Governor O'Malley Announces Second Round of Statewide Economic Recovery Transportation Projects
Federal Recovery Dollars Fund another $137 Million in Highway Projects;
Governor Directs $62 Million to Counties for Local Priorities;
Funding for Local Transit Systems Increases to $43Million
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ANNAPOLIS, MD (March 17, 2009) – Governor Martin O’Malley today announced the second phase of Maryland transportation projects to be funded under President Barack Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Statewide road and bridge projects will receive an additional $137 million. Local transit and road priorities received additional funding in Phase II with a total of $43 million now available to support local transit systems. Governor O’Malley will direct $62 million in highway funding to the counties for local governments to address their own transportation priorities that are eligible for federal funds. As with projects in Phase I, Phase II transit and highway initiatives touch every region of the state.
“With this second phase of projects we have completed the allocation of the recovery funds Maryland will receive for transportation infrastructure,” said Governor O’Malley. “Our focus remains on the rehabilitation of our existing roads, bridges and transit systems. This is all about jobs and this type of investment allows us to complete more projects, employing more people in more counties and municipalities throughout the entire state.”
The $137 million dedicated to statewide highway improvements will go towards rehabilitating the state’s existing roads and bridges. An investment also will be made in projects that will improve highway safety like the replacement of guardrails and improved traffic signals at intersections around the state, and the addition of a wide median and lanes to improve safety on a portion of MD 404 in Caroline County.
The $62 million being made available to local jurisdictions for local transportation priorities will be distributed among all 23 counties. The specific amount will be determined by a formula based on the number of vehicle registrations and the number of lane miles in a particular county.
Phase II investments include a dramatic increase in funding for Locally Operated Transit Systems around the state. A total of $43 million will be distributed to these smaller transit systems, run by counties or municipalities. Funds can used to purchase replacement buses or improve transit facilities. The allocation is consistent with Governor O’Malley’s vision to improve transit service throughout the state.
In February, just twenty four hours after President Obama signed the federal recovery act into law, Governor O’Malley announced the first phase of transit and highway investments totaling $365 million. Within two weeks, the Maryland project to resurface New Hampshire Avenue in Montgomery County became the first project in the nation to be approved by the Federal Highway Administration under the ARRA. The project is now underway and is projected to support up to 60 jobs during construction that will last through fall 2009.
The complete list of Phase I and Phase II recovery projects is attached. Also attached are charts outlining the distribution of local highway funding and local transit funds. More information on Maryland’s use of federal recovery funding can be found at www.marylandtransportation.com.
