December 12, 2012 | Author: John Fineran
The Washington Region's Transportation Planning Board (TPB) issued, as part of its weekly report, a new analysis of the region's transportation future and it is a sobering view. Their main conclusion: "Travelers in the Washington region will face considerably more roadway and transit congestion in coming decades if current planning and funding trajectories are allowed to continue." We couldn't agree more. Current funding trends in the State of Maryland and throughout our region are absolutely unsustainable and elected leaders in this State have been AWOL for years when it comes to addressing...regional poll of 800 residents in Maryland, DC and Virginia support:
Read MoreApril 30, 2012 | Author:MoveMDweb
Marlyland Secretary of Transportation Beverly Swaim-Staley announced today that she will be stepping down from her post as Governor Martin O'Malley's point person on transportation. She will be staying on through the end of the fiscal year to ease the transition, she noted. On her watch Maryland completed the InterCounty Connector, and she presided over the final ribbon-cutting, but more recently, lack of funding has severely limited the State's capital construction and maintenance efforts.regional poll of 800 residents in Maryland, DC and Virginia support:
Read MoreApril 20, 2012 | Author: John Fineran
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...regional poll of 800 residents in Maryland, DC and Virginia support:
Read MoreMarch 13, 2012 | Author:MoveMDweb
Governor Martin O'Malley's key transportation funding bills will be heard by three key committees in the Maryland State Senate and House of Delegates this week in Annapolis. Two identical companion bills, titled the "Maryland Transportation Financing and Infrastructure Investment Act of 2012" (SB971 and HB1302) are scheduled to come before the Senate Budget & Tax Committee, and the House Ways & Means and Environmental Matters committees, all on March 14th. Both bills add $613 million in desperately needed funding to restore Maryland's decimated transportation capital investment program. After going without a significant increase...regional poll of 800 residents in Maryland, DC and Virginia support:
Read MoreFebruary 27, 2012 | Author: John Fineran
Legislation is now pending in Annapolis to enact Governor Martin O'Malley's proposed $613 million increase in dedicated transportation funding. The bill also includes a "lock-box" type mechanism to prevent future diversions of transportation dollars to unrelated purposes (to avoid future raids), and a number of other provisions. The "Maryland Transportation Financing and Infrastructure Investment Act of 2012" (SB971 and HB1302) have been referred to the Senate Budget & Tax Committee, and the House Ways & Means and Environmental Matters committees. Both are identical companion bills. Under the bills, the transportation funding increase will be...regional poll of 800 residents in Maryland, DC and Virginia support:
Read MoreFebruary 17, 2012 | Author:MoveMDweb
The Virginia Senate has just done something their Maryland counteparts have failed to do year after year, decade after decade, since 1992: Pass legislation providing a significant long-term increase in dedicated transportation funds. As the story below relates, they have passed a bill indexing their fixed 17.5 cent per gallon gas tax to inflation. The payoff will be small at first, but will produce significant new revenues over time. Maryland, on the other hand, continues to avoid facing the hard, cold reality that their Transportation Trust Fund is now so depleated it can no longer meet even...regional poll of 800 residents in Maryland, DC and Virginia support:
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