Boosting development around a handful of transit stations in Maryland could bring in more than $70 million tax dollars and create tens of thousands of jobs in the D.C. suburbs, according to a new study.

The Greater Washington Partnership, a group of D.C.-area business and development leaders, conducted the study in collaboration with county leaders and several regional and national experts. The report looks at the potential for development to reduce car traffic and create more environmentally sustainable urban hubs.

The report identifies seven Metro and MARC stations that could benefit from such development: Odenton, Cromwell-Glen Burnie, and Laurel Racetrack in Anne Arundel County, and New Carrollton, Greenbelt, Morgan Boulevard, and Southern Avenue in Prince George’s County. Proposals for the stations include turning New Carrollton into a “vibrant walkable area” with office space, stores, and homes and making Greenbelt into a “technology hub”

But moving from idea to reality would take money and political collaboration. And local leaders would need to take steps to avoid sharp increases in the cost of living in the revamped neighborhoods.

The study advises the state to set aside at least $10 million of Department of Transportation’s capital budget for development. It encourages local government officials to streamline or amend permitting and zoning processes for developers.

Development projects are often heavily criticized for creating inequitable outcomes for locals, driving up home prices and rent, increasing the cost of living, and forcing out longstanding residents or business owners. The report encourages state officials to work with Prince George’s and Anne Arundel counties to focus and prioritize equity in development — namely, preserving and building affordable housing and small business space.

“[Transit-oriented development] has the potential to raise property value as it increases the variety and intensity of uses around transit stations,” the report says. “While this can be positive for the sate and counties in terms of increased tax revenues, it can adversely affect existing residents and businesses if they no longer afford the area’s cost of living. The state and counties should work together to ensure that [development] yields equitable outcomes.”

The recommendations follow Greater Washington Partnership’s 2018 report “Blueprint for Regional Mobility,” which identified ways to improve transit and related economic development in the region. It comes as the nation’s transit agencies face devastating losses from the pandemic, with no clear vision of when ridership could return to pre-pandemic levels.