1150                               Laws of Maryland                        [Ch. 670

equipment, except taxis, whether located underground, overhead, in
the air, or at a grade, for the local transportation of passengers for
compensation within the Metropolitan Area or such additional areas
as the Authority shall have power to serve, together with any fran-
chises, rights, property, equipment, and appurtenances necessary or
useful in connection with such public transit or transportation system
or systems.

(f)   To apply for and obtain from any appropriate public agency,
permission to operate any public transit or transportation facilities
owned or operated by the Authority in any area or areas in the State
of Maryland not situated within the Metropolitan Area, but con-
tiguous thereto, or to any area the Authority has the power to serve.

(g)   To use at will any public road, street, or other public way,
thruway, expressway, beltway, or super highway within the Metro-
politan Area for the transportation of passengers by any public tran-
sit or transportation facilities owned or operated by the Authority,
provided, that such use shall not be inconsistent with the provisions
of the Constitution of the State of Maryland nor the applicable laws
and regulations of the sub-division in which said use is being carried
on.

(h) To acquire, purchase, lease, construct, improve, maintain,
control, and operate, and to sell, lease, mortgage, pledge, or other-
wise dispose of such off-street facilities for parking of motor vehicles
as will contribute to the relief of traffic congestion on public streets,
roads, or other public ways situated within the Metropolitan Area,
and for use only by persons who park for the purpose of using any
mass public transit or transportation facility owned or operated by
the Authority, and to fix, charge, and collect fees for the use of such
parking facilities.

(i) To provide by resolution for meeting the cost of acquiring,
constructing, establishing, extending, or making capital improve-
ments to the public transit or transportation facilities or off-street
parking facilities owned or operated by the Authority:

(1)   Through the expenditure of any funds available for that pur-
pose;

(2)   Through the issuance of bonds, notes, or other evidences of
indebtedness for that purpose, payable solely from revenue derived
from any public transit or transportation facilities owned or oper-
ated by the Authority;

(3)   Through the issuance of bonds, notes, or other evidences of
indebtedness secured solely by the credit of specific property owned
by the Authority;

(4) From any other UNCONDITIONAL funds which may be ob-
tained for that purpose under any law of the United States or any
state; or

(5) From any combination of any or all such methods of pro-
viding funds for that purpose.

(j) The Authority may acquire for cash or by exchange of its
bonds at the option of the seller any publicly owned or privately
owned bus line, within or without the Metropolitan Area, which may
be integrated as feeder services with the system of the Authority.