Transit advocates and community groups push Maryland to prioritize rail and bus over I‑495/I‑270 toll lanes

At the subcommittee hearing, several advocacy groups and local stakeholders urged lawmakers to prioritize transit preservation and expansion over highway capacity projects outlined in the CTP.

The Greater Baltimore Committee told senators six priorities for Baltimore transit, including fixing MTA’s state of good repair and staffing, frequent reliable service to job centers, stronger regional coordination and a 10‑year rapid transit expansion program. Brian Ditzler of Maryland Advocates for Sustainable Transportation noted the transportation sector is the state’s leading greenhouse‑gas source and said adding lanes on I‑495 and I‑270 would be “not equitable” and environmentally damaging; he argued those funds should go to projects that reduce vehicle miles traveled and support equitable mobility.

Community groups raised concerns about toll‑lane public‑private partnerships. Barbara Soffel (Citizens Against Beltway Expansion) urged the state to terminate a planned toll‑lane project, citing CBO analyses and experience in Virginia where toll‑lane extensions followed initial builds. She urged redirecting the corridor funds to transit and climate‑aligned projects.

Transit advocates also warned that reductions to local transit preservation funds and cuts to commuter bus routes could harm Federal Transit Administration scoring for large regional projects like the Baltimore Red Line and North‑South line that rely on federal competitive grant criteria.

Lawmakers heard a mix of arguments: witnesses framed the issue as a choice between long‑term climate and equity outcomes and the political and fiscal dynamics of major highway projects. No formal action was taken; legislators and MDOT agreed the committee would continue oversight and review prioritization tools such as Chapter 30 scoring.