Adam RollinsThe Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) has finalized its ambitious Consolidated Transportation Program (CTP) for fiscal years 2025 through 2030, carving out $21.2 billion in planned expenses over the next six years.
The CTP is the state’s capital budget for transportation projects, playing a key role in Maryland’s overall State Report on Transportation (SRT). The SRT is an annual report on transportation containing three critical documents, including:
- The Maryland Transportation Plan (MTP), illustrating the state’s long-term transportation vision.
- The Attainment Report (AR) on Transportation System Performance, highlighting MDOT’s transportation system performance and adopted goals in the MTP.
- The CTP.
The state will use the CTP as a guideline for capital investments in the transportation sector. The report contains several investment focuses, including the unplanned rebuilding of the Francis Scott Key bridge, implementing safety measures to protect travelling residents, maintaining the transportation system and supporting new infrastructure projects.
A selection of the projects featured in the CTP include:
MDOT plans to invest $1.4 billion over the next six years to modernize its light rail system. This will include replacing the entire aged fleet of light rail vehicles with modern, low-floor vehicles. As part of the replacement, the department plans to reconfigure two light rail maintenance facilities and retrofit each of the 33 existing stations to ensure ADA compliance.
Plans include spending a combined $567.2 to improve the Cox Creek and Masonville Dredged Material Containment Facilities (DMCF). The Cox Creek location will be expanded into the adjacent upland area. Once completed, the project will increase capacity for placing dredge
material from the shipping channels for the Port of Baltimore. MDOT will also raise dikes located at the existing Cox Creek DMCF. The Masonville site will receive similar treatment, including raising dikes and building containment sites to increase capacity for dredged materials from the shipping channel.
The department will spend $556 million to build the Howard Street Tunnel Project. Project plans include reconstructing the nearly 130-year-old Howard Street Tunnel in Baltimore. The project will create a double-stack rail corridor along the East Coast, starting by improving the vertical clearance at the tunnel and along 21 bridges between Baltimore and Philadelphia.
Another $490.9 million will be dedicated toward improving the Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI), targeting the Concourse A and B connector and baggage handling system. Plans include building a two-level addition between Concourses A and B. The addition will provide ample space for a fully in-line baggage handling system, operational spaces and a connector between the concourses. Additional work will include upgrading the Central Utility Plan, improving the lower-level roadway, installing expanded holdrooms, building new Passenger Boarding Bridges, new restrooms and concessions space.
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