Television World Premiere for Documentary Airs Thursday, November 13, 9 p.m.           
          
November 10, 2008 – A century ago, Maryland boasted more than 14,000 miles of roads made of crushed stones, logs or oyster shells. But only about 100 miles of roads in the state at the time were paved. The rest were dirt – or mud, depending on the weather. And when it snowed, the snow was left to melt naturally, since it was considered an “act of God.” It was a rough time for travelers.          
          
At 9:00 p.m. Thursday, November 13th, Maryland Public Television will air the world premiere of a documentary that explores the hard road Maryland has traveled from centuries ago to the founding of the State Roads Commission in 1908, to its present state of national leadership in transportation. Moving Maryland Forward offers some fascinating lessons in how Maryland came to be known as the home of some of the best maintained highways in the nation.           
          
“This film celebrates the dedication of those men and women who came before us to create the road system we use every day, but often take for granted,” said Transportation Secretary John D. Porcari. “Today’s Marylanders count on our world class highway system to help drive our economy and quality of life. I urge every Marylander to learn about this important chapter in our state’s history.”          
          
While the film gives a nod to Maryland’s roads prior to the 20th century, the main focus is on the development of Maryland’s modern road system as it has expanded and improved over the course of the last 100 years.           
          
The documentary includes rarely seen footage of Maryland’s highways and bridges in various stages of construction, as well as interviews with a wide variety of the state’s transportation movers and shakers of the last 50 years.          
          
This world-premiere television airing caps a year long celebration of Maryland’s highways. With exhibits in the Baltimore Museum of Industry, the Maryland Science Center and at community and state fairs, the anniversary observance was developed in order to promote safety among drivers, motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians throughout the state, a message that was underscored through the centennial theme, “Buckle up. Live to be 100 like we are.”           
          
The centennial celebration has also been developed with the intention of reminding all Maryland citizens of the value of our modern transportation system.           
          
The timing of the premiere is based on the founding of the State Roads Commission in 1908, an organization that evolved into the State Highway Administration and the Maryland Transportation Authority under the (then newly-formed) Maryland Department of Transportation in 1970. Funding for the documentary is shared by also shared by a number of firms in private industry, many which have been longtime partners in the road-building industry.           
          
The Maryland Highway Centennial Executive Committee, chaired by John D. Porcari, Maryland Department of Transportation Secretary, and former Governor Harry Hughes, Honorary Centennial Chairman, is spearheading the effort to highlight the 100th Anniversary of the Maryland State Roads Commission. Partners in the effort include MDOT, the State Highway Administration, the Maryland Transportation Authority, the Federal Highway Administration, the Maryland Highway Safety Foundation, the Maryland Quality Initiative and Maryland Public Television.           
          
Platinum Sponsors include GMPT Baltimore Transmission; Johnson, Mirmiran & Thompson; M&T Bank; Rummel, Klepper & Kahl; and URS Corporation.          
          
Gold Sponsors include Ford Motor Driving Skills for Life; HNTB; KCI Technologies; PB; Wagman; and Whitman, Requardt & Associates.           
          
Silver Sponsors include Corman Construction; David A. Bramble; E. Stewart Mitchell; E2CR; HMS; National Capital Industries; P. Flanigan & Sons; Wallace, Montgomery & Associates; Whitney Bailey Cox & Magnani; and Wilbur Smith Associates.           
          
Bronze Sponsors include Chaney Enterprises; EBA Engineering; Fox Industries; Gray & Son; Greenman-Pedersen; High Steel Structures; Indam Engineers; McCormick Taylor; Priceless Industries; Reliable Contracting; and Standard Equipment Company.           
          
Friend Sponsors include Aggregate Industries; Constellation Design Group; Midasco; Paul J. Rach; and Wilson T. Ballard.           
          
Patron Sponsors include AAA Mid-Atlantic; American Traffic Safety Services; Century Engineering; Cianbro Corporation; Concrete General; Development Facilitators; Dewberry; DMJM Harris; Edward & Lorraine Moran; Highway Safety Services; JJID; Marinis Bros; Mid Atlantic Machinery; Nolan Associates; Pennoni Associates; Schnabel Engineering; Sidhu Associates; STV; and Vulcan Materials.           
          
Booster Supporters include American Road and Transport Builders Association, Bhavana & Neeraj Singh; Brudis & Associates; GeoStructures, Inc.; Maryland Motor Truck Association; Penn Line Service; Prime Engineering; RJM Engineering; and United Parcel Service.           
          
Supporter Sponsors include A. Morton Thomas & Associates; American Highway Users Alliance; American Society of Highway Engineers; BST Advisory Network; Guardrails Etc.; Hunt Valley Contractors; JMT Employees; Maryland Highway Users Federation; Ramar Moving Systems; Sabra Wang Associates; WMDA; and the Women's Transportation Seminar.          
          
          
          
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