Governor Martin O'Malley Dedicates Bridge to Former Governor Harry R. Hughes
Caroline County's native son honored for his outstanding leadership and public service
DENTON, MD (August 9, 2009) –At an afternoon ceremony in Denton today, Governor Martin O’Malley honored the exemplary career of former Governor Harry R. Hughes by dedicating the MD 404 bridge over the Choptank River in his honor. Family and friends of Governor Hughes were on hand along the banks of the Choptank to witness the unveiling of new commemorative highway signs identifying the structure as the “Harry R. Hughes Bridge.”
“Statesman, environmentalist, leader, father. These are all words that describe Harry Hughes,” said Governor O’Malley. “The positive impact he has had on Maryland during his public career can be felt from Oakland to Ocean City. If we are successful in living up to the standards set by Governor Hughes, our government, our communities and our environment will benefit for generations to come. Today’s dedication is a small tribute to the enormous impact his years of service has had on all Marylanders.”
Harry Roe Hughes served as Governor of Maryland from 1979 to 1987 after extensive service in the General Assembly representing the Eastern Shore. He served four years as a member of the House of Delegates, 12 years as a state Senator, and six years as the first Secretary of the Department of Transportation, a cabinet-level agency formed to unify and focus the many and varied transportation needs of the State.
Under the administration of Governor Hughes, one of the most vigorous programs in the nation was enacted to combat drunken driving, significantly reducing loss of life on streets and highways. Legislation was adopted to consolidate an antiquated Baltimore City Court system. Services to elderly citizens were greatly expanded and nationally recognized programs were adopted for the disposal of low-level nuclear and toxic waste.
Highlights of Governor Hughes’ second term include his campaign to save the Chesapeake Bay from generations of pollution and abuse, a program for which he mustered widespread popular support. His efforts to protect the Chesapeake Bay and Maryland’s precious environment continue today. Also featured during the second Hughes’s term was a record increase in state support of public education, and the establishment of a National Institute for the Study and Prevention of Violence and Extremism at the Baltimore City campus of the University of Maryland.
The MD 404 bridge in Caroline County is the first structure on the Eastern Shore to be dedicated in honor of Governor Hughes. Other honors exist around the state. Recognizing his leadership in establishing the Maryland Department of Transportation, the department’s headquarters building near BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport is named in honor of Governor Hughes. In 2008, the I-95 Southbound rest area in Laurel was dedicated to Governor Hughes in recognition of his work to build the center in preparation for the country’s bi-centennial celebration in 1976.
“This honor is long overdue,” said Judge James Owen Wise, a Hughes family friend who played a key role in building support for the dedication of the MD 404 bridge. “As Secretary of Transportation and Governor during the planning, funding and construction of this bridge, Harry is responsible for its existence. This bridge is one of the many remarkable services this native son has rendered to his town, county and state. He has left an indelible imprint on us all.”
Building on the legacy of highway safety established by Governor Hughes, Governor O’Malley today announced that construction on the next phase of safety improvements to MD 404 will begin next month. The project will add two lanes and a median along a 1.4-mile segment of MD 404 between Tuckahoe Creek and Ridgely Road (MD 480) in Hillsboro, Caroline County. Construction of the segment is expected to be completed in late fall 2012. The $7 million in construction funding comes from Governor O’Malley’s aggressive management of federal funds provided by President Barack Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
.
