Maryland transportation officials met with leaders from Worcester, Somerset and Wicomico counties to review the state's proposed six-year transportation capital plan and discuss projects affecting the Lower Eastern Shore.
The Maryland Department of Transportation said the draft Consolidated Transportation Program for fiscal years 2027 through 2032 totals $21.9 billion statewide. Transportation Secretary Katie Thomson and other officials presented the plan during the department's annual tour of every Maryland county and Baltimore City.
The process gives Eastern Shore jurisdictions a formal opportunity to discuss local priorities before the administration finalizes the program. For the Lower Shore, transportation decisions can affect Route 50 and Route 13 travel, tourism traffic, freight movement, local transit, aviation and infrastructure needed to support housing and economic development.
The draft program is not the final word on project funding. MDOT gathers comments from counties and municipalities during the fall before submitting a final version to the General Assembly in January. Projects can move, change scope or face scheduling adjustments as the state balances revenue and construction costs.
Residents can review the draft program and follow county meetings for more detailed discussion of individual projects. Local officials can also continue pressing the state for changes before the final capital plan is completed.
The American Desk will monitor the final program for major Eastern Shore investments and report on projects that receive funding, move forward or face significant changes.