MACo has submitted comments to the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) expressing concerns about its proposed methodology for implementing a scoring model for major transportation projects.
Specifically, MACo raised concerns about the provisions in the proposal which penalize counties for failing to support proposals made by municipalities.
From the letter:
If allowed to stand as currently proposed, a variety of potentially unintended outcomes could result. A county with a relatively small municipal population could see its top priority project downgraded merely because it does not directly serve an incorporated area. In addition, providing each county – regardless of size or population – with the same fixed point value does not necessarily align with project capacity needs. A large county facing widespread congestion would have to “split” its points across multiple priority projects, but a smaller jurisdiction with only one capacity-related need would not.
