MTA to get $22M for Baltimore East-West Priority Corridor project

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg Friday announced the Biden administration will give $22 million to the Maryland Department of Transportation’s Maryland Transit Administration through the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary grants program.

The MTA plans to use the money for the Baltimore East-West Priority Corridor project, which will add dedicated bus lanes, transit signal priority, ADA improvements, bus stop enhancements, and bicycle infrastructure along an approximately 20-mile corridor in Baltimore city and Baltimore County.

The project will foster a safe transportation system for vulnerable road users and reduce crashes through the implementation of dedicated bus lanes and safe bicycle infrastructure. It is also designed to greatly improve connectivity to essential services, jobs, and healthcare, further improving the quality of life. Dedicated bus lanes are also expected to produce travel time savings.

The project’s ADA improvements also greatly improve transportation choices for people walking and rolling.

Fiscal Year 2021 RAISE Transportation discretionary grants are for planning and capital investments in surface transportation infrastructure and were awarded on a competitive basis for projects that will have a significant local or regional impact. RAISE funding supports roads, bridges, transit, rail, ports or intermodal transportation.

Per statute, the department is awarding 50% of RAISE Transportation grant funding to projects located in rural areas and 50% to urban areas that deliver positive benefits for these communities.  For this round of RAISE Transportation discretionary grants, the maximum grant award is $25 million and no more than $100 million can be awarded to a single state, as specified in the appropriations act.

The total FY 21 RAISE investment in American infrastructure was nearly $1 billion, awarded to 90 projects in 47 states, the District of Columbia and Guam.

The program selection criteria encompassed safety, environmental sustainability, quality of life, economic competitiveness, state of good repair, innovation, and partnerships with a broad range of stakeholders. Within these criteria, the grants reflect the Department’s priorities for creating good-paying jobs, improving safety, applying transformative technology and explicitly addressing climate change and advancing racial equity.