Transportation and Public Works Archives

Construction Materials Up Over 6% Since January

A new report from the Association of Builders & Contractors shows prices have increased 6.2 percent from January to April. Construction materials costs jumped sharply in April, adding another pressure point for builders, developers, and public infrastructure projects. According to Associated Builders and Contractors’ analysis of federal Producer Price Index data, overall construction input prices rose 1.7% from March to April and are now up 6.2% since January, with nonresidential construction inputs rising even faster…

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May 19, 2026

County Budgets / Economic Development / Environment / Intergovernmental Relations / Risk Management / Transportation and Public Works

EPA Announces Funding for Sewer and Stormwater Infrastructure Projects

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced new funding to support sewer overflow and stormwater management projects across the Mid-Atlantic, including funding available to Maryland communities. The funding comes through the Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grant program, which provides resources to help local governments upgrade infrastructure and reduce pollution entering local waterways. Of the approximately $80 million made available nationwide, about $14.8 million is allocated across the Mid-Atlantic region, including Maryland. Maryland…

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May 5, 2026

Energy / Environment / Planning and Zoning / Transportation and Public Works

Virginia Energy Legislation Could Offer Lessons for Maryland

Virginia's SB621 requires utilities to use grid utilization metrics to more effectively manage grid loads, reduce energy losses. As electricity demand grows from data centers, electrification, economic development, and extreme weather, policymakers are looking for ways to get more out of the electric grid that already exists. One emerging focus is “grid utilization,” or better measuring how much existing transmission capacity is actually being used before assuming new infrastructure is the only answer. Virginia is…

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May 4, 2026

County Budgets / County News / Economic Development / General Assembly News / Intergovernmental Relations / State Budget and Fiscal Issues / Transportation and Public Works

News or Noise? Breaking Down Maryland’s 2026 Session

This week on the Conduit Street Podcast, longtime hosts Kevin Kinnally and Michael Sanderson are "back in the saddle" with a post-session "news or noise" breakdown of what really mattered, and what didn't, from Maryland's 2026 legislative session. Tune in to the Conduit Street Podcast weekly, wherever you get your podcasts! Subscribe to the Conduit Street Blog and stay in the know!

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May 1, 2026

Environment / Transportation and Public Works

AG Brown, MDE File Suit Against DC Water Over Potomac Spill

Maryland is suing DC Water over the Potomac River sewage spill earlier this year. Maryland’s Attorney General and the Maryland Department of the Environment have taken DC Water to court over the January collapse of a major sewer line in Montgomery County, arguing that the failure caused a massive sewage release into the Potomac River and nearby tributaries. According to the state, the rupture involved a 72-inch section of the Potomac Interceptor near the C&O…

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April 22, 2026

Business Affairs / County Budgets / County News / Courts / Economic Development / Education / Elections / Emergency Management / Employee Benefits and Relations / Energy / Environment / Feature / Finance and Procurement / General Assembly News / Government Liability and Courts / Health and Human Services / Housing and Community Development / Human Resources / Information Technology / Intergovernmental Relations / MACo Testimony / Parks and Recreation / Pensions & Public Funds / Planning and Zoning / Public Information and Ethics / Public Safety and Corrections / School Construction and Capital Budgets / State Budget and Fiscal Issues / Taxes and Revenues / Tourism / Transportation and Public Works

2026 Session: Recap and Wrap-Ups

Catch up on all of the latest outcomes of the 2026 Maryland General Assembly session with wrap-ups on important county-related bills in each policy area. Maryland’s 448th legislative session unfolded under significant fiscal pressure. Lawmakers closed the fiscal 2027 gap, preserved reserves, and fully funded principal commitments, such as the Blueprint, but did not resolve the larger structural deficits projected for the years ahead. That budget pressure shaped debates across nearly every policy area, from…

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April 17, 2026

County Budgets / County News / Economic Development / Education / Elections / Energy / Environment / General Assembly News / Housing and Community Development / Information Technology / Intergovernmental Relations / MACo Testimony / Public Safety and Corrections / Transportation and Public Works

Conduit Street Podcast: 90 Days Later — Sine Die Recap

This Week on the Conduit Street Podcast, we bring you an episode fresh from Sine Die to break down the 2026 legislative session from start to finish. Tune in to the Conduit Street Podcast weekly, wherever you get your podcasts! Subscribe to the Conduit Street Blog and stay in the know!

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April 17, 2026

MACo Testimony / Transportation and Public Works

2026 End of Session Wrap-Up: Transportation and Public Works

The segments below provide a brief overview of MACo’s work on transportation and public works policy in the 2026 General Assembly session. From maintaining local roadways and bridges to coordinating with state systems, county governments operate within a shared transportation network that depends on strong state partnership. MACo continues to press for sustainable, predictable investment in local transportation and public works systems. During Maryland's 448th session, transportation policy was shaped by broader fiscal pressures and…

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April 15, 2026

County Government and Structure / Intergovernmental Relations / Planning and Zoning / Taxes and Revenues / Transportation and Public Works

Mandatory Charter Government, Open Incorporation – Both Stalled Again

Two bills introduced and heard in the House of Delegates dealing with "structure of local government" matters appear to have been passed over for the 2026 session. One would have required all counties to adopt full executive/council charter government, and the other would have removed county review/approval of proposed municipal incorporations. With the "crossover" deadline now behind us, legislation that has not received approval from its original committee appears more likely to be defeated this…

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March 24, 2026

Environment / Transportation and Public Works

Where Major Infrastructure Bills Stand Post-Cross Over

Here is a look at several major infrastructure bills with less than three weeks remaining until Sine Die. Infrastructure has remained a major theme of the 2026 legislative session, particularly where it intersects with housing, energy, and environmental policy. Several high-impact bills remain in play, with significant implications for county governments. Below is a quick update on where things stand. Sewage Sludge - Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances - Regulation (HB 925/SB 719) – The bill…

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March 24, 2026