Olszewski Releases Statement on State Transportation Funding in Baltimore County

Following The Baltimore Sun's March 13 editorial, Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski today issued the following statement reiterating his concerns on funding for local transportation and transit systems.

"As I’ve consistently said, significant funding cuts to Maryland’s transportation system adversely impacts access to safe, reliable services that are a fundamental need for so many residents across the entire Baltimore region.

We continue to feel pinched by Highway User Revenues that were gutted in 2009 — leaving Baltimore County with a $450 million gap between pre and post 2009 funding levels. I know that my colleagues across the state continue to feel this pinch, too.

We continue to see major infrastructure projects, like the Dolfield interchange — a top County priority for 15 years — delayed and jeopardized.

And we continue to receive an inequitable allocation of Locally Operated Transportation (LOTS) funding — while our calls for a revised, transparent, and population-based formula remain unanswered.

It is clear the state inherited challenges created by a prior administration, but we cannot allow that to be a reason for Maryland not to act.

As I have said before, I encourage all our state leaders to explore long-term, sustainable solutions. By having hard conversations now, we can finally begin to reverse the years of disinvestment and focus on what truly matters—finding ways to keep us connected and ensuring our residents can access the lifechanging job opportunities, education, healthcare, and entertainment that make our neighborhoods the thriving communities we know they are and can be."