Statement From Governor Martin O’Malley ON PASSAGE OF FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION FUNDING LEGISLATION

ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor Martin O’Malley released the following statement on the passage of the MAP-21bill – legislation that will sustain thousands of jobs and transportation investment in Maryland:

“Working together, members of Congress today took an important step forward - for our country and our state. With the passage of this $105 billion bill, states now have the stability they need to plan and execute their transportation programs for the next two years.

“While the duration of this legislation is shorter than we would have liked, the commitment of federal dollars provides us with a critical path forward. Funding levels under MAP-21 remain roughly the same as they have been in recent years, allowing us to continue projects already underway, consider some modest project additions later this year and protect nearly 10,000 transportation jobs.

“However, we still face the formidable challenge of finding new sources of increasing transportation funding so that Maryland, and other states around the nation, can invest in the sorely needed new infrastructure to expand transit, reduce congestion and most importantly, create jobs. To create jobs, a modern economy requires modern investments; investments in greater opportunities for our citizens, and investments in a better quality of life for Maryland.

“I applaud the efforts of Maryland’s Congressional Delegation who have worked so hard to secure the federal dollars we need to make progress. Together, we will continue to work at the state and federal level to maximize the opportunities created by MAP-21 while searching for ways to increase investment in our transportation infrastructure in the future.”