First Wave of Economic Stimulas Projects Upgrades Maryland Transportation

[Guest Christine]

Within 24 hours of President Barack Obama signing into law The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Governor Martin O’Malley today announced the first wave of transportation projects that will be part of the Maryland’s comprehensive economic recovery program. The federal recovery legislation will provide at least $610 million for transportation projects across the State.

 

“President Obama and Congress have delivered much needed economic recovery funds and now it is time to put our people to work,” said Governor O’Malley. “We are acting immediately to get transportation projects out the door so we can preserve jobs, protect families and improve the economy in every region of our State. The aggressive action we are taking to maximize the benefit of the federal dollars all about jobs, jobs, jobs.”

 

The $610 million transportation investment in Maryland will support 17,500 jobs.

 

Phase I of Maryland’s transportation recovery program will consist of highway and transit projects worth $365 million.

 

Phase I transit projects include the purchase of an additional 100 hybrid buses, replacement buses for rural transit systems and MARC station improvements like those at the Laurel MARC Station. The $2.9 million contract to move forward with needed improvements to the Laurel MARC Station was approved today by the Board of Public Works. The project involves replacement of the station platform and rehabilitation of the historic station building.

 

Phase I highway projects will deliver everything from new ADA compliant sidewalks and safety guardrails on highways to road resurfacing and bridge maintenance projects designed to improve and protect existing infrastructure. These improvements are located around the state. Phase I projects alone will support nearly 10,000 jobs.

 

Additional transportation projects will be announced after more consultation with local governments and transit and highway representatives at the federal level. Governor O’Malley also announced that Maryland will pursue additional dollars available in federal discretionary programs. Grants from these programs would be used for improvements at BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport, the Port of Baltimore and to perform additional upgrades to transit infrastructure

 

As part of Governor O’Malley’s “One Maryland” approach, Maryland will invest federal economic recovery dollars in maintaining and improving the state’s existing transit systems, roads and bridges. Distributing the dollars to complete a wide range of smaller projects rather than only a handful of larger projects allows the benefit to be felt by workers and families in every region of the state. This focus also allows projects to get underway quickly, preserving jobs and providing the intended stimulus to the economy.

 

More information on Maryland’s transportation recovery program can be found at www.marylandtransportation.com and click on the American flag icon.