WORCESTER COUNTY, Md. - Maryland's transportation budget could see a significant reduction, with more than a billion dollars potentially being cut from the state's six-year capital plan. A draft of the plan was recently released, with Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld citing "significant budgetary challenges" as the reason for the cuts.
This follows a $3 billion reduction in transportation funding last year and comes just months after the state raised gas taxes and vehicle registration fees. The proposed cuts would put several previously prioritized projects on hold, including a major plan to widen Route 90, a key route for traffic heading in and out of Ocean City.
Worcester County officials have expressed concern over the delays, particularly regarding Route 90. The county has long argued that the current width of the road contributes to congestion and could pose problems during emergency evacuations. However, with the draft plan now released, the widening project may need to be reconsidered.
Worcester County Chief Administrative Officer Weston Young described the halt of the project as "disappointing."
"This project was looking at increasing capacity of those roads, dualizing it, which is gravely needed. We have over 8 million visitors come to Ocean City every year, and this is a key, one of the three ways, but a key way on and off the island," Young said.
Ocean City’s City Manager Terry McGean said the town is still processing the news and considering alternative funding sources.
"We're pretty much digesting it right now," McGean said. "Potential next steps would be to look for funding from the federal government or explore whether the City and the County can work together to come up with additional local funding to keep the project going."
The Route 90 widening project was slated to receive more than $15 million over six years, but with $4 million already spent, funding has now dried up. Young remains hopeful that a solution can be found.
"To date, there have been no talks of a scaled-down version of the project or a local match. We're just waiting to hear more. The plan that was released earlier this week is in draft format. We'll be optimistic that the state will recognize the importance of this project, not only to us but to the 8 million visitors we have every year," Young added.
The funding cuts in the draft plan have wide-reaching implications across Maryland, affecting not only the Route 90 project but also rail expansion in the Baltimore and Washington, D.C. areas. However, the plan does not propose any cuts to funding for the rebuild of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.
The draft plan remains under review, with officials hoping to find alternative solutions to the funding challenges.
