For 15 years before my election to the Baltimore County Council, I worked in the transportation sector. During my two years on the County Council, I have tried to advance long-needed funding for resurfacing and interchange improvements throughout the Fifth District.
Transportation does not garner the attention that other issues command, but it is critical to our way of life. Crumbling roads and congestion impact both businesses and families. Local governments like Baltimore County not only need to repair roads that were originally built in the 1950s and 1960s, but deal with bottlenecks that are clogged with traffic. In my district, much of this congestion results from Harford County motorists who use Belair and Harford Roads for their commutes.
Unfortunately, recent state budgets have sharply cut the money Baltimore County and other local governments receive for road improvements. In 2007, when Governor O’Malley was inaugurated, local jurisdictions shared $535.3 million in Highway User Revenues. Baltimore County received $45.6 million of this amount.
Within four years, local road funding had been cut by about $402.6 million, shrinking from $535.3 million to $132.7 million. Excluding Baltimore City, all other jurisdictions shared a total of only $7.9 million in 2011! Highway User Revenues have recovered slightly from 2011, but the amount is pitiful compared to the 2007 level when Governor O’Malley was inaugurated.
These cuts have not received a lot of attention. While Governor O’Malley crows about school construction money–and I commend him for that funding, which has been very helpful in Baltimore County–his administration deserves scrutiny for its treatment of local road needs.
Fortunately, County Executive Kamenetz proposed robust funding for resurfacing in the most recent budget. Thanks to that funding, major routes throughout the Fifth District are targeted for resurfacing. But imagine what could be done if Highway User Revenues were restored to the level that counties received before 2007!