Acting Maryland Department of Transportation Secretary Samantha Biddle told the St. Mary’s County Commission on the evening of the department’s visit that the draft six‑year Consolidated Transportation Program, commonly called the CTP, is balanced at about $21.5 billion and includes targeted investments in St. Mary’s County.

The draft CTP reflects what Biddle called three priorities: enhancing safety, maintaining the system in a state of good repair and driving economic growth. “We are utilizing every dollar to make strategic investments, along with three key priorities, and those priorities are enhancing safety, maintaining our system so that it's in a state of good repair, and driving economic growth across the state,” Biddle said.

The department said recent legislation and executive actions secured roughly $400 million in additional state transportation revenue that MDOT is combining with federal resources and financing to expand purchasing power; MDOT officials said the package stretches to roughly $700 million in additional transportation funding when paired with federal funds and financing options. The draft plan also keeps highway user revenues at current levels through fiscal 2027, the department said.

State Highway Administrator Will Pines reviewed St. Mary’s projects included in the draft CTP and related work already under way. He said SHA has programmed a pedestrian safety action plan project on Maryland 235 from Great Mills Road to Chancellor’s Run Road and will return with design concepts for more public feedback following a January workshop. “Following the workshop we held in January, we'll be back soon with concepts to get more public feedback on that project,” Pines said.

Pines listed completed and near‑term projects in the county: a new signal at Maryland 245 and Leonard’s Grant Parkway; sidewalk improvements on Maryland 235 from Maryland 237 to Maryland 246; resurfacing on northbound Maryland 5 from Maryland 235 to Maryland 6 and on Maryland 944 from Maryland 235 to Clarks Mill Road; and a $7.8 million bridge replacement at Hilton Run on Maryland 5 that improved safety and is now open to traffic. He also noted a recently announced $32.4 million project on Maryland 5 between Maryland 471 and Great Mills Road that will replace a 112‑year‑old bridge, widen the road and add bicycle and pedestrian facilities; design is expected to finish next summer and construction is expected to begin in 2027.

Other MDOT units briefed local officials. Melissa Williams, director of planning and program development at the Maryland Transportation Authority, said MDTA police removed 20 impaired drivers and wanted fugitives in 2025 at the Nice/Middleton Bridge detachment and reminded drivers that E‑ZPass services are available. Travis Johnson of the Maryland Transit Administration told the commission MTA provided St. Mary’s County about $3.1 million in grants for local transit operations, including three small buses and funds for a bus barn concrete pad. Motor Vehicle Administrator Chrissy Neisser said the Lovell MVA branch’s average wait time is about five minutes.

Commissioners and local officials thanked MDOT staff and asked for ongoing schedule updates; MDOT officials said public feedback and continued local coordination will shape final timing. The draft CTP remains subject to revision as MDOT finalizes funding splits and project phasing.