Maryland legislature considers policies to increase transparency and accountability in transportation

In Maryland we suffer some of the worst traffic congestion in the country. By investing in a modern transportation system we could reduce congestion, improve air quality and serve communities in need.

In less than 3 weeks the Maryland legislature will decided on a set or policies that could put Maryland’s transportation systems on the right track.

Maryland PIRG is supporting trasportation policies that:

• Create an open, transparent process for choosing the transportation projects to be funded with taxpayer dollars. (HB1013/SB0908).
• Repeal the farebox recovery requirement for the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA), which is a strong disincentive for investing in transit. The requirement that transit tickets sales cover at least 35% of operating costs is unusual and doesn’t take into account the full costs and benefits of public transportation.  (HB0891/SB1035).
• Create an oversight board for the MTA to increase effectiveness, efficiency, and accountability to the people and local governments MTA serves. (HB1010).

With more open, transparent, and accountable decision making and oversight we can build a transportation system that reflects and supports the way Marylanders want to travel.