Devastating Transit Cuts Planned for Maryland

"The Maryland Department of Transportation on Tuesday released a draft of its capital budget for the next six years, and it includes major cuts across MDOT due to the coronavirus, including at the Maryland Transit Administration," reports David Collins. 

"The fiscal year budgets from 2021 to 2026 includes a $2.9 billion reduction compared to the previous six years. About two-thirds of that -- $1.9 billion -- is directly related to the coronavirus pandemic," explains Collins.

Among the various agencies and programs impacted by the cuts, the budget cuts $150 million in funding for the Maryland Transit Administration, which has responded by proposing service cuts. 

In a separate article following the new about the Maryland Department of Transportation's new budget, Alex Holt digs into the details of the expected service cuts, especially for the city of Baltimore, where the cuts are expected to impact for the vulnerable and transit-dependent riders. 

All told, service cuts will eliminate, according to Holt's analysis, 44 “LocalLink” routes, all nine of the “Express BusLink” routes, and 2 “Commuter Bus” routes. An additional 11 LocalLink routes would see their frequency reduced and 13 CityLink or LocalLink routes would be modified. The Maryland Area Rail Commuter will also run fewer trains. 

The cuts are not yet final, however, as reported by Holt:

Before implementing any of the cuts, the MTA and MDOT will hold a 30-day “public review and comment period” ending November 15 which will include 10 virtual public hearings on the Local Bus cuts between October 5 and October 16. How those hearings turn out could go a long way towards determining the future of Baltimore transit.