Maryland’s boldest transportation reforms stuck in neutral

From altering the structure of the Maryland Transit Administration to adding a new winter-weather regulation for drivers, lawmakers closed out their time in Annapolis this year with a handful of modest transportation reforms.

But some of the boldest changes didn’t make it, and budget pressures on transportation projects are already mounting.

Here’s a breakdown of how roads, public transit, and related development might change as a result of this year’s General Assembly session — as well as some notable proposals that didn’t pass.

Show me the money

The Maryland Department of Transportation’s six-year spending plan (updated each year) is worth $22.1 billion — a 4% increase from last year.

The final version includes only a few changes from the draft proposal, including speeding up the design of a new bus depot in Baltimore and moving up funds for the American Legion Bridge between Montgomery County and northern Virginia.

But a tough road is looming for the Transportation Trust Fund, the state’s main transportation funding source.

Tariffs, inflation and labor costs have gone up, while fuel tax revenues have dropped. In a major shift, vehicle titling taxes now contribute more to the trust fund than the gas tax.

Lawmakers established a commission to explore new ways to fund transportation projects a few years ago but shut it down before it could go very far.

Annapolis will have to start making changes next year, or the gap between money on hand and what’s needed will only widen.

Driver education

A shocking rise in roadway deaths following the pandemic drove lawmakers to authorize new automated cameras in some counties and increase fines for speeding in highway work zones in recent years.

They balked at related proposals this year to expand cameras in some counties, but managed to pass one requested by the Maryland Department of Transportation to place speed cameras along roadways known for high crash rates for pedestrians and cyclists.

Some notable changes:

• Accountability for those who don’t clear the snow from their car before driving — and we’re talking about the whole car, not just the windshield. First-time offenders will get $25 tickets.
• A new pilot program will allow certain individuals with a suspended or revoked driver’s license to get back behind the wheel — as long as their car gets a speed limiter installed.
• A new definition for historic vehicles shifts to a rolling 25-year threshold, allowing more cars to qualify for lower registration fees and relief from emissions testing.
• Expansion of the ignition interlock program, allowing more people with DUIs to qualify for an in-car breathalyzer rather than have their licenses suspended.
• Stricter enforcement and penalties for drivers with unlawful, out-of-state license plates (looking at you, Virginia tags), and authorization for Maryland to enter reciprocity agreements with other states to enforce traffic citations for out-of-state drivers.

Transit, pedestrian and development transitions

A shake-up is coming to the MTA after lawmakers established an oversight board that will sign off on the budget and major projects in the Baltimore region. A second board will make recommendations for MARC commuter rail service but have fewer powers.

Though it’s widely seen as a win that gives Baltimore more local control over transit decisions, lawmakers stripped some of the most ambitious reforms from the proposal, including a path toward wider use of eminent domain. Such reforms would have helped the agency speed up projects like expanding bus service and advancing the Red Line.

Some other moves:

• Simplifying red tape for development around Light Rail, Metro and other train stations.
• Establishing more structure to ensure local governments and the State Highway Administration work together to fix sidewalks and bike paths along major roadways.

What didn’t pass

Well, we can’t have it all.

• Waymo, the self-driving taxi company that announced an expansion into Baltimore in December, has to wait after lawmakers failed to establish a regulatory framework for the operation of autonomous vehicles on state roads.
• A requirement to implement more environmental mitigation measures for major road-widening projects (like bike lanes, walking paths or space for transit that promotes greener transportation) failed to pass after multiple attempts.
• A proposal to make it easier for people to address mounting E‑ZPass debts did not gain lawmakers’ approval.

This article has been corrected to reflect the status of measures addressing improper vehicle registration and speed cameras in high-crash corridors.