Lawmakers hear urgent calls for I‑81 safety upgrades and faster Smart Scale timelines

Frederick County supervisors used their Oct. 30 legislative forum to press state officials for faster action on long‑running transportation projects, citing recent fatal crashes and multi‑decade project timelines.

Senator Timmy French and other legislators acknowledged I‑81 is underfunded and constrained by engineering and contractor capacity; French noted a previously budgeted $200 million for I‑81 that "just disappeared," and urged a mix of accelerated engineering work and creative funding approaches to shorten the construction timeline.

Local supervisors and delegates identified several priorities: advancing corridor projects that connect to the interstate, shortening Smart Scale scheduling delays that push projects out six years or more, and funding local safety work such as bus‑routing and intersection improvements near schools. Supervisor comments singled out Route 37 East as a potential large‑scale relief project that could attract federal funding if structured correctly and supported by state planning.

Officials also pressed for help resolving immediate safety concerns where narrow local secondary routes funnel school traffic onto high‑speed arteries. Legislators said they are submitting targeted funding requests and promised to coordinate requests across House and Senate conferees to improve chances during the budget conference process.

No formal appropriations or commitments were made at the forum; participants agreed to continue coordinating technical studies and legislative asks ahead of the next session.