ANNAPOLIS, MD (March 20, 2008) – Governor Martin O’Malley today announced Maryland’s commitment to the new I-795/Dolefield Interchange in Owings Mills to help reduce congestion, enhance economic development and improve safety in northwestern Baltimore County. The project has been a top priority for Baltimore County since 1999.           
          
“In Maryland, we are working to create a statewide vision for transportation and infrastructure to connect the tremendous intellectual power and creative energy of our workforce to economic opportunity that exists in our State,” said Governor O’Malley. “Today, we are investing in a core transportation project that will help meet the needs of one of Baltimore County’s key growth areas. This new interchange project is a perfect example of how Maryland benefits when local and State government work together as partners.”          
          
Joined by Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith, Governor O’Malley committed a $28 million investment in Baltimore County to move the project forward. Baltimore County is partnering with the State by contributing $625,000 to the project.           
          
Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith has made this interchange project his top priority in order to provide the necessary infrastructure for this designated growth area. The interchange will play a vital role in supporting the Red Run Employment Corridor and Owings Mills Transit-Oriented development, which fall within the project limits. Presently, I-795 in Owings Mills carries nearly 73,000 vehicles each day. This average daily traffic is expected to increase to more than 101,000 vehicles by the year 2030.           
          
“We are grateful for the Governor’s support of Baltimore County,” said Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith. “This interchange and the County’s extensions to Dolfield Boulevard are essential to the growth and vitality of the Owings Mills community – now and for years to come.”          
          
The $28 million Dolefield Interchange project is just one of a series of projects Governor O’Malley has added to the current $10.6 billion six-year capital transportation budget. Governor O’Malley announced a total of $513 million in transit and highway improvements for Baltimore County designed to address traffic congestion and both BRAC and non-BRAC related growth.          
          
Yesterday, Governor O’Malley addressed members of the Greater Washington Board of Trade, Greater Washington Board of Trade, the Prince George’s Black Chamber of Commerce, the Prince George’s Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Prince George’s Business Roundtable, the Prince George’s County Council and other elected officials, business organizations, developers and environmental groups from around Maryland on his Transit Oriented Development initiative and unveiled his vision for the development of sustainable communities around Maryland’s existing transit stations. His initiative includes promoting future growth in areas served by transit, to enhance economic vitality, increase transit ridership, reduce sprawl and vehicle emissions impacting the environment and improve the quality of life in the state. Governor O’Malley has introduced legislation (HB373/SB 204) that would invest in transit communities on equal footing with other transportation priorities and remove legal road blocks to using state resources and land for such communities.           
          
          
          
Other projects funded for the Baltimore Metropolitan Region in the Governor O’Malley’s six-year capital transportation budget include:          
          
· $52 million for new MARC passenger coaches          
          
· $125 million for MARC Penn Line improvements          
          
· $17 million for MARC Camden Line improvements          
          
· $237 million for system preservation investments in Metro, Light Rail, and Buses          
          
· $40 million for construction of Phase I of the Charles Street / Beltway Interchange to build a new Charles Street Bridge over the Beltway to improve traffic flow and improve safety for motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians          
          
· $28 million in engineering funds to move to move forward the I-795 / Dolefield Interchange, which is a key economic development project for Baltimore County          
          
· $11 million for streetscape improvements along US 40 from Middle River to MD 43, including resurfacing and landscaping that will also improve safety and traffic operations          
          
· $3 million to improve traffic flow in the heart of Towson, including the Towson Roundabout          
          
          
          
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