Meet the Man Who Will Shape Maryland's Transportation Patterns for Decades to Come

With $4.4 billion in additional revenue expected to be generated from a new gasoline tax over the next six years, Maryland's new transportation secretary will have a historic role in shaping the state's transportation and land use patterns.

1 minute read

July 17, 2013, 6:00 AM PDT

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


"With a new state sales tax on gasoline, there is suddenly money to be had — an estimated $4.4 billion in additional revenue over the next six years — and a long wish list of [transportation] projects that were postponed during the lean years," reports Katherine Shaver. The new head of Maryland's Department of TransportationJames T. Smith Jr., "will help to determine who gets what, and when."

“The person serving as secretary of transportation for the next year or so will be making some critical decisions about spending that will shape transportation for years to come in Maryland,” said Lon Anderson, head of government affairs for AAA Mid-Atlantic.

"Smith, who lives in Cockeysville in Baltimore County, said he is well aware that he must keep promises made statewide that the additional pain at the pump would ease traffic, provide more transit options, create jobs and spur economic development," adds Shaver. "He said he brings to the job a firm belief that transportation 'is more than just about getting people from Point A to Point B. It’s about creating economic vitality and vibrancy in communities.'”

Saturday, July 13, 2013 in The Washington Post

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

Wood-framed multi-family building under construction with red crane behind it.

California Creates Housing-Focused Agency

Previously, the state’s housing and homelessness programs fell under a grabbag department that also regulates the alcohol industry, car mechanics, and horse racing.

7 hours ago - CALmatters

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13 - WTTV

Red and black pavilion with visitor information in public park in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Baker Creek Pavilion: Blending Nature and Architecture in Knoxville

Knoxville’s urban wilderness planning initiative unveils the "Baker Creek Pavilion" to increase the city's access to green spaces.

July 13 - Dezeen