Carroll County, MD Board of County Commissioners Open Sessions, 13 Oct 2022

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From YouTube: Carroll County MDOT CTP Fall Tour Meeting

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Okay, okay, commissioner, ed rothstein- and I am very delighted.

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To have here, our secretary of maryland transportation, department of transportation.

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Secretary potts and his team welcome, sir, to carroll county, as I shared, uh I believe we.

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Did so much value during mako during summer mako, and we cannot, uh you know, really understand the.

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Impact that that has in a continuing basis so we're having a continuing message coming across.

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Consistency is so important in understanding our priorities, and you know walking through.

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The vision and the master plan of carroll county and how it dovetails to the partnership and the.

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Work that you're doing, sir, with uh with your team on the uh the highways that intersect.

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In in the county um and why they're so important to us some more important than others, I also have.

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In the audience, besides, staff and I expect your staff as well some of the leadership from the h.

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Jurisdictions and we'll give them an opportunity, and I'm saying that now because last time I forgot.

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To say that so we'll give them the opportunity to uh to ask and uh comment um as they wish, but.

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Sir, I believe the uh the floor is yours to kick this off great well, thank you for the record. My.

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Name is jim ports, I'm secretary from maryland, department of transportation? Thank you for.

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Inviting us to provide our overview of our draft consolidated transportation program, better known.

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As the ctp for fiscal years 2023 through 2028., so I brought our mdot team with me today from state.

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Highway administration administrator tim smith and acting district engineer andrew radcliffe.

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um And I heard he's already reached out to you absolutely on the job uh drinking.

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From the fire hose, I guess right, andrew as they say, uh-huh get used to it, buddy um from.

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Maryland transportation, it's already planning a program: development director, melissa williams,.

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From maryland transit administration, we have local transit support director travis johnston.

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From motor vehicle administration field operations, director rashad johnson.

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And from maryland aviation administration, regional aviation assistant, director, ashish salaka solanki.

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Thank you. I said that all the time I have like a it's a baltimore thing. I think I don't know.

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Also also joining us from the secretary's office, regional planner, dan janasak,.

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Where is the dead? Oh there he is, and director of government affairs, pilar, helm.

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So I first want to thank you. You mentioned mako. I want to thank you for visiting it with us at mako.

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I think mako is a great opportunity for us to connect and understand how we can work together.

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To develop solutions for your local challenges and I think over the years we've developed a.

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Really really good working relationship together, and I can't emphasize enough that we're not only.

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Available at mako or here at the ctp meetings as and I know you all know this, as you know,.

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We're available anytime through email phone text, whatever I know, I've gotten several messages from.

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You all in the past so more than happy to do that and I'm proud of our entire team, because.

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If, if you don't know one thing, you know we're accessible and we get things done so since our.

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Meeting at mako we've already addressed several key issues for your county, commissioner, watts.

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Steve you brought up some concerns about route, 86 and church street intersection in in lineborough.

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Our team is conducting a traffic and engineering review that is expected to be completed this month.

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And we'll share those results once that review is completed excellent. So thank you for sharing.

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That with us, commissioner boucher, regarding your request to prioritize prioritize, a replacement.

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Of union bridge over the little pipeline creek on maryland 75 due to concerns about current.

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Capacity and flooding we're continuing to assess the bridge and your concerns.

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And we'll make that data available when the assessment is completed. Thank you very much.

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And now I'd like to take a minute to look back over what we've done uh with this administration.

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Working in partnership from counties all over over the state from western shore to eastern.

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Shore and uh I should say western maryland- east western shore, uh thanks to governor hogan's record.

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Investments in transportation, infrastructure we've accomplished a great deal over the last.

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Eight years with governor hogan's leadership, mdot immediately began moving forward on the.

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Top priorities of transportation in every region across the state we've improved 100 of the state's.

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Highway system, making our roads and bridges much safer and less congested, we expanded several busy.

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State roads into four lane divided highways to improve safety of reduced number head-on.

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Collisions including maryland, 32 and uh also 404, and we just opened up the nice middleton bridge.

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Yesterday, which took a two-lane, undivided highway or bridge into a four-lane, divided bridge, so.

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We're really getting a lot of things done and, oh speaking, of bridges of the 69, poorly rated bridges.

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We identified in 2015 sha repaired or replaced all of them and we're continuing to dress the.

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Aging infrastructure we now have 26 poorly rated bridges, that's a historical low for the state.

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Of maryland and all these bridges are now under construction, funded for construction or in design.

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Also in our list of accomplishments is to switch to all electronic tolling across the.

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State the move is keeping traffic flowing, easing congestion and helping the environment by not.

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Having idling cars and speaking of tolls, you'll hear a little bit more about this later, but very.

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Important reminder time is running out to pay your unpaid tolls and have the late fees waived back in.

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February we announced a customer assistance plan to help you help your constituents and.

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We've given customers nine months to get their late fees waived by paying their unpaid tolls.

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On september 1st, we started 90-day countdown. In fact, with 31 days in october, we actually throw.

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In an extra day, but uh that grace period ends november 30th, so the clock is ticking as of today.

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Everyone only has 48 more days left to pay their tolls and get those fees waived. If you haven't.

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Already done so, please remind your friends: neighbors colleagues co-workers anybody. You.

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Know to take advantage of getting those uh tolls waived or not the tolls wave, the fees wave and.

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um Yeah yeah that one I got, I got a little over the top there, but listen don't tell. Will.

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um But yeah so let everybody know take advantage of this money savings opportunity and uh looking.

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To transit, our systems are also more reliable. Thanks to governor hogan's, historical investments,.

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To lower maintenance, related interruptions and as our infrastructure governor.

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Governor hogan kept maryland's port, an airport open for business throughout the pandemic, with.

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Continued investments at bwi, thurgood, marshall, airport and maryland's port of baltimore at bwi.

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We are handling more air cargo than reagan, national and dulles combined and when container.

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Ships were backing up at other ports around the country. You saw that on the news. There were no.

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Delays here at maryland's, port of baltimore, in fact, we welcomed ships that were diverted here.

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Because they could not be served elsewhere, we'll hear more about these and other major milestones.

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From our transportation business units in just a moment, but mono stressed that governor hogan has.

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Delivered more projects and more money to local jurisdictions through the highway user revenues.

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During this past legislative session, I know you all know he worked across the aisle to get a.

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Good deal for the local jurisdictions, increasing the amount of hurs by 33 percent. The successful.

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Negotiations allowed us to amend a bill to be even better than what was originally proposed.

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And that's a dramatic increase to help you find your transportation priorities and will help.

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Provide local matching funds to capitalize on funds that may be available through the.

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Bipartisan infrastructure, investment and jobs act that we call the iija mdot is here to help.

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You navigate that federal process. We did talk about that at mayco. There are some grants that.

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Are only available to local governments, not state government we're prohibited for putting.

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In for them and we'll help you any way we can to navigate that, and that brings us.

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To iija funds and everybody's been asking me for nine months what the heck we're funding, what iija.

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Was all here in this book? This is it. This is what we're funding, and I do want to stress, however, that.

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It is not all new money, it includes a federal formula funding, including projects that were.

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Already in our fy 2022 through 2027 ctp, so during the next six years in the draft 23-28.

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Ctp maryland is programmed 1.3 billion dollars of new iija funds. It's 178 million dollars for.

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Airports, 166 million dollars for transit and 966 million for highways. Now those allocations I just.

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Mentioned are based on a federal formula that is outlined in the iija by the federal government.

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So we're working closely with our federal partners on specific criteria to uh to program additional.

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Projects for both transit and highways and this funding will go a long way to state of good repair.

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It's important to governor hogan and, quite frankly, me to advance at least one new priority project in.

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Every county and baltimore city and to form a new highway transit or aviation project and they're.

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Also potential for some additional projects and discretionary grants that are part of iija, so.

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We're exploring those, and, as always as I mentioned, we're here, to help you apply for any grants. We may.

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Be able to get shifting to the details of the ctp, I could start off by telling you this is.

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The largest transportation budget, ever the draft 23 through 28ctp, totals 19.9 billion.

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Dollars, that's 2.2 billion dollars more than the fy 22 through 27, but uh ctp of about 17.7 billion.

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As noted earlier, this draft ctp includes a large increase in hur funds, which you could spend on.

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Local projects at 33 percent increase delivers hundreds of millions of dollars more thanks to the.

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Agreement between the governor and the legislators that increase of nearly 2.2 billion in this draft.

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Ctp includes 1.3 billion in additional iiza funds, improved revenue, estimates, post pandemic.

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And mdot's higher share of the state corporate income tax ctp also devotes 35 of the budget at.

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6.9 billion dollars to system preservation- that's 800 million dollars more than last year's ctp.

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So these dollars are critical to achieve and maintain a state of good repair for our.

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Roads, bridges, rail and airports, as well as support and just as important ctp allows us.

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Allows our transportation system to contribute directly to maryland's economic recovery and.

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That's the balance that we need to maintain our assets, deliver major projects and plan for the.

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Future: that's how we deliver a network, that's safe, reliable, accessible and inclusive for all.

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Marylanders, I just want to say what an honor it's been working with our dedicated team of.

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Ndot employees and that's all throughout the the department to deliver projects and services every.

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Day as a matter of fact, I've been highlighting their hard work in a video series that we.

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Started, it's called ports supports employees and in those videos we show wait. What yeah.

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Just let it ride yeah, it's all good, so poor yeah! I got it anyway. uh Video. We have a video of uh me.

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Showing what it's like to be a crane operator in a new panamax cranes, 165 feet up in the air.

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If you do watch that video you'll see I'm scared of death of heights, that's one of the things I'm.

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Scared to death of- and you will not see, a sequel to that video- you have to climb a ladder to get up.

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There a ladder and an elevator yeah gotta climb a ladder, two floors to get an elevator to go up.

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Difficult to 165 feet right to get in a glass box where the first thing they do is tell you to put a.

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Seat belt on and I'm like, am I going to crash? I'm not gonna hit anybody ever but anyway, you'll see.

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um I also took time to go out with state highway crews to learn how to fill potholes.

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And I did quite frankly, every single job on that pothole crew and uh they were a little surprised.

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About that- and I also went out and picked up litter with sha crews, and so with that.

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I'm gonna talk a little trash and uh later on, our highways cost us all. Some serious dough, 60.

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Million dollars over the last eight years, that's about seven million dollars per year- that it costs.

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Us on average to pick up trash think about that waste. I'm sure everybody in this room can figure.

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Out better ways to spend seven million dollars per year at mdot, we launched this program.

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I couldn't wait to start this program. This is something this is kind of like my baby. If you.

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Will and so we created two superheroes recycled, ruby and can of clay and the reason we create the.

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Superheroes is so that we could have kids, shame their parents and to not throwing stuff out the.

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Window, if you look how this bag works, you got the two products that come down from the headrest. You.

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Click these around the headrest and it sits on the back of your front seat, dispose this stuff.

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Properly in here and get rid of it when you reach your destination, so we need your help.

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To start spreading that word, because I think it's that's just state highways. It's I'm sure you guys.

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Hear the same thing that we do and uh I think if we all do our part, we can stop garbage and.

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60 million dollars from get ready for work, steve litter only uh going out the window. Okay, see that.

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See how that works, I'm just surprised that one of those superheroes didn't have ports. Aside of.

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Some sort well never mind the next batch um anyway, but I'm sure I'm sure if you asked tim smith right.

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Next to me, uh if he'd rather find different ways to spend that money, I'm sure he could and quite.

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Frankly, being out there, I found out how unsafe it is for our crews and we need to. We need to.

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Protect our employees so hope you helped spread the word and with that, um it's a good segue to.

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Turn it over to tim smith. Thank you absolutely good afternoon, county commissioners. It's uh I.

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Think we were in virtual last year, so it's good to be in person with you this year. uh It's.

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Actually jim mentioned it, but it's a privilege to lead the state highway team. I know we got.

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Andrew radcliffe serving you now and dan houck is his deputy district engineer. So I know you're.

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In good hands we don't just don't necessarily rebuild in state highway. We just kind of reload.

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um But uh last year, when we were a virtual, I discussed how we were building a shelf of projects.

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And it mainly fell into three different areas. One was kind of asset management where we're looking.

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To keep our infrastructure in a state of good repair, and that means beyond pavement and bridges.

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That means traffic signals drainage uh traffic barrier. Second was a kind of accessibility where.

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We're looking at our you know our vulnerable users, not just those folks behind the wheel, but trying.

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To make sure our pedestrian and bicyclists are, you know able to get the 0.8 a to b safely as well and.

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Lastly, kind of that third third part of that stool, uh three-legged stool, is, is mobility and we're.

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Looking at opportunities to alleviate congestion, but maybe doing a little differently than we've.

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Done in the past, we're trying to use our existing footprint and use technology combined with some.

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Geometric improvements to improve the efficiency and safety of cars moving from points a to b, like.

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I said using our existing footprint potentially losing some shoulders more than we've done in the.

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Past so you'll see through uh the sha pages of the ctp. We have a suite of those type of projects that.

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Reflect that theme of accessibility as asset management and mobility secretary ports talked.

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About the progress we made statewide, I just kind of want to highlight a few that we we've done here.

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In carroll county one, I know we was brought up in mako the last few years, but just addressing the.

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Recon, you know intersection there at mayberry, 140 and mayberry road, um so that project we started.

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Earlier this year, but that what we're going to be doing is uh updating the turn lanes, error, adding.

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Improved traffic signal and enhanced shoulders for bicyclists, as well as doing some storm water.

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Management improvement through that location, hurry up leah, yes, sir. I wish you would have done it. The.

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Opposite way, but I'm sure there's a reason that you didn't. But it's a bit of a rubik's cube. But.

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Yes, I know that's a little bit of a mess there. It's it's a little wonky at that intersection.

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Keep going walking anyway, um is that a carroll county terms, it's a tiny town term yeah. That's.

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That northbound side or westbound northwest bound, I guess, was the one. That's really critical, because.

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A lot of buses come in that way to turn right to the school of the school. So I know you're going.

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To continue the efforts- and I truly do appreciate that plus we do appreciate the fact that you've.

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Made that intersection a lot safer, because you're pushed back uh some of the embankments.

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There so well done on that too. So, thank you. No problem, nice, so also in partnership with the.

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County uh we're making upgrades to the drainage system there in sykesville on maryland, 851.

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um We stand ready and prepared to begin the construction. I know the county is working on some.

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Other additional utilities through that area, but ultimately that scope we're going to be upgrading.

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Sidewalks doing curb and gutter and as well as painting springfield through sykesville I'll just.

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Share with you and I'm sure the mayor later on, may discuss further it's important to look at that.

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Holistically and not just piecemealing one part of 851 or main street, but you know you got it feeds.

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Into the bridge that cross over to howard county, so you got the bridge, you got 851, you got the two.

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Feeder roads going down into 851, so looking at it in its entirety, is going to be important. One to.

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Come up with a plan, that's you know between us, the town and the county. You know us the county.

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The town and you, but then also for expectation management of the community on when roads will.

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Either be disrupted, or you know, the community will be disrupted because there is a lot of activity.

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In the cooler small town in america- and we don't want to disrupt that any more than we have to so.

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Just continue to look at that because you talked about the bridges, and that does concern me that.

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It's just a very complex problem set yeah so agree. We need to look at it as a system and.

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The the seamlessness between whether it's a city, municipality, county or state, that's.

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That's something we all need to coordinate and partner together with to include both counties.

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And howard county, as a matter of fact, uh it's something that we struggle with all the time.

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um Obviously we, the state, are not in charge of zoning and development right.

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uh You all are at the local level, so both counties as well as your municipalities,.

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And the more that you could share that information, the better uh when we talk about piecemeal, what.

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Occurs most of the time you'll have one development coming in you'll know another.

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Two or three coming in, but we don't know about them right and we can only address the ones that.

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We know about right so, to whatever extent you, the local jurisdiction um and or howard county uh can.

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Work together, we can work with you all that helps us determine the mitigation that may be needed.

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By the developments so that we can have a seamless system as we move forward, but that's that's the.

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Coordination, we need yeah absolutely, and that makes perfect sense. That's why I look forward to.

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Working with andrew, uh you know, following up after this so good and by the way it also helps it also.

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Helps spread out the mitigation factors between all the developments that are occurring instead of.

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Hitting this one with this piece and this one with this piece or not, hitting this one with recipes.

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Because they've done that a lot and then hitting this last one with everything right and it makes.

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It extremely difficult then, for to develop, so we really need to to look at how to streamline that.

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Process and and coordinate it better, absolutely, okay, thank you and then just you hear me talk.

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About asset management and just looking at our our infrastructure is so next spring. We're going.

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To start working on replacing the two structures there near finksburg on maryland, 91 one over the.

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Patapsco north branch there, as well as the the one right adjacent to it, for the railroad so.

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um Your secretary talk about it, but we're kind of harnessing the the benefit of our.

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Iija enabled funding and we'll be putting like, so we put that in our projects, but we look at.

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That over the next five years, a couple of those I like I said I wanted to highlight here just in.

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Carroll county is we're we're, starting with the design and construction of another portion of the.

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Overall, maryland 32 corridor between sykesville there and eldersburg, uh basically, second street.

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To main street, that project will address the county's top uh transportation priority for.

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A safety and mobility improvements, uh so we're going to break that out as part of the overall.

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Plan through there, but what we're doing is improving site distances as well as traffic.

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Flow there, specifically at second street that will improve safety and also traffic operations.

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There and then further, I guess a little further north there, north of westminster near the airport.

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um More fun or ihas, enabling us to initiate a feasibility study for potential transportation.

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Improvements along the maryland 97 corridor, like I said north of 140 there, so these activities will.

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Help us kind of identify some potential solutions, as well as potential environmental impacts in the.

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Area and with this early planning approach, it will support kind of the county's overall growth.

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In that area, but also help make decisions, what we need for right away- and I know that was also.

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Kind of discussed during our mako discussion, so I guess we kind of already talked about it and.

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And we can see the collaboration already kind of going as we're talking here just want to continue.

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I think the better we understand each other's priorities, our needs and constraints. We can.

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Build a better product for our customers, whether they're, you know focused on state roads, county.

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Roads and municipality roads, so I appreciate your patience listening to me um and I'll turn it over.

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To the ball, turn the ball over to our teammate at mdta, melissa williams. Now do you want us to.

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um Discuss any other sha issues, let's wait until we do the presentation and we'll be.

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Happy to answer any questions might might flow better, perfect, okay, okay, thank you very much.

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Tim, the secretary mentioned time, is running out with mdta's civil penalty waiver grace period.

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They urge you to take advantage of the plan now by paying unpaid video tools, either in one payment or.

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Incrementally between now and 11, 59 pm on november 30th for every video toll transaction paid in full.

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During the nine-month waiver of grace period, the related civil penalty is waived, not the toll just.

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The civil test, build referrals to the central collection unit and mba have ceased temporarily.

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But will resume on december 1st at that time, customers will become responsible for the full.

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Amounts of all unpaid tools and civil penalties, which will be due based on the printed dates on.

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Their bills, colin webchat, wait times are much lower than before, so customers can easily reach.

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Out to resolve any of their tolling questions or address any of their needs, the mdta has completed.

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Posting online all maryland customer tools that were deferred during the covid-19 pandemic, mdta.

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Encourages customers is to check their accounts at driveezmd.com and to pay their tools now before.

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Civil penalties are assigned, you should have received a letter encouraging you to alert your.

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Constituents to start their total payments now, please don't wait until it's too late.

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For those of you, traveling on the bay bridge, we've just completed open houses for the 28.

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Million dollar bay crossing study, tier 2 national environmental policy act in early september.

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The governor announced the funding for tier two in june following the federal highway.

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Administration's april approval of combined final environmental impact statement and record.

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Of decision for the bay crossing study, tier 1 nepa study four to five year tier 2 study.

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Will build upon the tier one findings and identify specific alignment corridors within corridor? Seven.

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Two mile wide corridor runs from the severn river bridge in anne arundel county to the u.s 5301.

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Split in queen anne's county county, please visit baycrossingstudy.com. If you would like to read.

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More information on that, thank you, and I would now like to turn driver to travis johnston from.

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Mta thanks melissa good afternoon commissioners, I'm glad to be here with you today to report that.

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It's an exciting time to be working in transit in maryland through the office of local transit.

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Support mta continues to ensure transit systems across the state remain a safe and reliable.

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Transportation option for local residents, mta is also preparing for the future of transit. We are.

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Currently, in the final stages of completing the first 50-year statewide transit plan, building upon.

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Existing regional and local transit plans across the state. The plan will outline a 50-year vision.

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For transit in maryland and help define transit needs across the state for future generations. We.

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Appreciate carroll county's participation in the development of the plan and look forward to moving.

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In the implementation, last, but certainly not least, mta makes a significant investment in transit in.

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Carroll county, by providing nearly 1.3 million dollars in operating and capital grants to support.

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The local transit operation- thank you. I will now turn it over to mva field operations. Director.

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Rashad johnson, thank you travis and good afternoon. Commissioners at the mba. We continue to focus on.

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Providing premier customer service, both in and out of our service branches, one of the greatest.

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Ways we've been able to do this is the completion of our award-winning I.t modernization project.

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Customer connect in december 2021 nba completed the final phase of customer connect combining.

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Multiple legacy systems into one system by linking driver and vehicle accounts, both the customer.

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And mba service agent have a complete view of one's status and history in a single profile.

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Customer connect also allows us to offer more online transactions than ever before.

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Approximately 74 percent of our customers complete their transaction using an alternative service.

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Delivery method- customers can do this through a my mba account, which allows customers who set up.

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An account that's unique to their needs. Customers can schedule an appointment access their driver's.

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License information check, vehicle registration status, view copies of any correspondence the.

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Mba has sent to them check vehicle emissions, inspection program, deadlines and much more.

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Mba remains appointment only allowing us to serve more customers efficiently.

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More than 75 percent of our customers are being served within 15 minutes of their appointment time.

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In may, maryland became the second state to launch maryland mobile id in their apple wallet.

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Maryland mobile id is a voluntary, secure, digitized version of the maryland driver's license or id.

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Available in the apple wallet, app or apple watch and offers even more security and privacy benefits.

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Than the physical card and for those android users we're working with other operating systems and.

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We'll share more information as it comes available, we're looking to get them on board as well.

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We can we continue to focus on real id today. We've helped 87 percent of our marylanders.

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Become compliant ahead of the may 3rd 2023 deadline, nba and its partners also remain.

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Committed to developing solutions to save lives on our roadways. Unfortunately, last year 563 people.

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Lost their lives on maryland roadways. I think we all can agree. That's 563 too many, however,.

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This is decreased from 2020, but we continue to see the same country, contributing factors, speed.

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Impairment, distraction and improper or lack of seat belt use in september, governor hogan.

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Announced more than 315 000 for carroll county agencies to address highway safety.

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Local jurisdictions are also encouraged to develop their own strategic highway safety.

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Plan that takes on the principles and overall goals of maryland state highway safety program.

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While addressing specific concerns in their jurisdiction.

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And I'd like to thank you for implementing a strategic highway safety plan that complements.

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The state's plan to reach the common goal of zero fatalities, the bipartisan infrastructure.

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Law has made funds available to implement local plans jurisdictions who have developed.

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A plan are eligible for funding that provides funding for local infrastructure improvements.

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Mba strives to be the best in the nation at everything we do. I am proud of our employees.

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For doing an outstanding job and delivering on our customer service promise and continuing to think.

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Of new ways to involve the mba to better serve marylanders again, thank you for your attention.

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And I will now turn it over to ashish solanki at maa. Thank you, rashad. The commissioner is a.

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Pleasure to be with you again this afternoon, thank you for having us, as, as the secretary mentioned,.

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And my colleagues have mentioned today at m dot. Maa our focus remains safety improvements and.

K

Project delivery for our customers and at our airports, bwi marshall, martin state and.

K

Including your regional airport and all of our regional airports across the state, we recognize.

K

The important economic engines, these airports are and the vital transportation resources they.

K

Deliver general aviation reliever airports like carroll, county, regional and martin state airport.

K

Provide important services to our community, both at the corporate level, personal travel level.

K

Emergency operations, law enforcement and, of course, military activity in uh in and around our state.

K

At bwi to share with you a couple of our updates over the past year, our partnerships with our.

K

Airlines continue to support growing commercial activities that support tourism, business.

K

Development and, of course, cargo activities and I'll get through cargo in a minute as well.

K

Airline traffic actually has increased pretty substantially since the pandemic has subsided.

K

In fact, on a number side, we're at 80 percent of our pre-pandemic levels, now we're not at 100 but.

K

We're trending in that direction. The good news with this is during holiday season. We've actually.

K

Peaked past our pre-pandemic levels, so there is strong demand and we're looking to continue that.

K

Trend going forward as we move out of the pandemic also at the airlines we've added new service, both.

K

Domestic and international airline service and that's added to our service capabilities of where.

K

Our customers really want to go. These new airlines also have been added just in the recent months, so.

K

It's another positive attraction that recognizes the bwi marshal case, services and capabilities.

K

I also mentioned the international service that has been added and then now cargo, so.

K

Cargo remains a bright spot for bwi marshall, not just with amazon, but other cargo operators.

K

Throughout the airport, we've moved 618 million cargo pounds. Now that's a number. It's a large.

K

Number, but in percentage-wise it's 55 percent of our region and therefore, as.

K

The secretary mentioned earlier, we remained a top airport moving cargo for our region,.

K

Now, shifting us gears on the capital program side of the house at bwi, marsha I mentioned to you in.

K

The past briefings we're working on our three core projects. First and foremost, is our restroom.

K

Renovations, the next one is southwest airlines, maintenance building and the last one, which is.

K

One of our biggest projects in our history, which is the concourse a b and baggage handling system.

K

Although these projects are underway now and we're looking forward to delivering on these.

K

In the coming months and years again to focus on our customers and project delivery for our.

K

Customers travel in addition to these capital improvements. Iija is contributing 178 million.

K

Dollars in funding at bwi, marshall and martin state combined now most of iija is focused on.

K

Airside projects, we call those runways, taxways apron types of projects, but that also allows us to.

K

Focus additional resources on these other needs as well and shifting gears to our statewide program.

K

We're pleased to able to support our statewide regional airports at three and a half million.

K

Dollars this year- and that includes for your regional carroll, county regional airport, up to 277.

K

000 to cover for a roadway relocation to support the runway extension roof repairs to support the.

K

Activities at our terminal building and, of course, the operations related to the overall airport.

K

So, thank you for your attention. It's a pleasure to be here. It's my pleasure now to turn it back.

K

Over to secretary jim okay, great thanks to shush, and uh thank you again for inviting us to talk.

B

About our six-year capital program, there's a ctp and now we'll turn to a meeting back over.

B

To you, mr president, I always like saying that and we're happy to answer any any questions that you.

B

May have okay, so over the next four hours we will have a dialogue and see where this goes.

A

And I'm in montgomery county, I'm just okay. We are definitely not. We are not part of the republic, so.

F

Now you've got us down to 15 minutes. You did that, like that. I appreciate the uh uh the updates from.

A

All um again highlighting the as you shared the responsiveness and teamwork that you provide.

A

um For us, I think the best thing to do at this point. Unions can go down the line and.

A

See what we all have in different areas of interest and take it from there. So.

C

First, I would start off with saying thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Since I've been a county.

C

Commissioner, your department has been extremely responsive when we go down to mako. We ask for.

C

Something that we need you get back to us. It's not okay. We've asked for it never here, but we I get.

C

Emails what's going on, I I very much appreciate that. Thank you very much and now only you're.

C

Responsive, it's not a no! It's uh we're working on this we're seeing what we can do with this and.

C

I said I do sometimes it's a maybe well that's better than a very very we don't start off with.

B

No exactly right, I guess you're eventually, no, no, but I really do appreciate everything that you do.

C

For us, it helped us tremendously here in carroll county. I have to say that I do want to mention two.

C

Things, one's always mentioned is 97. I know you're looking at it right now and since you mentioned.

C

The airport we're doing a safety expansion at the airport, so you have to look at both those things.

C

Coming in because we do expect more traffic and so forth to be coming to that airport, when the safety.

C

Expansion is done so I don't you know, you don't want to look at one part and then the other you.

I

Look at all together because we we're hoping that that's what happens. One of the reasons doing that.

C

Safety expansion because it is a a money generator for carroll county, so we want that to you know.

C

Just keep that in mind here and I don't remember sorry who got back to me on email about the.

C

um 140 and 27 uh coming into 27 from 140., I did mention how to make someone's already emailed.

C

Me about it and I appreciate it, I don't remember who it was, but you know you're working on that. I.

C

Appreciate, andrew take credit yeah. I appreciate it, I'm glad it's being looked at yeah and and really.

C

And I have to also say thank you for the buses. You know you're the bus guy. Thank you. That's all.

D

I have thank you well. Thank you. um I I just want to reiterate again that um you know we can't see.

B

Everything across the state, so it's very helpful to have that collaboration where you're our eyes.

B

And ears- and you can, let us know about some of the things that that we may need to do, to help.

I

You, and so that's really what we need so anytime. You can provide that it's it's very helpful.

B

Thank you. I appreciate it and you'll see we're not very shy. No, I know that, and uh you know- and I do I.

A

Do appreciate not taking ourselves so serious, but taking everything we do very seriously. Absolutely.

A

And that goes a long ways, um commissioner boucher sir. Thank you. As always, I'm going to start out.

E

Some praise. First of all, I want to praise governor hogan as a businessman. He brought the customer.

E

Service philosophy, table and mba was one of those areas where people are screaming, for it.

E

I want to praise him for doing so. Also, I want to give you credit secretary ports. We come from.

D

Working class backgrounds- and I like the fact that you went out on the front line with the workers.

E

You can govern best and administer best when you know what's going on the front line, and you.

E

Brought that philosophy to the table, and it shows on how you run this administration, and I want.

E

To thank you all for working on the mount airy mainline trail, the older I get to more important. I.

E

Realize walking is there's citizen tree is growing older. You know I'm part of that classification now.

E

I get the arp things in the mail I've enjoyed, but they're bugging me, so the trails are important. So.

E

Thanks for helping out mount airy and also thanks for helping new windsor, it's the second smallest.

E

Of municipality in the county, they've really been looking for help ever since I got elected. So I see.

E

The design is underway for their streetscape, so I very much appreciate that and thanks for staying.

E

On top the bridge and the bridge in union bridge on 75, there's a piece missing that in bridge it's.

E

Not critical, but it's something to keep an eye on, and I'm very much grateful for that. So thank.

E

You very much for everything you're doing and the presentation today it was wonderful. You got great.

E

Kids, the characters here, yeah well well, thank you being the biggest character, oh yeah yeah, and I'm.

B

Quite a character, um but first of all thank you. uh You're right governors, governor uh hogan, had.

B

Set a new precedent with customer service, and uh it wasn't just a slogan: it was how we had to.

B

Operate as an organization, you know people come to government, they don't have a choice, they have.

B

To come to us, and so he wanted to improve that, so we had to think differently instead of thinking.

B

Like some people would say bureaucrats and what's best for us, we had to think about what's best for.

B

The customer, when you think about what's best for the customer, you think differently. Yes, I.

B

Think that's what you've seen that's what you've seen with customer connect. It is uh they've won.

B

The national award, uh which is very unusual for a highway organization, to give an mba an award.

B

Like that, uh nasto is the regional part of ashto, which is the national state highway organization.

B

And so you know we were very proud of that, and they've also become a one-stop shop. Get your tsa.

B

Pre-Check there you can get your twic card there, you can get your boat license along with your.

B

Trailer license there get veteran services there easy pass. What did I miss? I missed something. No, I.

B

Think you got it, I got them all. Okay, so I mean we are becoming a one-stop shop because we should not.

B

Send customers all over the place to different agencies up birth certificates? We both saw them.

J

At the same time, we you do not have to send people all over creation in different organizations when.

B

We have this this organization mba, where people want to go and and be served and and as rashad.

B

Said in less than 15 minutes, I think the last time I heard it was 10 minutes and 48 sections.

B

That is unbelievable. As for your compliment to me about the uh the trades you do know, I came.

B

Out through the trades, it's very important to me to speak to the people at the grassroots level.

B

um And you know, look I came through the trades, I'm secretary, you never know where your next leader is.

B

Going to come from, god bless them, and so so you know um it all works, but that's something you.

B

Always see out of me, but thank you absolutely, um commissioner lance. What do you want me to start.

F

First of all, in honor of your visitation today and your team, I donated 14 at the local veip venue.

F

Did you pass yeah, okay,.

F

Yes, it's a tough one, so yeah see how I set it up there before I get local here. You somebody's got to.

F

Answer this question as a frequent user of of the bay bridge, what's with the arms with the red stuff.

F

With the red thing come on with the with the fins on them, what are you doing there? I'd love to know.

B

That's to block you from going across um seriously, um we call it, I mean they call it. The the traffic.

B

Management system, but everybody refers to as the gate system. Okay, okay and so you may be familiar.

B

With the the process that we currently do or have done for decades, where, when we wanted to go to.

B

Contraflow we had to put the barrels and and drums out or the the barrels and the cones out there.

B

To move the traffic from one side to the other one, it's very unsafe for our workers to do that.

B

Two uh by doing so, it takes us 20 minutes and 30 minutes to do that, and by doing so we we increase.

B

That backup uh congestion about a mile and a half on one side, a mile on the other side, when.

B

We switch the traffic, I mean, there's just nothing, you could do because you have to drag it because.

B

You got to protect your workers, and so what we decided to do was put up that gate system so that.

B

um I don't know if you've been through virginia but similar to when they go to counter flow. The.

B

Gates come down and they block off the the lane from one direction and then they they allow. You.

B

To go in the other direction, so, basically we're going to be able to to put those gates out plus we.

B

Have the overhead gantries that are going to have color uh and so it'll be uh it'll? Go from you know.

B

A green arrow to a yellow check, mark or something a yellow, ax, I'm sorry yellow x, which means get the.

B

Heck out of that lane, right and by the time it turns red you should be adding. It doesn't mean.

B

Get out now it means you should already be out of lane, so those dates will come down and block that.

B

Area it'd be much more quicker, much more efficient and we will have the backups that we have with the.

B

Cones and and barrels when you got to institute that it's gonna, be this fall right. Okay, so we.

B

um We had the one project going westbound uh I taught when I was executive director. I said why.

B

Aren't we doing it eastbound and uh we ended up doing an emergency procurement, so we could do both.

B

And we could have opened one side a little earlier, but it would confuse the public, probably so we're.

B

Waiting until the fall, so we could do it all at once and get the people that are live in that area.

B

Used to the contraflow uh and and the way the gate system works and then and then hopefully.

B

They'll be ready for summer, because we don't want to spring that in the summer right you just don't.

B

You just don't want to do that. That could be a disaster. It could be a disaster, so we're trying.

B

To do it in the fall, okay and then get everybody used to it and then be ready for spring and summer.

B

Yeah, I know it's not in the county here, but I just had to ask no, but my colleagues and queen.

I

Dance everybody try to explain it to me and I'm like I'm going to ports so whatever anyway.

F

um Thank you for that locally again, thank you for 86 and lineburg road there uh that that continues.

F

To be uh the route 86 that continues to be a problem area. So thank you for looking into that.

F

Anything we can do there. We appreciate again. I can't thank you enough for 140 in mayberry.

F

Get the other lane down on some okay, yes, sir, um and then finally, I just have one other request.

F

That has come up um here. Lately we have a new, I say new, an expanded events, venue uh at 1 40.

F

And south pleasant valley, road, uh it's actually um it's called island green and they went from.

F

A golf driving range to a concert venue now and they also have now added a restaurant there and.

F

They've got a big billboard on 140 that says they have the best crab cakes in maryland. I don't know.

F

What that's I mean, have you tested it? I have not, but my mom and dad have, and they say they.

F

Think, that's probably pretty legit so anyway, a lot of increased traffic, even though you guys.

F

Enhance that intersection a few years ago, which made it incredibly more user friendly, but a lot.

F

Of folks out, there are now asking about a light, especially when that venue lets out and the the.

F

Uptick in the traffic it's seen there as a result of the restaurant being there. So I know there's.

F

A statistical method to that and you just can't go like this and put a light. So the ask here is.

F

Perhaps, to engage in that uh that that statistic look at that intersection and see if it warrants.

F

Got it you got it, he already gave a thumbs up, you got it. I didn't want to look at you, but I.

F

Needed but yeah just take a look at that and see if it does warrant uh because again at any.

D

Any given time it's, uh it can be a mess there and uh jim. You know I've ridden on a few fire engines.

F

In my life and I've been on some pretty nasty accidents at that location, so take a look at.

F

That and see what we can do and if nothing else are there lights there. I can't remember and.

F

Yeah overheads, overhead lighting- I can't remember at the intersection, is there okay? I mean even even.

F

If they're not there, that would help, but I can't remember, but thank you for that, but anyway take a.

F

Look see if we can get a signal there, if again, if it warrants it, so we can. We can take a look.

B

At it and you hit the magic word, it has to meet the warrants. I got to meet the warrants yeah so.

F

Yeah, I know, um but yeah we could take a look at it. That's andrew andrew's got a little slips now.

F

And uh beyond that, jim, you know how I mean you know: I've go back a little ways and I appreciate.

F

Everything you've done uh for carol over the years. The entire team from the buses to to you mentioned.

F

The airports we're really proud of that. uh We- you know that safety enhancement that we're engaged in.

F

Is huge? uh We've got to get that done because it's as it sits it's one of the most dangerous runways.

F

In the state of maryland, because it goes against the wind and I've got a couple friends that are.

F

Pilots- that said, you know they it's good for texas, yeah, yeah, so yeah. So anyway, we appreciate all that.

B

You're going to assist us with that and uh in all points in between. Thank you guys right. The.

F

Repaving projects, we man we're seeing a lot of new blacktops, you sure, are that's good stuff. So thank.

F

You guys thank you thanks, commissioner weaver. I know you it's the best meeting I've been here.

B

Me too, you missed a presentation, it was uh stellar in all regard, but uh at this point any.

A

Issue concern in finksburg, gamber, 91 140, that's always a major issue and I know it's already.

L

Being addressed here- and I see you have a bridge over uh the railroad tracks in the north, france.

L

Patapsco there, that's yeah, probably a good thing at this point. So um that's our major concern and.

L

I want to get them. Thank you for the hampstead project. uh Over the last few years it has opened.

L

Things up and working well now I know we had some concerns when we first started. You were there, but.

L

um It all worked out everybody's happy now. You wouldn't believe, though, throughout the rso out.

B

There some of my cousins, um but you missed it. I I did uh thank all the commissioners for me. What.

B

Does it makeover that I just want to know that we thank you uh for doing that and that's how we get.

B

Things done quickly, yeah appreciate it. I thank you. How are you guys great to work with great thanks.

A

um Just again, thank you, um mr secretary and your team, all the work you're doing there are.

A

uh A handful of things that um continue to bring to your attention highway, 26.

A

um I am absolutely concerned about the suicide lanes coming from the livery reservoir. All the.

A

Way through eldersburg all the way, if you take it all the way through to south carroll high school.

A

You've got to realize you have three high schools that feed onto liberty, road and numerous.

A

Senior apartments and facilities that feed onto liberty road, so you got everybody going.

A

Into these suicide lanes, and what I would like to see is an effort to putting islands.

A

Changing the culture making folks turn right and then having to make the right appropriate.

A

Turns but when you have young drivers and oil drivers it, you know it's just a concern.

A

um The uh slacks road I mentioned it and andrew. I do appreciate that you did recognize that it is a.

A

County road, but as you know, uh secretary owings uh and dgs and a whole lot of others are very excited.

A

As we are to establishing a state-of-the-art va center there with about 140 beds,.

A

A couple hundred employees, so it's going to be 165 to upwards of 200 million dollar.

A

Projects being funded by the state and by the federal government, uh really excited slacks road.

A

I don't want to use the word death trap because that's not appropriate. However, it definitely has.

A

Its concerns, it's very windy, it's narrow with culverts on both sides. It is a county road, but.

A

This project is going in so having uh you know us to look at it together on how to take care of.

A

Slacks road, because of its impact it's going to have on the va center is. I would ask you to take.

A

A look at that and what I'm trying not to do is just push our problems onto you, but what it is is.

A

You know a project, that's going to dovetail into a state federal project, and how can we get funding.

A

Maybe some of the funding from that construction built into ingress egress onto slacks road.

A

um At least that would be a start. um The.

A

The shuttles um we have a very good shuttle system here, especially for our veterans.

A

um There's a theme about veterans having been one um and uh very proud of the shuttle system.

A

For our veterans, taking them to both martinsburg and to green street and everywhere in between.

A

It is a carroll county program project that we fund and I've often shared this with secretary.

A

Owings is that it would be nice to see a project or program where it can work with.

A

The other jurisdictions, so if they're going to green street they're going through baltimore.

A

County they can stop in baltimore county pick up two or three veterans get them over to.

A

Green street, if it's going to martinsburg, you can stop over in frederick county hagerstown.

A

Wherever you want to go and pick folks up, I think taking a look at that again holistically.

A

As a regional project and not just a county project, that may be something to think about.

A

um It works, I mean the system works, we're very proud of it. We're using our discretionary funds.

A

To make it work- and uh you know we have been doing this since 2016, probably before I came.

A

On it was doug's baby, so I would say 1516, but now it's to a point where I believe it's outgrown. It's.

A

Small effort- and it has an opportunity to really be a regional impact for our veterans.

A

um It was mentioned about the airfield uh there's a lot of long poles in that tent that we have to.

A

Continue to strive towards uh success, but we are committed to uh making that successful and.

A

I think we're all in- and we've decided from from us uh for quite some time and we continue.

A

To say we're all into making this thing work, because we can't look back on this one and it.

A

Is an economic engine, as is most transportation efforts or economic engines to our community.

A

um Those were my notes again just to cap it off again my appreciation and thanks to you.

A

And your team, what I'd like to do now is uh have the jurisdictions come up? Well, you want me to just.

B

Touch base on it: oh absolutely, okay, yes, sir, so 26 I mean. Obviously we can take a look at that.

B

uh To see what some of those concerns are on the slats road uh project, I mean obviously we're we're.

B

Prohibited from putting money into county roads, uh that's what is what the ua h-u-r funds are for.

B

um There may be some opportunity if we look at the project because we're not familiar with the.

B

Project, obviously, because it's not our project, but there may be some opportunity to see how there may.

B

um Through a traffic impact study, how it might impact state roads.

B

um And from that, you might be able to work with whoever's doing the development to figure out.

B

How to do some of the uh county road, but but other than that? We're not going to be able to.

B

Help too much on that uh the shuttles for the veterans um so travis. I know that um when I was.

B

At harford transit running harper transit, we did uh create a partnership with cecil county.

B

For uh perry point, uh and so we did it, took it, took harford county funds and and cecil county.

B

Funds working together to get veterans from both of the counties up to perry. Point because I mean.

B

It it's just across the bridge right, absolutely it's a heat of bread, so um it was so close for.

B

People in harford county, it was obviously a asset in cecil county, so we did put something.

B

Together we um at that time we also used a little bit of dark buns. I know the dark is not.

I

Available anymore, I knew that that was a federal funded program that is not available anymore.

B

And so uh it was job access and reverse commute yes, anyway, um funny how things come back to you.

B

But so so you may want to um also look with the other jurisdictions to see if they can create.

B

That partnership and what we did, I think the I think the vfw had kicked some money in uh to help.

B

Supplement some of the uh the cost for the the veteran, so in other words, if it's a two or three.

B

Dollar fee right to take the trip right, uh the veteran uh organizations would kick in the money.

B

For the veterans for that, uh and that doesn't pay for your service right specifically, but it.

B

Does help the veterans, so I'm just throwing these things out to you that you could think about, but.

B

um You can also talk to uh the folks at harford county cecil county, to see how.

B

How they're doing it now I I've been away from it for many years. You know about eight years.

B

So I'm not positive uh how they continue it, but you can check with them. Maybe and maybe an asset.

B

To you and I appreciate we have a very strong veterans council that are doing a lot of good.

L

Things to our veterans right so at this point, okay, so so you've already got that covered right. Yeah.

B

Okay, okay, very good. So anyway, just some ideas and uh and of course, travis.

B

He he helps brought our locally operated transit system for the states. That god's brilliant is very.

B

Good to work with, so you can tap him too. That'd be great and uh appreciate the words on on slacks.

A

Just looking at different options and ideas and moving forward because it's sure it's good, that's.

A

A tough nut to crack it is so it is, but uh okay. So what I like to do is uh move this over to the.

A

Jurisdictions that are in place, and then after that, invite if they would like our legislators,.

A

That are here, I see two delegates and senators so but let's start with the uh legislators, uh tony.

A

Town, you want to come up or municipalities, I'm sorry make sure you hit the roll call yeah. I know.

D

Good afternoon everybody, let's, uh let's start with the suite, then we'll move into what some.

M

May see a sabbath um first off. I want to thank you for improvements made to the crosswalks at.

M

The intersection of 140 194 for those not aware of tawny, town, uh 194 and 140 kind of.

M

Converge in our downtown, it's a struggle for us having a state highway. Take up so much of.

M

Our municipality, those crosswalks, are a great thing. The response to getting the horse and.

M

Buggy warning signs around the municipality were awesome. Much need for the community.

M

And we've talked about it several times now today, I'm going to say it again.

M

The improvements at mayberry road are perfect. That's what we need about half of the students.

M

From my municipality attend running mead, elementary school, so those improvements.

M

Will make it safer for them, as well as for my community, that commutes to westminster.

M

And vice versa, in terms of what I'd really like to see, you can call that the sour part of this.

M

um Pedestrian safety is still a huge concern in taneytown some things. I'd like to have considered.

M

Would be delayed, green lights at certain times of the day at the main intersection 14194, to give.

M

Pedestrians a chance to cross, I understand, it'll, snag up traffic a little bit more.

M

But perhaps a study of figuring out when the most opportune time to do that is the other. Is there.

M

Is a crosswalk at middle street and 140.? That is really the main way to get from one side of.

M

The street, to the other, you know, barring those who choose not to use crosswalks some sort of.

M

Flashing lighted sign system there would go a long way. I see them in use. You know again.

M

Your college has some: we even be interested in partnering with the state to make that happen.

M

In whatever way possible, there's also been concerns from residents. You know they see other.

M

Municipalities, with kind of the brick looking crosswalks to help make them look a little.

M

Bit different than the road, obviously another idea to consider and last but surely not least,.

M

To bring up 40 year old news, I'd really love to see a bypass go around primetime.

M

We are actively working, you can laugh all you want, but we are actively working to defend and protect.

M

The right-of-way for that bypass, I mean, as you probably remember, it was approved 40 years ago.

M

It was taken off. We just entered into a purchase option with a property just outside of the city.

M

Where they want to go into ag, pres part of that property is going to be in our alignment. We've now.

M

Purchased over four acres of that to protect that alignment, that's going to go along with property.

M

That the county already owns there again for that right-of-way we're now starting to see interest.

M

In development on the south side of tontitown, which is kind of in that same right-of-way, and we.

M

Are actively working with them to make sure that whatever they put in protects or includes a part.

M

Of this bypass so we're making a lot of efforts from the municipality standpoint. Hopefully we.

M

Start a discussion and actually get this happening because, as we now go over 8 000 residents in the.

M

City 40 years ago, when it was initially approved, we had 2500.. So anything we can do to get some.

M

Of the larger trucks out, as you can imagine, the vibrations from those can be quite detrimental.

M

To our historic buildings and such and it just lends itself to more pedestrian safety, so that's.

M

My main request of you, I appreciate it, I didn't introduce myself, I apologize, I'm mayor bradley.

M

We went to the city of tontitown, so thank you all for being here. Thank you, commissioners, for giving.

M

Me the opportunity absolutely so one question one comment: um I didn't. I didn't quite understand what.

B

You would uh what you said at first about state highway, taking up a lot of space or.

B

Those state roads, no, not the difficulty- is that the main thorough affairs through the middle of.

M

Our city are states, so we have no abilities to do anything with it. If you understand, would you like.

B

The ability to do things with that I'm willing to have a conversation about if we can have an.

M

Agreement of what we can do versus what we can't do with it I'd love to have that conversation. The.

B

Reason I asked and and the reason for my original question, because I had a feeling: that's what it.

B

Was I thought I understood what you were saying, but I wanted to make sure I understood what you.

B

Were saying before I I leaked, um but many municipalities take over those roads. Okay,.

B

And you know, if that's something you want to really happen. uh You're the mayor uh along.

B

With your, I assume, along with your city council, uh that's something that can potentially happen.

B

Well, that's, that's nothing. Conversation! I'd love to have okay, we'll have it absolutely how about.

B

That sounds like a plan: okay, all right, so so from sour to sweet. Absolutely all right, all right! So.

B

um And then the other, the other thing. The comment I want to make is that, um because you talked.

B

About you start off with pedestrian safety, so thank you. Thank you um and you've heard of us.

B

You heard us talk about a state highway uh safety plan right strategic highway safety plan. I'm sorry.

B

So uh one of the things that you may not know about me, but I was deputy administrator nixon.

B

National highway traffic safety, administrator administration, so the second highest uh highway.

B

Safety person in the nation, and so um I have been pushing for every county and local jurisdiction.

B

To create a strategic highway safety plan, and so we would be happy to work with you, an uber shot.

B

At mba we had the folks at our strategic highway safety office uh that can help you create that.

B

Plan because I have to tell you so again, first of all thank you for bringing it up because.

B

It doesn't work unless we have federal state, county and local jurisdictions working together.

B

To protect not just pedestrians, but everybody on the highway system, whether it be bicyclists.

B

Or scooters everything. So I just want to throw that out to you, because if you're interested in.

B

Something like that we'd be more than happy to help you and we would more than happy to work.

M

That's awesome, absolutely! Okay, a few weeks ago there was a pedestrian fatality just outside of.

M

My city limits um bizarre set of circumstances hit and run. Fortunately, they captured the the.

M

Offender in 12 hours- oh, they did good um good, but it just again to see that I don't want to.

M

Wait for a fatality to no? No, no change, that's why we feel the same plans right. So that's why.

M

I'm here on behalf of my community, who perfectly the same way, so thank you. Whatever conversation.

M

We can have I'm ready to have it, so we can do it. Let's set a date. Let's get that on tim.

B

Tim's uh radar screen, let tim know to reach out to the good mayor. Do you have a card perfect? I didn't.

B

Bring him because I can't work, unfortunately, okay, all right, you should get here. Okay, if.

M

You, like, I, can write down my information, absolutely tim kerns. We stole him from.

B

University of maryland he's doctor dr tim kearns, brilliant his uh someone from hampstead here.

A

A

Sykesville come on, I do have just come from work together and my job has me in the rain. All.

N

Morning so I apologize everybody in the rain this morning, yeah good afternoon, I'm stacy lake mayor.

N

Of sykesville, okay for giving us this opportunity, um I made a few notes here for myself um a couple.

N

Things I'd like to bring to your attention, or maybe remind you about, because uh I actually.

N

Sent the letter to you secretary ports and received a thoughtful reply last year regarding.

N

What I'm about to speak of um so thank you for that. But um but before that, I just there's a.

N

A piece of property that is within town limits on the north side of 32 and 32, and it was.

N

Recently acquired by a developer and uh that that property is owned, mixed use, and so it's you know.

N

It's to be developed. I would like to have the opportunity to have another point of access at.

N

Least assessed or the ability to another pel study, I guess completed to see if, if that that piece of.

N

Property could have a point of access from from the highway from 32. The the current pdl study was.

N

Completed in 2018, if I'm not mistaken, correct, um and so I would, I would strongly encourage.

N

Sha to consider a new pel study, the development that I speak of would be adjacent to the warfield.

N

Project the warfield development area, the former springfield state hospital of sykesville and that.

N

Has become mostly residential development right now, and the only means by which the.

N

Adjacent property that was recently acquired by a developer, the only access point to that.

N

Is the one through the residential area that is now at warfield, and I have some great concerns.

N

About that, for my residents that are there now, so that is um just something to kind of put on.

N

Your radar, if you, if you would and then the other item um that has briefly been mentioned already,.

N

This afternoon is that maryland 851 bridge that, uh in fact, is in howard county, um not.

N

Only is the bridge in howard county, but there's a beautiful park that the town of sykesville leases.

N

For for a dollar a year from howard county that we are responsible for maintaining and creating.

N

A recreational area, it's one of our favorite um parks in sykesville the unfortunate well, the.

N

Fortunate thing is: is that I've, the town of sykes, was just received a two million dollar capital.

N

Grant from the state to improve and redevelop the historic warehouse in that park as part of the.

N

Well-Known here in carroll county, the bf shriver cannery company that they're building there, it was.

N

Built 1917 and so we're looking for a thoughtful reuse of it and have money now to finally come.

N

Bring that into fruition the the unfortunate portion of all of this is that the park is there.

N

We're about to have a beautiful hopeful performing arts area, maybe in that in that warehouse and.

N

The connection the bridge itself has a nearly three foot wide pedestrian connect, passageway.

N

That cantilevers off of the the southbound side of it and it's it's really never been safe and.

N

It is the only way for our visitors and patrons of our main street to safely access the park and.

N

The new infrastructure that's over there, including badly needed parking spaces, and so even before we.

N

Develop redevelop the warehouse. There is a reason why we want to be able patrons to and pedestrians.

N

To get over there and across the bridge, the pedestrian connection actually dumps out right.

N

Onto maryland, 851 and so and there's not enough room for two people to pass by. um So that is a.

N

Huge concern from for me and for my council and as far as the pedestrian state and safety to our main.

N

Street in our downtown district, so um I of the 26 I think you said: poorly conditioned um bridges in.

N

The state, I'm hoping that I don't know if this is considered one of the poorly conditioned ones or.

N

Not, but I do know that it's part of the plan for howard county to take over that section of 851.

N

And so the bridge improvement is, you know a part of that process. I just want to piggyback on that.

N

um In that improvement to that bridge and I've met with sha and wonderful andrew and his predecessor.

N

Terry seuss and and thank you andrew, so it's it's it's on the list, but I I want to just see.

N

If we can't get it moved to the top of priority list for us for the pedestrian safety component.

G

Yeah, so I think we we spoke at mml a little bit and I know our team was kind of juggling the.

G

How to make improvements, and then is how where's howard county in their negotiations and everything.

G

So what we've given we've given direction of back to you know, filing secretary port's lead, is we're.

G

Focused on pedestrian safety, so we're moving forward with trying to make those pedestrian.

G

Improvements, regardless of who ends up owning that bridge, so we're we're focused on that. We.

G

We heard your concern at mml, so we're making that improvements. It's not a poorly rated bridge. It's.

G

Just an old bridge, um I think it was temporary first when the flood agnes came in, but uh who.

N

Knows right and then on on the 32 development there, the mixed use happy to look at it from a.

G

Traffic impact study- we don't necessarily- I don't know if a pell or you know a planning.

G

And environmental linkages is going to help you with what you need is, I think, right now. I think.

G

We're pushing the the concern is whether they can get out on the springfield. Is that what it is.

N

Is that there's another access into this new will be newly developed part of the property.

N

That currently has access further south on 32 through the residential development. Okay,.

D

And so we're looking for a second point of ingress in egress, do you need some water, okay,.

N

um So yes, so whether it's a pdl or another traffic study of some sort to determine, if that's possible,.

D

Got springfield hospital center and their improvements that are happening.

N

And there's a lot of things happening on that side of 32., okay and and people are.

N

Currently, using rain, cliff and buttercup and cutting through springfield state.

N

Hospital campus to avoid a section of 32., so there's there's a lot of things that are.

N

Kind of playing from different sides and angles and having another point of access.

N

What is supposed to be developed as mixed use? It shouldn't be the access you shouldn't have.

N

To drive through the residential area, or at least that be the primary or sole point of access to the.

N

Mixed use development yeah, so I think this is a perfect example of kind of what we were talking.

G

About earlier, with all the municipalities in the county kind of all, if we all understand where the.

G

Greater greater bigger plan is, we can ultimately come up with a solution that helps everyone so.

N

And owned by fairhaven with a living and retirement community for a very long time.

N

Until just three months four months ago now it will be developed and I understand the need for.

G

The access, but we're also always trying to balance the safety as long as with the mobility part, so.

G

It's you know it's absolutely. You can only cut the pie up so many different ways. Absolutely.

G

We're looking at the overall at that set the blueprint that we're trying to then.

G

Put together piece by piece: thank you. Okay, okay, cool appreciate your time and.

N

Thank you for uh what's about to happen as soon as the county's work is done on.

E

First, the mayor you mentioned agnes 50 years ago. We were just.

E

Wearing snappers mount airy, it's mount airy here. 70. union bridge.

A

New windsor 72. and manchester okay, what I'd like to do is now.

A

Invite our legislators, if they would like to come up and share some ideas, words.

E

Or praise for secretary importance.

B

To say, you've done a great job. Yes, this is my last time in front of you all after 20 years and.

O

I just want to um wow they're, capable towns and commissioners have laid out what our priorities.

O

Are I think we agree with them? They've done a very good job of coordinating, but I just want to thank.

O

You and say highway because I started 20 years ago with you. You were my leader and then you left and.

O

Went to mdot administration and things started changing. That's when I was in house of delegates.

B

People forget what mdot and mba were all about before the oral administration came in and we need.

O

To remind ourselves of the change that started happening in the earth administration, which you.

O

Were a part of and putting focus on, making things more uh accessible at mva, it's huge, I mean think.

O

About mba getting your license years ago, it was a big deal so now and I will tell you chrissy niser.

O

Who is unbelievable, it was his aide and now she's the head of mba. I literally had my semi-flowers.

O

Because of the issue she took care somebody getting their driver's license because people.

O

Are so just they're, just you call chrissy she's got it taken care of so she's done a phenomenal.

O

Job at mba, but since the very beginning of time, earth administration started putting roads first.

O

And putting carroll county back up back on the map because, prior to that they were sort of cutting us.

O

Off you know they wanted carroll county to stay rural. We weren't going to get roads weren't going.

O

To get 32 improved or 26 or anything we wanted under the previous administration, a lot of that.

O

Started under governor ehrlich's leadership with putting money into the rural counties and.

O

We started our projects and then we had a little bit of a pause and then um and then we governor.

O

Hogan came back in putting putting emphasis back on roads, for which is the modality of choice by.

O

Most individuals in the state of maryland, instead of putting all of our money into transit, which has.

O

As you know, very low, ridership and that benefited all of us- and all we have to do- is look around.

O

The last eight years- and you talk about paving project. I think commissioner wentz said that.

D

The roads that we all travel on the the route 50 corridor or the bay bridge, the improvements.

O

Of just travel around the state are just visible everywhere, so I want to thank you, but most of all.

O

The team that I put up with for those 20 years, every single person on the team and the faces.

O

Have changed? You all have changed since my first with bob flanagan and the team. I've never had a.

O

Situation where I have not called and and whether it's a traffic light needs to be recalibrated or.

O

Intersection that they have not come out done, the due diligence- and I could name all of the.

O

um District engineers that have come through and they've they've been excellent, and so I.

O

Want to thank you for that, especially the last eight years. A lot of you are new faces, and I.

O

Just can't say enough about how much mdot has and mva and mta and all of it, everything under.

O

Mdot has has done and listened to us because the local people are. We know where the rubber meets.

O

The road sure the reason I'm retiring is because the last intersection in my community is getting.

O

Finally, getting got finished, which is at the end of my street where I live. It was the last one.

O

We had complete it, but we basically had all the intersection improvements, not on route 32. In my.

O

Original district and it's taken a number of years- and we almost have the total completion of the.

O

Dualization of 32 on our side in carroll county there's a little bit that needs to be complete.

D

But we will just drive in carroll county, and I want to thank you for doing, and I want to thank.

O

um Former county executive kittleman for having the foresight to doing the dualization of 32 all.

O

The way through howard, county, unbelievable difference in the lives of people in carroll.

O

County having that dualization, you know totally opened up now through howard county and just the.

O

Vision of them with their fees that they charge to be able to do the road improvements down there.

O

And that money went to that improvement worked with the state to accelerate it. So it's all done.

O

I looked over through there the other day and said. Oh, this is it's a dream to get our folks here from.

O

Carroll county into nsa and where, where people work in columbia, so all of those things are good.

O

And when I say thank you, I mean it from the bottom of my heart because you all have been accessible.

O

I've got your phone number, oh, I know you got me, I I I know. We've had plenty of conversations. I miss.

O

You uh in the house of delegates, but um you definitely have done a phenomenal job in all.

O

The years here- and I want to thank all of you for for taking our issues seriously, I mean we.

O

Have constituents sometimes will complain about a certain area, and literally I call it in and we've.

O

Had whole intersections improved just because of someone saying hey, this is an issue and you guys.

O

Take it seriously, do the studies and we have a conversation about it and um I've. Never I've.

O

Nothing negative to say about my experience over the years, and this is my last time talking. That's.

O

Why I took an extra minute, but I want to thank you and your team and please take that message back to.

O

Other team members how we really do appreciate it, and I did really get flowers because of christy.

O

And izzy taking care of it. Look I tell you what, if I I said it the other night, if I had.

B

A nickel for every time I got a compliment about chrissy, niser I'd be a very, very rich man. Well,.

O

You trained her right, yeah. Well, she she exceeded the leader. I have one other question. I just had.

O

A recent question about it has to do with real id. I don't know if you talk about to begin with.

B

Yeah, I know we got put off the dates because of covid. What is the date of compliance now? Foreign.

B

Will still get notified if they yeah, as we said, we actually started notifying customers.

J

Last may to come back in, but the deadline is may 23rd and yes, we, I think, we've.

J

We have much more correspondence planning to go out so because I.

O

Haven't gotten in, they said wait for the letter, so I'm waiting for the letter but.

O

Said 87, but I can tell you that we're 88 now, because uh from the time this was printed to.

B

Now we update our information, uh the national average is 51 wow, so we are way ahead of the.

B

Of the nation in this respect, but but as you know, once that deadline hits and you're not allowed to.

B

Go to the airport and get into federal building or so on and so forth. Whatever the feds decide to do,.

B

um That small minority that hasn't participated yet is going to scream.

B

uh Pretty loud, and so your communications team is excellent. We have been reaching out.

B

And we send that stuff out, newsletters and so the communications team. Let them know that we.

O

Do try to get that 9000 on my email list, we always put those communications out. I also.

O

Want to thank you for the texting on the bay bridge, the constant notification about.

O

Traffic conditions, all those communications really are, are noticeable. um So we appreciate.

B

That that's great thank you and thank you for your uh 20 years of service. Thank you.

B

I think susan said it all, uh you guys have just done just a phenomenal job and it's been great.

H

Working with you- and I do hope that as we move forward and we have new faces and new people that.

H

um There'll be some wisdom in keeping.

H

But I do appreciate it. I'm sorry, we missed the beginning of the presentation with our.

H

Other meeting, so I will take this- that was one of the best presentations, but.

F

Thank you and thank you for the opportunity. Absolutely thank you.

H

Sure, with that said, any final comments from you. No, I mean again just thank you.

B

uh One for inviting us up, so we could uh have this conversation and again, thank you for all your.

B

Participation over the years, the collaboration uh either at mako here or wherever you decide.

B

To contact us, it's been great and we continue to look forward to working with you in the future.

A

Sounds great need a motion to adjourn.

A

There's no discussion all in favor.