March 18th, 2019 by WCBC Radio

To ensure all Marylanders have a voice in transportation projects, the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) is inviting the public to comment through April 17 on the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP), a four-year, prioritized set of transportation projects compiled from state, local and regional plans. 

“Through this effort, all Marylanders will have input in developing and delivering a better transportation network across the state,” said MDOT Secretary Pete K. Rahn.

The STIP is used to request federal funding for projects in Maryland’s legislatively approved six-year transportation budget, known as the Consolidated Transportation Program (CTP). These projects were presented to the public for initial comment in the fall when officials toured Maryland’s 23 counties and Baltimore City.

The STIP compiles regional metropolitan Transportation Improvement Programs with projects in non-metropolitan areas to provide a comprehensive list of local and regional priority projects, using the CTP and the 2040 Maryland Transportation Plan as guides. Maryland is federally required to update the STIP every four years.  However, MDOT develops a new STIP closer to every two years and solicits comments in accordance with federal law.  The STIP was last updated in 2016.

The draft STIP can be viewed at mdot.maryland.gov/STIP.  The public can comment by emailing  mdotplanning@mdot.state.md.us, or sending a letter to STIP Comments Office of Planning & Capital Programming, Maryland Department of Transportation, 7201 Corporate Center Drive, Hanover, Maryland 21076.  This is the final phase of public comments on the FY 2019 STIP before it’s submitted to the US Department of Transportation for approval.