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The Aegis
The Aegis Opinion

Harford's three state senators urge repeal of 'Road Kill Bill' [Opinion]

Baltimore Sun
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The battle over Maryland's new transportation project scoring system, enacted last year over the governor's objections, is expected to be waged again in the 2017 Maryland General Assembly session. One of the local projects supposedly impacted by the "road kill bill" is the widening the Bel Air Bypass between Fallston and Hickory.

The battle over Maryland's new transportation project scoring system, enacted last year over the governor's objections, is expected to be waged again in the 2017 Maryland General Assembly session. One of the local projects supposedly impacted by the "road kill bill" is the widening the Bel Air Bypass between Fallston and Hickory. (DAVID ANDERSON | AEGIS STAFF / Baltimore Sun)

Editor:

As the three state senators representing Harford County, we are proud to stand with Gov. Larry Hogan to support a full repeal of the disastrous transportation scoring legislation passed in 2016 which will come up again during the 2017 legislative session.

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This law is often called the "Road Kill Bill," and for good reason – it creates a scoring process that redistributes funding for major road construction projects to just four large counties, effectively killing all but seven projects in the entire state, including our priorities like the planned roundabout at Routes 7 and 159 south of Aberdeen and on U.S. Route 1 – widening of the Bel Air bypass from MD 152 to Hickory.

From the very beginning, it was clear that this legislation was nothing more than a power grab to limit the authority of the governor and local jurisdictions. How else can you justify replacing a system that has been in place for over 30 years, transparently and effectively delivering results to every region of the state?

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Proponents of this legislation claim that it is necessary in the name of "transparency." This is ironic considering supporters in the General Assembly rushed the final bill to a vote without a public hearing and with very little debate on the floor.

In reality, all this legislation does is add a thick layer of bureaucracy and expense to the state's transportation decisions and create a system that will kill dozens of the most critical road projects across the state.

We urge our fellow lawmakers in the General Assembly to work with Governor Hogan and repeal this disastrous legislation to ensure that every jurisdiction in the state can get the funding they need to address their infrastructure priorities.

Harford County Senators

Wayne Norman, District 35

J.B. Jennings, District 7

Bob Cassilly, District 34

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