May 1st, 2014 by WCBC Radio
The maintenance of local roads and funding of transportation projects for municipalities is seeing an increase in 2014 after an almost six-year decline. The Maryland Municipal League succeeded in calling upon Governor Martin O’Malley and state legislators this year to restore highway user revenues to 160 towns and cities in Maryland. Highway user revenues were last fully funded in 2008. In 2008, highway user revenues were $45 million and had been cut to $1.6 million in 2011 which meant a 95 percent cut for municipalities, such as the towns of Cumberland and Frostburg. While municipalities have benefited, county governments like Allegany are still getting next to nothing from the state for road and bridge projects, with those state dollars continuing to go toward the mass transit fund. Governor O’Malley said being unable to fully restore those funds stands as a major disappointment for him – the mass transit system is vitally important and unfortunately those road funds that used to go to local governments must be re-allocated…
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