MDOT meets with Calvert Officials to discuss transportation priorities – The Southern Maryland Chronicle

PRINCE FREDERICK, MD (October 25, 2022) – Maryland Deputy Transportation Secretary Earl Lewis and different representatives of the Maryland Division of Transportation (MDOT) met with Calvert County officers to debate MDOT’s six-year Draft FY 2023-2028 Consolidated Transportation Program (CTP). The Draft CTP requires a document $19.9 billion six-year funding to switch and restore getting older infrastructure, develop transit alternatives, help Maryland’s financial restoration and protect and develop the state’s transportation community.

The Draft FY 2023-2028 CTP is sort of $2.2 billion greater than the Remaining FY 2022-2027 CTP. It makes use of $1.3 billion in extra federal system funds from the bipartisan Infrastructure Funding. Jobs Act (IIJA) handed by Congress final fall, in addition to improved post-pandemic income estimates and an elevated share of state company revenue tax income allotted to MDOT.

“That is Maryland’s largest six-year capital transportation finances ever,” stated MDOT Secretary James F. Ports, Jr. “The Draft CTP invests properly in Maryland’s future and makes use of extra federal funding and different sources to create jobs, help the state financial system, ship precedence initiatives and supply a whole lot of tens of millions of {dollars} extra in Freeway Consumer Revenues to native jurisdictions.”

Annually, MDOT officers conduct a tour of all 23 Maryland counties and Baltimore Metropolis to replace native officers and the general public on the Draft CTP and its investments in MDOT enterprise models funded by the state’s Transportation Belief Fund: Maryland Aviation Administration (MAA), State Freeway Administration (SHA), Maryland Port Administration (MPA), Maryland Transit Administration (MTA), Motor Automobile Administration (MVA) and The Secretary’s Workplace. On the assembly in Calvert County, officers additionally mentioned the Maryland Transportation Authority’s (MDTA) $2.6 billion in extra investments in state toll roads and bridges.

The Draft FY 2023-2028 CTP proposes investing 35% of the six-year finances, or $6.9 billion, on system preservation to attain and preserve good restore for state roads, bridges, transit, airports, and Maryland’s Port of Baltimore. That funding is $800 million greater than final yr’s CTP bundle.

Deputy Secretary Lewis stated the Draft CTP gives a dramatic enhance in transportation and infrastructure funding for native governments by means of the state’s Freeway Consumer Income program.

On account of the bipartisan settlement Governor, Larry Hogan negotiated with lawmakers through the 2022 Maryland Normal Meeting session, HUR funding for native jurisdictions will enhance incrementally from FY 2024 to FY 2027. General, jurisdictions will obtain a projected enhance of 33% over the following six years to assist advance transportation priorities and supply matching funds to capitalize on federal grants.

 Deputy Secretary Lewis famous that almost all of federal funding coming to Maryland by means of the IIJA was the state’s common system funding already allotted within the Remaining FY 2022-2027 CTP.

Nonetheless, the Draft FY 2023-2028 CTP program has $1.3 billion in “new” IIJA federal system funding: $166 million for transit, $178 million for airports, and $966 million for highways. These allocations are based mostly on the federal system outlined within the IIJA by the Federal Authorities.

The deputy secretary stated MDOT continues working intently with federal companions on standards to program extra initiatives for transit and highways. Some extra funding could also be accessible to state and native jurisdictions by means of discretionary grants which are a part of IIJA and different longstanding federal grant applications. MDOT will proceed to work with native jurisdictions as they apply for accessible grants.

Deputy Secretary Lewis stated the extra IIJA funding would support the long-term state of fine restore investments and fulfill Governor Hogan’s dedication to advance not less than one new precedence challenge in each county and Baltimore Metropolis. For Calvert County, the Draft FY 2023-2028 CTP contains funding for enhancements to the MD 231 hall in Prince Frederick. The challenge will enhance security and mobility at three areas – between Mason Street and Toye Lane, MD 508 (Adelina Street), and Skipjack Street/Sixes Street.?

He stated underneath Governor Hogan’s management, MDOT has achieved a lot during the last eight years, together with enhancements to make Maryland roads and bridges safer and fewer congested. When it comes to bridges, the state has repaired or changed all 69 poorly rated spans recognized in 2015. At the moment, MDOT has 26 poorly rated bridges – a historic low – and all are underneath building, funding for building, or in design.

The deputy secretary additionally famous investments which have centered on new applied sciences and enlargement of the Maryland job market and financial system, together with:

• MDTA’s conversion to all-electronic tolling throughout the state;
• infrastructure investments at Maryland’s Port of Baltimore that helped hold the state’s provide chain open and flowing through the pandemic, and
• dramatic enlargement of cargo actions at BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport. BWI is now dealing with extra air cargo than Reagan Nationwide and Dulles airports mixed.

Relating to highways, SHA Administrator Tim Smith mentioned the company’s work to preserve and develop the state’s freeway community to fulfill present and future wants. He harassed SHA’s concentrate on the foundational targets of accessibility, mobility, and asset administration – making certain the state’s freeway infrastructure is in a state of fine restore and using new applied sciences and modern methods.

Administrator Smith additionally emphasised SHA’s continued collaboration and partnership with the county. This summer season, SHA started intersection enhancements at MD 4, and Mount Concord Street started. This challenge will assist improve security and entry and relieve congestion alongside MD 4.

This fall, SHA is starting MD 261 (Bayside Street) security and sidewalk resurface upgrades from Chesapeake Village Boulevard to 1st Avenue in Chesapeake Seashore. Moreover, SHA is engaged on guardrail upgrades at southbound MD 2 from MD 262 to Cox Street and can start different guar rail upgrades alongside MD 2 this fall and winter.?      

MDTA reminds prospects to settle Video Toll payments: 36 extra days left earlier than November 30 deadline

MDTA Govt Director Will Pines gave an replace on the $28 million Chesapeake Bay Crossing Examine, Tier 2, which Governor Hogan launched in June. The Tier 2 examine is a part of the Nationwide Environmental Coverage Act (NEPA) course of and is predicted to final 4 to 5 years. It would construct on findings from the Tier 1 examine, which recognized Hall 7, the hall containing the prevailing Bay Bridge, because the Chosen Hall Different. MDTA not too long ago held a sequence of open home occasions to tell residents and different stakeholders of the Tier 2 schedule and alternatives for suggestions. Extra particulars can be found at baycrossingstudy.com.

These with excellent Video Toll payments from Maryland toll bridges and roads have 36 extra days remaining in MDTA’s civil penalty waiver grace interval, which began in February and continues by means of 11:59 p.m. November 30, 2022. The civil penalty is waived for each Video Toll transaction paid in full through the grace interval.

The company additionally stopped referring unpaid toll payments to the Central Assortment Unit (CCU) and MVA through the grace interval. Beginning December 1, 2022, referrals to CCU and the MVA will begin again up, and prospects might be liable for the total quantities of all unpaid tolls – in addition to the civil penalties – which might be due based mostly on the printed due dates. She stated name volumes and wait occasions have been significantly decreased, and prospects can go to https://csc.driveezmd.com/pay-tolls-now or name 1-866-320-9995 for help.

MTA focuses on state of fine restore, security, reliability

MTA Native Transit Assist Director Travis Johnston mentioned the company’s investments and priorities all through the state, together with investments that make sure the transit system stays secure and dependable. Over the previous three years, MTA has considerably decreased a backlog of initiatives wanted to help the system’s state of fine restore, and MTA not too long ago outlined a plan to attain 98% of these wants by 2031.

To boost rider providers, MTA now provides real-time updates by means of the Transit app on arrival occasions and different info for Mild Rail, Native Bus, Commuter Bus, MARC, and Metro Subway, and provides cell fare fee with CharmPass and CharmFlex 3- and 10-day passes.

MTA makes a major funding in transit in Calvert County by offering practically $1.3 million in working and capital grants to help native transit operations.      

MVA’s Buyer Join makes extra providers accessible on-line

MVA Administrator Chrissy Nizer advised officers that MVA continues to function by appointment solely at its branches and serves greater than 75% of department prospects inside quarter-hour of their appointment. The company additionally now provides extra transactions on-line than ever earlier than. MVA’s Buyer Join system enhances on-line transactions and provides prospects a whole view of their standing and historical past in a single profile. Clients can entry options by means of myMVA.

In Could, Maryland turned the second state to launch its Maryland Cell ID in Apple Pockets. Maryland Cell ID is a voluntary, safe, digitized model of a Maryland driver’s license or ID. It’s accessible within the Apple Pockets app or Apple Watch. 

?Administrator Nizer mentioned the Hogan Administration’s latest announcement of practically $40,000 for Calvert County businesses to deal with freeway security. She additionally up to date MVA’s work to assist Marylanders meet the federal REAL ID requirement by the Could 3, 2023, deadline. Presently, 87% of Marylanders are REAL ID compliant.