Infrastructure Week: Maryland Board of Public Works Advances Historic Traffic Relief Plan

Vote Comes Day After U.S. Senate Passes Bipartisan Infrastructure Package
Governor Hogan: “We Continue to Set an Example For Washington And The Rest of the Nation”

ANNAPOLIS, MD—The Maryland Board of Public Works (BPW) today, in a bipartisan vote of 2-1, advanced Governor Larry Hogan’s historic Traffic Relief Plan to ease congestion on the Capital Beltway, build a new American Legion Bridge, deliver more transit services for the region, create thousands of jobs, along with substantial long-term economic growth and environmental benefits.

The vote comes one day after the U.S. Senate passed a bipartisan infrastructure package that includes the governor’s national infrastructure initiative as NGA chair. In the spring, the governor held an Annapolis Infrastructure Summit of governors, senators, and members of Congress to discuss ideas, initiatives, and proposals for a federal infrastructure and public investment package.

“Here in Maryland, we continue to set an example for Washington and the rest of the nation when it comes to infrastructure,” said Governor Hogan. “Just yesterday, the Senate passed the bipartisan infrastructure package we’ve been working toward over the last two years along with a coalition of governors and members of Congress. And 24 hours later, we are advancing one of the most significant infrastructure projects of the last 50 years, and one of the largest public-private partnerships in the world. I want to commend Transportation Secretary Greg Slater and his entire team for their continued efforts. We are making progress on the gridlock in Washington and on the Capital Beltway.”

At today’s BPW meeting, the governor emphasized the transformative and collaborative nature of the project.

“This Traffic Relief Plan is a win for families, commuters, and small businesses,” said Governor Hogan. “It will finally begin to solve the soul crushing, worst-in-the-nation traffic that people have failed to address for 50 years. This project has the support of the overwhelming majority of Marylanders, and was recently advanced by the regional Transportation Planning Board.”

Last month, the Transportation Planning Board voted by an overwhelming majority to advance the Traffic Relief Plan, with broad-based support from across the state and the region.

In November 2019, Governor Hogan and Governor Ralph Northam of Virginia announced the Capital Beltway Accord, a bipartisan interstate plan to replace the aging American Legion Bridge and relieve congestion at one of the worst bottlenecks in the nation.

Learn more about the Traffic Relief Plan.