July 31, 2024
The Honorable Paul J. Wiedefeld, Secretary of Transportation
Harry R. Hughes Dept. of Transportation Building
7201 Corporate Center Dr.
Hanover, MD 21076-0548
Dear Secretary Wiedefeld:
Thank you for your leadership at the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT). As
advocates that work on transportation, environmental, equity, workforce development, and other
issues we ask you to consider the priorities in this letter as MDOT develops the FY 2025-2030
Consolidated Transportation Program and determines how to prioritize spending.
We ask MDOT to focus on funding transportation projects and programs that achieve the
following outcomes:
● Improve mobility for everyone by increasing access to jobs, education, daycare, food,
healthcare, and recreation.
● Help us meet our climate goals to cut greenhouse gas emissions 60% by 2031, attain net
zero emissions by 2045, and reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT) per capita 20% by
2050.
● Provide significant investments in the communities heavily impacted by transportation
pollution and historically excluded from transportation decision making and
infrastructure resources (including communities of color, low-wealth communities, rural
communities, and people with disabilities).
● Move us closer to the state’s vision zero goal, protect vulnerable roadway users, and
increase safe access to transit and cycling facilities for everyone.
● Support Maryland’s Smart Growth and Sustainable Growth goals.
● Reduce the backlog of state of good repair needs on Maryland’s transportation systems
that contributes to safety, reliability and wear and tear problems.
● Support the creation of jobs with strong living wages, project labor and labor peace
agreements, and high standards for all workers.
Below are some key priorities to fund statewide to help achieve these outcomes:
● Provide State of Good Repair Funding for MTA. Provide funding to address MTA’s
deferred maintenance backlog in FY 2025-FY 2030 according to the Transit Safety &
Investment Act. The funding requirements in the Transit Safety and Investment Act are a
floor, not a ceiling. The state should be investing even more funding to address the $1.8
billion deferred maintenance backlog needed for our state’s transit system to function
safely and reliably.
● Dedicated Funding for WMATA. Provide funding to help close WMATA’s operating
budget gap in FY 2026 and beyond. Maryland should provide adequate funding to
prevent cuts in service, steep fare hikes, and job loss and identify cross jurisdictional
revenue sources for operating needs and improvement of service. Dedicated funding for
WMATA would result in more resources in the Transportation Trust Fund that could be
available to MTA and the other agency units at MDOT to achieve the outcomes above.
● Support transit priorities of local jurisdictions. MTA should provide adequate funding
for the Locally Operated Transit Systems that serve all counties in Maryland and strive to
preserve commuter bus service. Given the historic underfunding for transit, MDOT
should prioritize funding the public transit (including bus, rail, and MARC) and active
transportation projects and programs outlined in the priority letters of the counties and
Baltimore City.
● Funding should be directed towards increasing the frequency and reliability of MTA
core bus and rail service in Greater Baltimore.
● Build the Red Line Light Rail. The Red Line would provide key connectivity to
underserved communities in East and West Baltimore. The state should begin budgeting
for its expected share of the cost that will be needed in addition to any funds awarded
through the Capital Investments Grant Program.
● Invest in protected bike and pedestrian infrastructure. Increase investment in the Kim
Lamphier Maryland Bikeways Program, Pedestrian Safety Action Plan priority-corridor
projects, Equitable Transit Oriented Development grant program, and implementation of
the state’s Complete Streets policy. Coordinate this state funding with investment from
the federal Transportation Alternatives Program and other federal programs while
prioritizing funding toward connected trails and active transportation networks around
Maryland.
● Increase funding to key vehicle electrification programs including the Maryland
Zero-Emission Vehicle School Bus Transition Grant Program and Medium-Duty and
Heavy-Duty Zero-Emission Vehicle Grant program.
There are many disparities in the state related to transportation access. For example, in 2023, 43
percent of Baltimore City residents reported at least one transportation insecurity issue, with
Black residents twice as likely to report transit insecurity than white residents. The state should
apply a Justice 40 framework to spending decisions to address these disparities.
In order to secure adequate funding for these critical investments, it is critical that Maryland
identifies new sources of revenue. Additionally MDOT should employ the following practices
to maximize the revenue available to meet the state’s goals and invest in an equitable, 21st
century sustainable transportation future:
● Create an updated prioritization system for how projects get programmed into the CTP
that promotes the outcomes above. Consider Virginia’s Smart Scale Program as a model
to emulate in Maryland.
● Support the Transportation and Climate Alignment Act, which would help ensure
consistency between planned transportation projects and the state’s climate goals.
● Flex 50% of the Surface Transportation Block Grant Program and National Highway
Performance Program federal funds to eligible bike, transit, pedestrian, and vehicle
electrification projects that will help the state meet its climate and equity goals.
● Re-evaluate funding for major and minor highway expansion projects that increase VMT.
Last year’s final CTP indicated there was $742 million in system expansion for major
capital projects and $338 million for minor capacity projects in the State Highway
Administration. Cut planning funds for the expansion of I-495 and I-270, the Bay Bridge,
and US-15 and work on new transit, Transportation Demand Management, and land use
strategies instead that would best help reduce traffic while improving accessibility and
protecting our environment.
Thank you for your consideration of our request. We look forward to working with you to
improve Maryland’s transportation system and achieve the state’s goals.
Sincerely,
Transform Maryland Transportation Coalition
Organizational Signatories
Audubon Mid-Atlantic
BaltPOP – Baltimoreans for People-Oriented Places
Bike Maryland
Bikemore
Chesapeake Climate Action Network
Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Environmental Justice Ministry
Central Maryland Transportation Alliance
Charles Village Homes LLC
Citizens Against Beltway Expansion
Climate Reality Greater Maryland
Coalition for Smarter Growth
Downtown Residents Advocacy Network (Baltimore)
Elders Climate Action Maryland
Fix Maryland Rail
Friends of the Greenbelt East Trail
Greenbelt Climate Action Network
Indivisible HoCoMD Environmental Action
Labor Network for Sustainability
League of Women Voters of Maryland
Maryland League of Conservation Voters
Maryland Legislation Coalition- Climate Justice Wing
Maryland Legislative Coalition
Maryland Nonprofits
Maryland Sierra Club
Mobilize Frederick
Nuclear Information and Resource Service (“for a nuclear-free, carbon-free world”)
PeopleForBikes
Poolesville Green
Sustainable Hyattsville
The Climate Mobilization, Montgomery County Chapter
The Fund for Educational Excellence
Transit Alternatives to Midcounty Highway Extended Coalition
Transit Choices
Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry of Maryland
Washington Area Bicyclist Association
CC:
Samantha Biddle, Deputy Secretary
Joe McAndrew, Assistant Secretary for Project Development and Delivery
Tony Bridges, Assistant Secretary for Transportation Equity and Engagement