Md. transportation plan seeks $420 million in new revenue; Eastern Shore delegates press for road funding

Deputy Secretary Samantha Biddle of the Maryland Department of Transportation told the Eastern Shore delegation on Feb. 14 that MDOT's final capital transportation plan (CTP) includes "an additional $420,000,000 in state transportation revenue annually," a change the agency says would unlock roughly $695,000,000 in annual new resources when combined with bonding and federal matches.

The revised plan, presented to the delegation during a two-hour briefing, aims to restore deferred projects and to increase funding for local transit operators, community airports and state-maintained roads. "This balanced plan includes maintaining operations across the department and advancing previously deferred priority projects," Biddle said.

Why it matters: The additional state revenue would be used to leverage federal matching funds and to resume previously deferred projects on the Eastern Shore, including advancing design and NEPA work for Maryland 90 (the Ocean City Expressway). Delegation members said the allocation mix in the CTP shows substantial increases for some MDOT modes while appearing to reduce State Highway near-term funding, raising worries about resurfacing and other routine maintenance on rural and federally ineligible roads.

Topline details and local impacts - MDOT says the proposed $420 million in new state transportation revenue would permit additional bonding and federal matches, producing approximately $695 million in new annual resources for projects statewide. - The final CTP proposes a new regional aviation assistance program that would provide $3,000,000 annually starting in FY26 for community airports; MDOT cited Easton and Salisbury regional airports as examples that benefit from the program. - SHA (State Highway Administration) said the governor's proposal includes an $82 million increase in state funds for resurfacing in the CTP, and SHA reported completing 216 lane miles of resurfacing and 147 lane miles of preventative maintenance on the Shore in FY24. - MDOT officials said Maryland 90 will resume planning and NEPA work with the additional funding, but stressed that federal funding eligibility depends on NEPA completion.

Questions from the Eastern Shore delegation focused on the distribution of funds in the six-year plan. Delegate Royce told MDOT officials he was concerned that "State Highway dollars $575,000,000 cut" would harm road maintenance in rural counties. The deputy secretary and SHA officials responded that the six-year CTP overall shows increases in state dollars for system preservation compared with the draft CTP, but that FY26–27 cash flow and Highway User Revenues (HUR) formula impacts create near-term pressure. "There are some near term needs on the state of repair and system criticality side of things on the transit side that we just simply cannot look past," an MDOT official said when explaining allocations to transit.

Specific project notes for the Eastern Shore - Maryland 90 (Ocean City Expressway): SHA said the planning and environmental linkage study is complete and the project will advance through NEPA to unlock federal funding. SHA added that its "complete streets" policy supports multimodal options, but the NEPA/public engagement process will determine final facilities. - US 301 Chester River Bridge: SHA said a $12.8 million replacement project is scheduled for spring completion this year and is a full replacement, not just redecking. - US 13 business bridge over the Wicomico River (Salisbury): SHA said work continues on a $16.7 million replacement with a 2026 completion target and added pedestrian improvements including a shared hiker/biker path. - Resurfacing: SHA reported increased resurfacing allocations and said state dollars can often be matched with federal funds to extend impact on pavement projects, but delegates pressed for detail on how cuts or timing shifts will affect federally ineligible county roads.

Delegation reaction and next steps Delegation members repeatedly asked MDOT to clarify the near-term impact of the CTP on local resurfacing and small-town projects, particularly those that cannot be matched with federal funds. MDOT officials said they will provide additional detail on funding splits and follow up with county-level requests and with individual members' staffs.

"We expect that we're going to be adding federal money into the CTP to tie to those system preservation projects," Deputy Secretary Biddle said, adding that the plan is contingent on the state revenue being available. Several members asked MDOT to return with a clearer accounting of who benefits from the proposed allocations and when projects unique to the Eastern Shore will be scheduled.

Ending MDOT committed to follow up with the delegation on specific funding impacts, federal match timing and project schedules. Delegation members said they will continue to monitor the budget and press for clarity on maintenance funding for Eastern Shore roads that are not typically eligible for federal pavement programs.