Members of Congress and city officials got a chance to tell Larry Hogan’s administration what they thought about the governor’s decision to halt the Red Line at a Monday morning meeting. According to tweets from Sen. Bill Ferguson, the state is planning to have an alternative plan to the Red Line in 60 days.
Members of the media were asked to leave the closed-door meeting, but State Sen. Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City) kept the coverage up by live-tweeting.
Media now being asked to leave the “working session,” @lukebroadwater verbally notes objection. #MDOT #mdpolitics
— Bill Ferguson (@SenBillFerg) August 10, 2015
Leaders were presented with a list of priorities the MTA could implement to improve transit, like decreasing trip times, increasing speed of service and making more jobs accessible by transit. Ferguson called this “transit planning by multiple choice.”
Del. McIntosh – holds up list of multiple choice options for trans & says, “This is your job. You shld do these anyways.” #MDOT #mdpolitics
— Bill Ferguson (@SenBillFerg) August 10, 2015
Maryland Transportation Secretary Pete Rahn said the state was “listening” to alternatives, and suggested that improvements to the MARC and Metro were “Baltimore City investments,” according to Ferguson.
Meanwhile, Gov. Larry Hogan’s Twitter account touted his $2 billion investment in state roads and highways, which were announced at the same time as the Red Line decision.
Our $2B investment in roads will touch the daily lives of citizens across the state. pic.twitter.com/64BHYX958r
— Governor Larry Hogan (@GovLarryHogan) August 10, 2015
U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski also attended, and bemoaned the loss of $900 million in funding the state received from the federal government.
Sen Mikulski: “I never thought, ever, in my closing yr in US Senate, I would see letter saying Balt reg rejects $900 mil fed investment.”
— Bill Ferguson (@SenBillFerg) August 10, 2015
