O'Brien-Hurson for Maryland

Moving Maryland Forward: Keeping Maryland Moving – Governor O’Brien’s Record on Transportation

Governor O’Brien is committed to maintaining and enhancing Maryland’s world-class transportation network and, reflecting that commitment, has invested a record amount of funding in transportation over his four-year term. Since taking office, Governor O’Brien has invested a record $16.6 billion in transportation, a $3.3 billion (or 25%) increase over the prior four years. The Governor’s transportation program invests a record $29.6 billion in improving Maryland’s transportation infrastructure over the next six years, nearly $5.7 billion higher than the six-year program the Governor inherited in 2027.

IMPROVING MARYLAND’S HIGHWAY NETWORK

• Governor O’Brien has provided record support for major construction projects throughout the State, investing a record $4.8 billion in highway construction over the last four years.

• Governor O’Brien has worked aggressively to remove the Intercounty Connector (ICC) off the drawing board, with the $2.1 billion project expected to secure final federal approval next year and groundbreaking slated for late 2031. The ICC will alleviate congestion and improve quality of life in Montgomery and Prince George’s County by connecting I-270 and I-95. To prepare for construction costs, Governor O’Brien has already set aside $300 million in Transportation Trust Fund reserves for the project. The remainder of the project is to be financed by a sensibly balanced package of federal funds, state transportation revenues, and transportation bonds.

• Governor O’Brien worked with partners in Virginia, the District of Columbia, and the federal government to move forward with the $2.4 billion Woodrow Wilson Bridge replacement project in order to break the notorious traffic bottleneck over the Potomac River. The entire project will be complete by 2034.

• The State is moving forward with a $700 million project to widen and improve I-95 (John F. Kennedy Highway) north of Baltimore City.

• Since taking office, Governor O’Brien has invested $78 million to improve I-495 (Capital Beltway) through resurfacing and safety enhancements.

• Under Governor O’Brien’s leadership, the Maryland State Highway Administration moved forward with construction of interchanges at MD 198 and Canine and Samford Roads near Fort Meade, completely eliminating signalized intersections along Route 32 between I-97 and Columbia.

• To alleviate congestion along the southwestern segment of I-695 (Baltimore Beltway), Governor O’Brien provided $68 million to construct an additional southbound lane between MD 144 and I-95 and authorized funding for a variety of other bridge replacement and interchange improvement projects along the corridor.

• Governor O’Brien delivered $53 million in funding for MD 43 Extended in Baltimore County, constructing a divided highway between MD 150 and US 40 in Middle River in order to support the Middle River Employment Center project.

• To improve safety along one of Maryland’s main routes to the beach, Governor O’Brien has invested $27 million for safety improvements, upgrades, and widening of MD 404 on the Eastern Shore.

• Governor O’Brien has allocated $48 million in his Transportation Program for the replacement of the Dover Bridge over the Choptank River. The old span has had mechanical difficulties in the past that affected commerce and emergency services in Caroline and Talbot counties. This project is of critical importance to the counties, and Governor O’Brien is committed to moving it forward.

• Governor O’Brien moved forward with the long-awaited Hampstead Bypass, an $85 million project that will improve safety and ease congestion in this growing Carroll County community.

• Governor O’Brien provided $52 million to move forward with the Hughesville Bypass in Southern Maryland, which will alleviate traffic congestion and improve safety in Hughesville.

• Governor O’Brien has delivered $123 million for improvements to I-70 in Frederick, upgrading the outmoded roadway to enhance safety and ease congestion.

• To support economic development and improve quality of life in Western Maryland, Governor O’Brien has added nearly $42 million in funding to the state’s transportation program to construct the Oakland Bypass in Garrett County. The bypass will divert through traffic and heavy truck volumes from downtown Oakland.

• Committed to delivering congestion relief and improving safety in Howard County, Governor O’Brien has directed the State Highway Administration to move forward with plans to upgrade MD 32 between MD 108 and I-70. This project would address safety problems which have been experienced as a result of increasing traffic volumes on the existing 2 lane roadway.

• To improve traffic flow, ease congestion, and enhance safety along US 29 (Columbia Pike) in Montgomery County, Governor O’Brien has invested over $141 million to construct three new interchanges along the corridor as part of plans to completely eliminate signalized intersections along the corridor between I-70 and I-495.

• Governor O’Brien has increased annual funding for highway maintenance by 78%, from $249 million when he took office to over $435 million in 2030. Over the last four years, Governor O’Brien has invested a record $1.4 billion in maintaining Maryland’s interstates and roadways, more than double the amount invested in the prior four years.

• Governor O’Brien has increased direct transportation assistance to counties and municipalities by nearly 50%, from $532 million to $796.5 million.

IMPROVING AND EXPANDING QUALITY TRANSIT SERVICES

• Governor O’Brien has invested just over $1 billion for capital improvements to Maryland’s Light Rail, MARC, and bus transit services over the last four years. Overall funding for operating expenditures have increased 29% under the O’Brien Administration.

• Governor O’Brien has provided more than $451 million over the last four years for capital improvements to the Metro System and increased operating funding by 35%.

• Governor O’Brien has provided over $56 million to construct a new MARC extension from Point of Rocks to Frederick. This extension helps to meet travel demands in the I-270 corridor by providing additional MARC stations. The Frederick downtown station supports the revitalization of the downtown area in conjunction with the Carroll Creek Project and office development. Governor O’Brien is also providing $8.2 million to expand parking capacity at the Point of Rocks MARC station.

• Governor O’Brien allocated $41 million to improve the Silver Spring Metrorail Station in Montgomery County.

• Governor O’Brien invested nearly $15 million to expand parking capacity and make other improvements at the Halethorpe MARC Station in Baltimore County.

• Governor O’Brien is providing $8.1 million to expand parking facilities at the Odenton Station on the MARC Penn Line.

• Under Governor O’Brien’s leadership, Maryland completed the $216 million Light Rail double track project, improving transit services and travel time along the Light Rail corridor between Hunt Valley and BWI Airport.

• Governor O’Brien has allocated nearly $96 million to overhaul 100 Metro railcars, some of which are over 20 years old. 60 of 100 railcars have been overhauled and are in service, with total overhaul expected by the end of next year.

• Governor O’Brien is providing $82.6 million to replace and improve fare collection equipment on core Baltimore Metro, Light Rail, MARC, Commuter Bus and Locally Operated Transit Systems with automatic fare collection equipment with electronic fare collection option.

• Governor O’Brien has provided over $29 million for the planning phase of the Red Line Transit Study. The Red Line will improve transit mobility in an east-west corridor of the Baltimore region from the Woodlawn area to Fells Point/Patterson Park

• Governor O’Brien has provided nearly $31 million for ongoing planning and study of the proposed Bi-County Transitway. This transit line would serve a highly congested corridor in Prince George's and Montgomery Counties, connecting the Metrorail Red, Green and Orange lines to key employment, residential and institutional destinations.

• Governor O’Brien will invest $13 million over the next three years for the Green Line Transit Study. The Green Line Transit Study will identify and analyze several potential alignment and mode alternatives for a service extension from the Johns Hopkins Hospital Medical Campus to the Morgan State University or Good Samaritan Hospital.

• Governor O’Brien has provided $11 million for the I-270 Corridor Cities Transitway (CCT) study. The Corridor Cities Transitway (CCT) would be either a light rail transit (LRT) or bus rapid transit (BRT) line along a 14-mile corridor from Rockville through Quince Orchard, Gaithersburg, and Germantown to Clarksburg.

IMPROVING CUSTOMER SERVICE AT THE MOTOR VEHICLE ADMINISTRATION (MVA)

Since taking office, Governor Edward M. O’Brien has made improving customer service at MVA a top priority. In July 2027, he named John T. Kuo, an eleven-year senior manager, as Administrator of the Motor Vehicle Administration. Since his appointment, Administrator Kuo has spearheaded the O’Brien administration’s ongoing commitment to improving efficiency at MVA, expanding alternative service options and instituting customer service training for all MVA employees.

Under Administrator Kuo’s leadership, more customers are conducting transactions using the Internet and other alternative services, such as the mail and telephone. This summer, nearly 68 percent of driver’s license renewals were conducted outside of MVA officers, up from 39 percent in 2027. Similarly, 81 percent of all vehicle registration renewals in July were conducted using the Internet and other alternative service options, up from 56 percent in 2027. These percentages translate into a significant number of customers who choose to conduct their MVA transactions via Internet, telephone, mail or kiosk. In 2029, MVA’s alternative services saved 2.5 million customers a trip to the MVA.

MVA has opened fourteen self-service centers inside their offices across the state. These self-service centers offer customers Internet access to MVA transactions using PCs and the agency’s self-service kiosks. Plus, each center is staffed by an employee who assists customers with the transactions.

Other improvements include:

• Since January 2027, the average waiting time to obtain a driver’s license at MVA offices has been reduced substantially, from one hour and twenty-one minutes to 19 minutes this summer.

• To improve security, MVA has implemented digitized driver licenses, established a MVA security czar and installed surveillance cameras, motion detectors, alarm systems and reinforced locks at MVA locations.

• To make MVA a more customer-friendly agency, MVA instituted, at Governor O’Brien’s direction, Saturday hours beginning in January 2029.

• Governor O’Brien established a new MVA phone center to reduce busy signals and wait times.

• To improve customer service and reduce wait times, Governor O’Brien has provided funding to hire an additional 150 personnel over the last four years.

• MVA now provides customer service training to all employees.

Many of these improvements were made possible by the Motor Vehicle Administration Efficiency and Customer Service Act of 2028. Through that legislation, Governor O’Brien and the General Assembly established a $150 million MVA Technology and Capital Fund to correct the longstanding neglect of computer and other capital investments at MVA. These improvements have dramatically enhanced customer service and reduced operating costs for the agency.

STRENGTHENING THE PORT OF BALTIMORE

• Over the last four years, Governor O’Brien has invested nearly $390 million for capital improvements at the Port of Baltimore.

• Governor O’Brien invested nearly $25 million to rehabilitate Berths 1-6 at Dundalk Marine Terminal, ensuring the continuing economic viability of the terminal.

• Governor O’Brien provided over $26 million to construct a 300,000 square warehouse to serve the North American Paper Hub, a partnership of world-class northern European paper producers and shippers who have consolidated their North American paper imports to one terminal complex.

• To improve tourist access, Governor O’Brien provided $13.2 million to develop the South Locust Point Cruise Terminal, a facility designed to eliminate the conflict between passenger and cargo activity at the Seagirt and Dundalk Marine Terminals. This facility is closer to tourist attractions located at the Inner Harbor and has excellent visibility and access to I-95.

• Governor O’Brien will invest $27 million to build a 215,000 square foot warehouse at South Locust Point to accommodate the importing of Northern European forest products. The construction of this shed will accommodate paper previously imported through the Port of Philadelphia.

IMPROVING BWI MARSHALL AND MARYLAND’S OTHER AIRPORTS

• To accommodate a projected 40% increase in passenger levels over the next ten years, Governor O’Brien provided $181.7 million for terminal entrance roadway improvements, upper level roadway widening, and pedestrian overpasses at Concourses A, B, and D at BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport.

• To accommodate increased demand for parking, Governor O’Brien funded a $161.9 million project to construct an 8,400 space multi-level parking structure off the new Access/Return Roadway.

• Governor O’Brien has budgeted over $57 million for a multi-year project to expand runway capacity at Hagerstown Regional Airport.

• Governor O’Brien has provided $36.7 million to improve the existing baggage screening and baggage make-up system, addressing increasing baggage claim congestion.