Government, counties see road fixes as 2017 priority

ANNAPOLIS – State legislators start their work in mid-January, and powerful stakeholders in Maryland are signaling that they give the same priority to road improvements throughout Maryland, but offer different ways to approach the issue.

The Maryland Association of Counties (MACo) has made its top legislative priority reinvestment in local bridges, roads and other infrastructure, and hopes the state will do that by increasing the local governments’ share of state highway user revenues. Meanwhile, Gov. Larry Hogan (R) has announced his number one priority this General Assembly session will be the repeal of last year’s HB1103, which instituted a formula for ranking and funding road projects. Previously, the governor was able to make those decisions himself, based on county-devised priorities lists.

Hogan’s speech announcing the “Kill the Road Kill Bill” was held Dec. 14. The day before, MACo led a social media campaign called “LIFT4MD” to advocate for its cause. Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker, III and several county council members took part.

“ICYMI (In case you missed it): local share of transportation revenues cut nearly $2 billion since 2010. Give local roads a #LIFT4MD in 2017,” Baker’s official Twitter account tweeted Dec. 13.

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