Maryland Again Fails to Act — Ignores Transportation Crisis in 2012 Legislative Session
April 20, 2012 |
Despite the recommendations of a two-year Blue Ribbon Commission, despite reports from the Texas Transportation Institute spotlighting the alarming state of Maryland’s transportation infrastructure, despite the support of Governor O’Malley and a broad coalition of business, transit and civic groups around the state, the Maryland General Assembly has once again failed in their biggest test this year. No action was taken durnig the legislative session that just concluded.
In what has already been described as a failed legislative session — because legislators were not able to agree on a revenue package in the closing hours and will likely be called back to special session in a few weeks — this is perhaps their biggest and most damaging failure of all. Lack of investment in transportation infastructure is costing Maryland tens of thousands of jobs, delaying any lasting economic recovery, and leaving us with an increasingly congested and poorly maintained road and transit network.
Unless new funding is added, major projects like the Purple Line and Corridor Cities Traansitway simply won’t happen. The people of this region will pay a heavy price indeed if transportatino funding is not addressed in the upcomnig special session.
