MD: Baltimore light rail, state highways set for upgrades under $22B MDOT plan

Baltimore residents will see better light rail service by 2034 and several Maryland counties will see their own road and highway improvements as early as 2031 under the Maryland Department of Transportation’s newly finalized Consolidated Transportation Plan (CTP).

The $22.1 billion investment is meant to improve transportation across the state by making public transportation and roads safer, more efficient and more accessible. Gov. Wes Moore and the Maryland General Assembly passed $400 million in additional revenue for the plan during the last legislative session.

“The final CTP builds on the Moore-Miller administration’s goals to make transportation across the state safer, more reliable and more efficient while also increasing affordability, accessibility and resiliency,” Transportation Secretary Katie Thomson said in a statement. “This program will get transportation priorities back on track and rev up Maryland’s economy.”

Light rail, Dundalk terminal projects move forward

MDOT will invest $1 billion in Baltimore’s Central Light Rail Line to upgrade infrastructure and service. The overhaul includes 52 new low-floor vehicles for quicker, accessible boarding, upgraded stations, modern traffic controls, and new tracks and control systems.

The agency promises trains every seven minutes, down from 15, with safer intersections and improved maintenance. Procurement for design and construction is underway, with vehicle replacements starting in 2031 and project completion expected by 2034. MDOT plans to minimize delays during construction.

Meanwhile at the Dundalk Marine Terminal, berths 11 through 13 will be reconstructed to handle more vessels after deterioration limited cargo capacity.

The $314.8 million reconstruction will fix the 50% reduction in capacity for heavy equipment at the terminal by restoring the use of berths 11 through 13 to full capacity. Phase 1 is currently underway, costing $51.4 million. The entire project is expected to begin construction this year and finish by 2028.

Improvements for Montgomery, Washington

Georgia Avenue, MD 97, in Montgomery County will see multiple safety improvements from 16th Street to Forest Glen Road under the MDOT plan. The center reversible lane will be replaced with a raised median with turn lanes at Forest Glen Road, Flora Lane and Columbia Boulevard going southbound and Seminary Place going northbound.

The road will also get protected cycle tracks, new traffic signals and both safety and accessibility upgrades, with a pedestrian crosswalk at the MD 97 and Flora Lane intersection. Design wraps up by February, with construction slated for 2028.

Veteran’s Memorial Highway ( Interstate 81) will receive improvements from the West Virginia state line to Conococheague Street in Hagerstown. The project, currently in its design phase, will widen the roadway from two to three lanes and replacing railroad tracks north of Halfway Boulevard.

The corridor will also see ramp improvements along Interstate 70 and Halfway Boulevard, new stormwater management facilities, noise abatement, new traffic signals alongside dynamic message signs and new landscaping.

Currently, the Veteran Memorial Highway corridor project is coordinating with environmental agencies to assess mitigating impact on environmental resources. The design phase is 65% complete and construction is anticipated to begin 2027.

Improvements for Frederick County

Jefferson National Pike ( U.S. 15) and Frederick Freeway ( U.S. 40) in Frederick County will undergo major upgrades aimed at improving safety, easing congestion and reducing noise as part of the MDOT plan. The work will stretch from Eisenhower Memorial Highway ( Interstate 70) to Liberty Road ( Maryland 26).

U.S. 15 will be widened from two lanes to three in each direction by extending the roadway toward the median, while bridges on both highways will be widened to accommodate the added lanes and increased traffic.

The project also includes a new Intelligent Transportation System to monitor traffic flow and congestion, along with flood mitigation improvements, noise walls and new landscaping with trees and shrubs.

The project is currently in the design phase, with crews inspecting drainage along the corridors. Design work is expected to wrap up this fall, with construction scheduled to begin in 2028.

Eastern Shore projects rejected

On the Eastern Shore, long-sought road projects in Worcester County remain unfunded or years away from construction under Maryland’s newly finalized plan, drawing renewed frustration from local officials as congestion worsens along key corridors.

Among the most significant projects, improvements to MD 589 — Racetrack Road in Ocean Pines — remain on hold despite a completed feasibility study. Planned upgrades to MD 90 between U.S. 50 and MD 528, including bridge replacements over the St. Martin River and Assawoman Bay, are still in early stages, with environmental analysis and engineering not expected to begin until fiscal 2027.

The Route 50 bridge into Ocean City, a critical gateway for the resort town, also remains unfunded, even though planning is complete.

“This roadway is congested longer and longer throughout the year,” Worcester County Commissioner Chip Bertino said of MD 589. “It creates backups, inhibits emergency response on holidays and is becoming more dangerous. We’ve repeatedly asked the state to make this a priority, and it keeps falling on deaf ears.”

MDOT acknowledged that not all projects could be funded, noting demand routinely exceeds available dollars.

“Anything that isn’t funded in this CTP certainly gets reconsidered each funding round,” said Geoff Anderson, MDOT’s chief of planning, programming and project delivery.

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