Transit leaders and advocates push for MTA state-of-good-repair funding as DLS outlines capital and staffing details

The House Appropriations Committee Transportation and Environment Subcommittee heard the Department of Legislative Services’ analysis of the Maryland Transit Administration’s (MTA) fiscal 2026 budget and public testimony urging the General Assembly to approve full funding for state-of-good-repair and capital modernization.

DLS presented an overview of the MTA operating and capital allowances and highlighted areas the subcommittee asked the agency to clarify, including staffing figures, capital cash-flow changes and timelines for major projects such as the Purple Line and the evolving Red Line alternatives.

The most consequential numbers

DLS told the committee the fiscal 2026 operating allowance grows by about $71 million to roughly $1.3 billion and the capital budget increases to roughly $753.8 million. The DLS presentation showed ridership returning toward, but still below, pre‑pandemic levels: fiscal 2024 ridership was about 68 million passenger trips, approximately 68% of fiscal 2019 totals. DLS also reported that MTA has secured more than $7.2 billion in federal discretionary awards for major projects (for FFY21–24), with large shares directed to the Frederick Douglass Tunnel and the Susquehanna River bridge work.

Why it matters

Lawmakers and witnesses said failure to fund state-of-good-repair needs would lead to more service disruptions, greater operating costs and regional economic harm, particularly for…