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| The
Secretary's Office of Planning & Capital Programming |
On behalf of the Maryland Department of Transportation, the Secretary’s Office of Planning and Capital Programming (OPCP) remains committed to keeping you informed, educated and updated. We hope this newsletter will help you stay up-to-date on
current planning initiatives and reports. |
This newsletter highlights recent news and timely information, including: - OPCP organization and thank you to Heather Murphy,
- Key Bridge commuter resources,
- grant successes and partnership opportunities,
- the 2023 Commuter Survey results,
- the MTA Freight Rail Chestertown Line Worton Track Safety Project, and
- resources available to
you.
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Meet the OPCP Team and a Fond Farewell to Heather
Murphy |
OPCP works in cooperation with federal, state, regional and local agencies, as well as our partners, to plan, program and develop a balanced transportation system to connect our customers to life’s opportunities. This is
accomplished through collaboration on long-range, regional, freight, rail and local transportation policies, programs and investments. OPCP has four subsections under its umbrella: - Capital Programming and Asset Management – The Capital Programming and Asset Management team annually develops the draft and final
Consolidated Transportation Program (CTP), which is the Department’s six-year capital
budget. Asset management is a holistic approach of balancing costs, opportunities and risks against the desired performance of assets in order to improve financial performance, inform asset investment decisions, manage risks and improve customer service. Proper asset management allows MDOT to understand the condition of its assets and plan for the future through investment strategies.
- Transportation Planning –
The Transportation Planning team focuses on comprehensive and strategic planning and collaboration across MDOT, including the statewide long-range transportation plan, which is updated every 4-5 years. The Transportation Planning group promotes transportation demand management strategies around the state through the Commuter Choice Maryland Program and related programs, including the Employer Partner Program, the Maryland Commuter Tax Credit and the incenTrip mobile application. The team coordinates and collaborates federal grant opportunities across MDOT and to our state, regional and local
partners in an effort to share opportunities for Maryland to be successful in seeking these highly competitive federal discretionary grant programs.
- Rail and Intermodal Freight – The Rail and Intermodal Freight (RIF) team oversees rail, highway, intermodal freight and passenger rail policy and planning, project implementation and coordination
efforts, including the State Freight Plan and State Rail Plan. The team is the primary office for intercity passenger rail efforts and manages the State’s federally funded
High Speed Intercity Passenger Rail (HSIPR) projects and coordinates special Federal Rail Administration projects like MAGLEV. In addition, this team leads the rail safety efforts for the Department.
- Regional Planning – The Regional Planning team ensures that state, local, regional and federal agencies work collaboratively on
transportation planning and programming of projects, programs and policies, including the annual fall tour meetings. Regional planning works closely with both urban and rural areas, including participation with federally required Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), rural regional entities and local jurisdictions. The Regional Planning team also compiles the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP), which also ensures access to our federal dollars.
Sadly our team will not be the same as on April 30 OPCP Director, Heather Murphy ended her 36-year tenure with MDOT. The entire OPCP team thanks Heather for her 36+ years as our fearless leader and wishes her all the best on
her next chapter. Key Bridge Commuter Resources Following the tragic collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge (I-695) and the painful loss of six construction crew members who were working on the bridge, Maryland residents,
employees and employers have experienced disruptions to traffic and commuting patterns. The effects are being felt regionally as traffic patterns shift. The Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) is working to help everyone get where they need to go and identifying services that may be able help Marylanders during this difficult time.
Together, we can reduce the effects on roadway congestion by teleworking, shifting work schedules, using transit, driving with colleagues or friends, biking, walking or using scooters for commuting and for non-work trips.
MDOT’s Commuter Choice Maryland Program offers free commuting resources,
incentives and support to commuters and employers to help them find the best commute during this unprecedented time. Please visit our dedicated webpage to learn more about options and programs available to help with commuting decisions. Grants Successes and Partnership Opportunities |
Maryland is a leader in pursuing and being awarded grants to support transportation infrastructure around the state. Under the Rail Vehicle Replacement Program, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) awarded the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) more than $213 million towards the replacement of its aging light rail fleet with state-of-the-art, modern, low-floor vehicles that are designed to make boarding more accessible to all passengers. Under the Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Grant Program, USDOT awarded several projects across
the state a combined total of $11.6 million to reconnect communities by improving access to daily needs. Visit our website to review projects that MDOT has been awarded and submitted for federal review. During the next few months, USDOT will be opening the Notice of Funding Opportunities
for several grants. Some include: Strengthening Mobility & Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART), Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program (RCN) and Promoting
Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient and Cost-saving Transportation (PROTECT). Reach out to discuss your capital priorities, federal funding opportunities and how we can work together. Please visit the MDOT IIJA Federal Discretionary Grant Information website to learn more about the resources we have developed for our partners and sign up for our monthly grant
newsletter. Email [email protected] with any questions or general inquiries. The 2023 Commuter Survey Final Report Now Available The Maryland Commuter Survey (MCS) provides an annual snapshot of commuting and related travel patterns among Maryland workers to help the Maryland Department of Transportation track performance and opportunities for
improvement of the state’s transportation systems. The 2023 survey, fielded between June and September, recorded data from a demographically and geographically balanced sample of 1,001 adult workers living in Maryland. Results were weighted to draw statistically representative findings about the state’s workforce. A key finding was that approximately
two thirds of workers had fully in-person schedules, similar to the proportion measured by a comparable survey in 2019. Fourteen percent (14%) of 2023 workers were fully remote, nearly three times the level in 2019. Eleven percent (11%) of commute trips were made by bus and rail transit, and demand for rail modes fluctuated substantially across weekdays due to hybrid workers, who commuted most often on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Future iterations of this survey will continue to track
these trends annually, shedding light on how Maryland’s transportation systems support commuting needs and informing how new and modified investments may support workers more effectively. Click here to read the full report. |
MTA Freight Rail Chestertown Line Worton Track Safety Project The MTA recently was awarded $2.5 million through a 2020 Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement (CRISI) Program grant from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) for the Chestertown Line Worton Track
Safety Project. This project supports the rehabilitation of two sections within a 1.4-mile segment of the Chestertown Line, located in Kent County, Maryland. The first section of the project is located between Mile Post 15.25 and Mile Post 15.49 and will involve the replacement of rail, crossties and ballast, as well as drainage improvements.
The second section of the project is located between Mile Post 16.12 and Mile Post 16.65 and will involve replacement of rail, crossties, and ballast; drainage improvements and replacement of a deteriorated switch serving the Eastman Specialties facility at Worton. Final lining and surfacing of the track will occur after 30 days of freight deliveries to ensure ballast consolidation. The completed project will address safety concerns and extend the life cycle of track to support continued safe
operation of the Chestertown Line.
MTA is managing and directing the development of the project in partnership with both MDOT and the Maryland and Delaware Railroad Company (MDDE). The project is also supported by Maryland Department of Commerce, the County Commissioners of Kent County and Eastman Specialties Corporation, which are contributing financially to the
project.
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Resources & Upcoming Meetings To learn more about other OPCP programs and upcoming meetings, click the links below. Programs Other Resources |
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