If the current draft of the state’s six-year transportation plan comes to pass, the Southern Maryland Rapid Transit project will be faced with severe budget cuts.
On Sept. 10, Commissioner President Reuben B. Collins II (D) made opening remarks at the commissioners’ meeting in regard to the cuts proposed in the Maryland Consolidated Transportation Program’s multi-year proposed capital budget.
“The available budget for this project was reduced from its previous funded amount of $30 million to $2.1 million,” Collins said. “It would be devastating to our attempts to bring rapid transit to Southern Maryland.”
As proposed, the Washington, D.C., Metro light rail would be extended from Branch Avenue to White Plains with multiple stops along the way.
Collins said that the commissioners are particularly concerned that there is a violation on the state’s end in an agreement to match federal earmarks for the project.
Just weeks prior, Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md., 5th) came to Charles County to commemorate securing $5 million in federal funding for the rapid transit project