Yesterday The Baltimore Sun ran an editorial about Governor Hogan's announcement on his top legislative priority this session: repeal the "Road Kill Bill"  (i.e., the Maryland Open Transportation Investment Decision Act of 2016). Spoiler alert: it's not nice. Like any good dancer, actor or used car salesman, Gov. Larry Hogan has a "move." It's just a bit more elaborate than a feather step, a raised eyebrow or a pitch for $200 undercoating. His is the "straw man" — a…

Governor Hogan announced today, December 14, 2016 that his top legislative priority for the upcoming session is the immediate and full repeal of the Maryland Open Transportation Investment Decision Act of 2016, otherwise known as the "Scorecard" bill, or to Governor Hogan, the "Road Kill Bill." Maryland Transportation Secretary Pete Rahn joined the Governor in announcing the administration’s plan to submit emergency legislation to repeal the Act, which passed and became law with substantial support and over the…

Citing agreement with MACo's key concerns, the Maryland General Assembly's Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review (AELR) has placed the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT)'s draft regulations, COMAR 11.01.18.01 and 11.01.18.02, required by the Maryland Open Transportation Investment Decision Act of 2016, on hold for further review. AELR Committee Chairs Senator Roger Manno and Delegate Samuel Rosenberg attached MACo's comments to their letter sent to MDOT Secretary Pete Rahn on December 6, and stated in that…

Earlier this week MACo submitted comments to the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) on its draft regulations, COMAR 11.01.18.01 and 11.01.18.02, which are required by the Maryland Open Transportation Investment Decision Act of 2016. MACo recommended changes to the regulations that would improve their effectiveness and flexibility. MACo suggested that MDOT could implement the law more reasonably by offering flexibility in determining the population to be served by a project and by offering a scoring regime based upon differing…

On November 18 before the Maryland General Assembly's Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive, and Legislative Review (AELR), MACo testified alongside public works representatives from the County Engineers of Maryland and Cecil, Queen Anne's, Prince George's, and Harford counties that the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT)'s proposed Major Transportation Project Scoring and Ranking System regulations could have implemented the Maryland Open Transportation Investment Decision Act of 2016 in a more reasonable manner. From MACo's written testimony: Traditionally, the Department…

The Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) has filed draft regulations with the Maryland General Assembly's Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review (AELR) Committee, implementing the Maryland Open Transportation Investment Decision Act of 2016, informally referred to as the "scorecard" law. The draft regulations may be viewed here. Under the much-discussed law, MDOT must adopt regulations on or before January 1, 2017 to address certain aspects of that law. Specifically, it states that MDOT shall:  (1) In accordance with federal transportation…

In a letter sent today to Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) Deputy Secretary James Ports, MACo President John Barr offered MACo's aid to MDOT in collaborating to implement a project-based scoring system to prioritize major transportation projects. The letter responds to Ports' July 28 letter requiring counties to provide MDOT with substantial analyses of their requested priorities, in response to scoring system legislation passed last session. From MACo's letter: Following the receipt of your July 28 letter to county leaders, I write to…