Maryland Department of Transportation Officials Visit Worcester, Somerset and Wicomico Counties as Part of Statewide Transportation Tour

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Maryland Department of Transportation
David Broughton, 410-865-1029

Officials Outline Six-Year Draft Budget and Provide Key Project Updates

​HANOVER, MD (September 17, 2024) - Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld met today with officials in Worcester, Somerset and Wicomico counties to discuss the Department's Draft Consolidated Transportation Program for Fiscal Years 2025 to 2030. The $18.9 billion, six-year spending plan invests in projects and programs that help advance Maryland's goals to be a safer, more affordable, more competitive and more sustainable State that leaves no one behind.

"We are making strategic investments to further enhance the safety of our system and maintain operations," said Secretary Wiedefeld. "This draft budget is balanced but we had to make tough decisions and reductions to live within our means. We will continue to follow the data and make investments that support Maryland families in a fiscally responsible manner."

The safety of all Marylanders is the top priority of the Department, and that is reflected in the Draft CTP, with projects that prioritize maintaining the current system and seek to reduce the number of fatalities and serious injuries on Maryland's roads. To view the full Draft FY 2025-2030 Consolidated Transportation Program, go to ctp.maryland.gov.

At Tuesday's meetings, transportation officials offered details and updates on several projects and programs affecting Worcester, Somerset and Wicomico counties. In addition to Secretary Wiedefeld, officials attending included State Highway Administrator William Pines; Motor Vehicle Administrator Chrissy Nizer; Maryland Transportation Authority Director of Planning and Program Development Melissa Williams; Maryland Transit Administration Local Transit Support Director Travis Johnson and Deputy Director Tanya Nichols; and Maryland Aviation Administration Regional Aviation Director Ashish Solanki.

State Highway Administrator Pines discussed the agency's commitment to move forward with multimodal projects that improve safety, accessibility and mobility in the Eastern Shore. He also noted that State Highway has worked in the past year to streamline its process to grant highway access permits, which supports commercial, industrial and residential development.

Administrator Pines noted the completion of several local projects, including a recent resurfacing on a section of MD 513 and US 13 north in Wicomico, as well as MD 675 and another portion of US 13 in Somerset. In Worcester, resurfacing of US 113 Business is expected to be complete by the end of the year.

Among other important local investments in the Draft Consolidated Transportation Program:

• More than $5 million in operating and capital grants to support local transit operations provided by Shore Transit and the Town of Ocean City in the Eastern Shore.
• Designation of MD 528 (Coastal Highway) for a Pedestrian Safety Action Plan project to expand and enhance pedestrian safety features. In the coming months, staff will work with local officials and residents to explore strategies to make the MD 528 corridor safer and more accessible.
• Worcester County has been awarded a pair of grants totaling $1.78 million to advance plans for a shared-use path along MD 611 between West Ocean City and Assateague State Park.
• Construction will begin in the coming year on a section of the $21 million paved bicycle and pedestrian trail along 12 miles of MD 413 from Crisfield to Westover in Somerset.
• Continuing construction on the $16.6 million project to replace the US 13 Business route bridge over the Wicomico River in Salisbury. The project will include sidewalks on both sides of the bridge compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and a shared-use hiker-biker path on the east side.
• Continuing work on a $3.4 million project to improve safety and traffic flow at the intersection of Snow Hill Road and Robins Avenue in Salisbury.
• Construction will begin in the coming year on a section of the $21 million paved bicycle and pedestrian trail along 12 miles of MD 413 from Crisfield to Westover in Somerset.
• Continuing construction on the $16.6 million project to replace the US 13 Business route bridge over the Wicomico River in Salisbury. The project will include sidewalks on both sides of the bridge compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and a shared-use hiker-biker path on the east side.
• Continuing work on a $3.4 million project to improve safety and traffic flow at the intersection of Snow Hill Road and Robins Avenue in Salisbury

The six-year Draft CTP outlines capital investments in each mode funded by the Transportation Trust Fund: Maryland Aviation Administration, Maryland Port Administration, Maryland Transit Administration, Motor Vehicle Administration, State Highway Administration and The Secretary's Office, as well as Maryland's investment in the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. The Maryland Transportation Authority's toll facilities are financed, constructed, operated and maintained with toll revenues paid by customers using those facilities.

Following the tour, the Maryland Department of Transportation will finalize the Draft CTP and submit the Final Fiscal Year 2025-2030 CTP to the Legislature in January for consideration during the 2025 General Assembly session.

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