Wednesday, February 15, 2012

No Gas Tax, No Highway

The good news for those who slog through bumper to bumper traffic on traffic on Route 32 everyday, is that the widening project from two lanes to four  between Route 108 in HoCo and Route 26 in Carroll Co is on the states top priority roads projects list.

The bad news is that the guv says it won’t happen without his proposed increase in the gas tax.

According to this story by Donald C. Fry in Citybizlist.com, this project and 23 other “high priority” transportation projects won’t become a reality “until more revenue is generated for the state's Transportation Trust Fund, MDOT Secretary Beverley Swaim-Staley told county elected leaders during meetings in the fall to outline the state's six-year Consolidated Transportation Program.”

What the guv is not saying, at least publicly, is that “even with a revenue increase to the transportation fund, not all of the projects on this priority list would likely be able to begin to move forward.”

“Few in Annapolis rationally argue the need for these projects that are critical to our state's economic climate and quality of life. But rancorous debate will center around when, and how, to begin meeting this compelling need.”

On the other hand, if our county exec becomes the next guv this loco high priority road project may move a little closer to the top of the heap.
blog comments powered by Disqus