This chart is from page 17 of the draft FY2026-31 Capital Program that the Maryland Department of Transportation published on 9/2/25.

mdot.maryland.gov/OPCP/CTP_2026/…

Maryland is steadily spending billions each year on transportation. Lots of choices.

Is it helping people uget to jobs? Or making it harder? What about getting to school?

Is it reducing how long we spend commuting? Or increasing it?

Reducing harmful emissions? Or . . .?

Students and MTA. The BRTC is working to schedule a meeting to bring partners including Baltimore City Schools together to discuss problems and potential solutions. Chair Laria says the best solution is to provide more service.

The 2025 update to the Regional Transit Plan includes a 5-year implementation plan. Almost none of this is funded in MDOT’s draft capital budget for the next six years.

It’s only a meaningful plan if we advocate for implementing it.

Also an update to the Regional Transit Plan. 1968, 2002, 2020, 2025 and updates every five years going forward. Here is the updated map of major project corridors.

There is a plan for that! More frequent service throughout the greater Baltimore transit system. But it is not funded in this draft budget.

www.mta.maryland.gov/bmorebus

Lakey Boyd: Let’s not overstep. Funding state of good repair is important. At the end of the day, the public wants improved service. This is the 1st necessary step to get there so congratulations on taking it. But don’t lose sight of the importance of investing to make transit more frequent, faster.

Light rail modernization is fully funded. That includes replacing the light rail vehicles that have been in service since the 1990’s. The new cars will have level boarding - no more climbing steps when the doors open. That requires retrofitting the light rail platforms. By ~2032.

$. The draft FY26-31 CTP is $300M more investment in transportation infrastructure than the final FY25-30 CTP. At over $20B it is the biggest spending program in Maryland history.

It funds 90% of the backlog of previously unfunded MTA state of good repair needs.

MDOT Tour. Acting Maryland Transportation Secretary Samantha Biddle presents the draft 2026-31 capital budget. Her 1st MDOT Tour Meeting in this role.

Each fall MDOT holds a public meeting in each county, Baltimore City, and, since 2024, the Baltimore Regional Transit Commission about the budget.

Fare policy. Since July 27th kids 12 & under ride free. Kids who show a student pass ride free.

MTA is setting up a reduced fare pass for low income people (based on SNAP eligibility) - aiming for launch in late 2025.

Fire downtown and MTA light rail. Hoping to get light rail service restored today. Had to shut down a section of the catenary to keep firefighters on ladders safe. With catenary off a section of light rail can’t run and a temporary bus shuttle is running.

MTA. There was a cyber attack last week. “I really can’t say a lot about it.” - MTA CEO Holly Arnold. Bus real time info is heavily impacted. MTA stood up an interim call center for the Mobility service last Friday. MTA is working with Maryland Dept. of Information Technology to resolve it.