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Maryland transportation projects will lose $1 billion more

Jan. 23, 2009

Maryland officials said Jan. 22 that the state, already scheduled to undergo $1.1 billion in cuts over the next six years, will lose an additional $1 billion due to decreasing revenues.

The Maryland Department of Transportation relayed the news in the final version of its 2009-2014 capital spending plan. The cuts are even more severe than those projected in a draft last fall.

State officials now predict a $350 million-per-year drop in money going to the Transportation Trust Fund—a decline of $235million per year on top of the $115 million forecast in September.

Maryland officials said Jan. 22 that the state, already scheduled to undergo $1.1 billion in cuts over the next six years, will lose an additional $1 billion due to decreasing revenues.

The Maryland Department of Transportation relayed the news in the final version of its 2009-2014 capital spending plan. The cuts are even more severe than those projected in a draft last fall.

State officials now predict a $350 million-per-year drop in money going to the Transportation Trust Fund—a decline of $235million per year on top of the $115 million forecast in September.

Maryland officials are hopeful that some projects could be put back on track if President Obama’s economic stimulus bill is successful.

"We are very well positioned for the national economic recovery program in that we have projects teed up and ready to go," said state Transportation Secretary John D. Porcari. Among them, he said, are some of the projects just delayed.

The cuts affect almost every phase of transportation spending in Maryland.

Highway projects that would be delayed include a new interchange at I-795 and Dolfield Road in Baltimore County and widenings of I-70 in Howard County and Route 175 in Anne Arundel County. The Maryland Transit Administration will have to defer planned improvements to its bus, light rail, MARC and subway systems.