Friday, October 09, 2009
BRAC Still Short on Funding
The Joint Legislative Committee on Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) received a gloomy progress report this week from executive branch officials detailing state actions to facilitate impending BRAC job relocations. State Transportation Secretary Beverley Swaim-Staley noted that there was $98 million in the FY 2010 – 2015 Consolidated Transportation Plan for funding design and right of way acquisition for 16 intersection improvements in three counties (Anne Arundel, Harford and Montgomery) impacted by BRAC. The Department continues to aggressively pursue additional federal funds for the projects, which could cost over $400 million to construct.
Legislators on the Committee reacted with exasperation, seeing the inevitability of gridlock on the horizon. Delegate David Rudolph (Cecil Co.) asked “Could we have 16 intersections planned, but none completed by December 2011?” Department of Transportation officials acknowledged that this was possible, but hoped to scale back project costs and complete some of the more simple improvements. For more on BRAC, visit the state’s BRAC website. Contact Ron Wineholt for further information at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
