be combined into one operating unit under Ramond Robinson, the county’s transportation officer.

Schuh said the move was “consistent with my vision to make government more efficient,” and said it would “bring greater focus and accountability as we work to improve our transportation infrastructure and transit systems.”

County spokesman Owen McEvoy said officials “think we will find efficiencies” that can lead to savings.

McEvoy said when the administration came into office it recognized that having various transportation functions spread among departments did not seem to make sense.

Having that work pooled under one operating unit will likely improve communication among the various entities and gathering the functions under one leader’s purview could increase accountability, McEvoy said.

About the only transportation related responsibility that won’t be consolidated is road construction and repair — those duties have long fallen to the county’s Department of Public Works.

Officials said the consolidation will focus on the demand-response and para-transit services for older adults and individuals with disabilities, as well as transit planning and support to include grant management, contract management and related service delivery, pedestrian and bike access, travel forecasting and the Transportation Master Plan.

The transition began July 1 and is continuing. Residents seeking more information may call 410-222-7440. Those needing to schedule an appointment to be picked up by one of the county vans may call 410-222-0022.

The combined office will have a staff of 10, plus Robinson, and its budget this year is $8 million, half of which comes through state grants.

The county could consider developing a separate transportation department down the road, McEvoy said.

Before coming to Anne Arundel, Robinson was the head transit officer in Alexandria, Va., and before that he worked in transportation for Chatham County, Ga., which included the city of Savannah, and for the cities of Durham and Charlotte, N.C.

pfurgurson@capgaznews.com