MDOT presents draft six‑year CTP to Caroline County, highlights safety and local breakout projects

Acting Maryland Department of Transportation Secretary Samantha Biddle and state transportation officials on Sept. 16 presented Caroline County commissioners with the draft six‑year Consolidated Transportation Program and said it contains investments that cover safety, system preservation and economic growth.

"The draft CTP includes investments in Caroline County and across the state," Biddle said, and described the department's balanced six‑year capital budget as $21,500,000,000 with an increase of nearly $300,000,000 over the prior final CTP. She also said the legislature and governor provided about $400,000,000 in additional transportation revenue that, when paired with federal formula matching, is stretching into roughly $700,000,000 in new annual transportation funding.

The presentation focused on safety projects already completed and planned work in Caroline County. State Highway Administration Administrator Will Pines and district engineer Kenny Bender summarized local accomplishments: approximately $3,000,000 in resurfacing including 3 miles of Maryland 306 and 2.7 miles of Maryland 16, a $3,400,000 replacement of the Maryland 16 bridge over Mill Creek near Denton, and a $1,500,000 safety improvement adding turn lanes and signal phasing at Maryland 328 and Maryland 404.

Why it matters: county officials pressed the state for projects on the county's highest‑priority corridor, Maryland 404, where summer travel and heavy vacation traffic have produced recurring backups and crashes. MDOT officials described a planning and environmental linkages (PEL) study of the Maryland 404 corridor now under Federal Highway review; commissioners said the study should identify both major projects and smaller "breakout" components that can be advanced sooner.

Local breakout projects MDOT and county staff discussed include signal and phasing changes at the 404/Harmony Road intersection and a split‑phase signal modification at the Double Hills intersection. State engineer Kenny Bender said MDOT has approved a design request to change the signal at Double Hills to split phasing as an initial breakout action, but noted one constraint: the shoulder at the 404 to 16 connection may not be load‑bearing and will require core samples before final configuration changes.

MDOT officials also described an approved, developer‑funded lighted intersection at Maryland 404 and Gay Street in Denton. County leaders asked the state to keep the permit active so the project can proceed if the developer advances the work.

Other agency updates included Maryland Transportation Authority work on Bay Bridge protection and deck replacement and Maryland Transit Administration comments about the role of Delmarva Community Transit. The Maryland Aviation Administration reported statewide aviation grants supporting airport safety projects and an approximately $3,000,000 aviation grant program for runway and apron improvements.

County commissioners thanked MDOT for completed work on River Road and other safety investments and emphasized the county's interest in preserving access to federal bridge and structure funding. Commissioners and MDOT staff agreed to continue coordinating on the PEL study results, breakout project feasibility and bridge‑replacement priorities.

Less critical detail: MDOT staff said highway user revenue funding is preserved through fiscal 2027 under the draft CTP; federal review of the PEL study will determine what corridor breakout projects MDOT and the county can pursue next.