WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced the inclusion of over $7 million in direct federal funding for local infrastructure and public safety projects in Southern Maryland within the Committee’s proposed annual funding legislation.
Overall, Senator Van Hollen included over $62 million in federal dollars directly for Maryland within the Committee’s proposed legislation. A full list of the funds included by Senator Van Hollen in the legislation is available here. This legislation, released by the Committee as part of the annual Congressional Appropriations process, will proceed to consideration before the full Senate.
“Securing federal investments for key local projects that support our communities is one of my top priorities. These initiatives will impact the everyday lives of countless Marylanders by modernizing our infrastructure and providing new transit options to our communities. I was proud to fight for these investments to support Southern Maryland and Anne Arundel County, and I will keep working to get this funding over the finish line in Congress,” said Senator Van Hollen.
The funding announced by Senator Van Hollen includes:
$5 million in funding for the Charles-Prince George’s Southern Maryland Rapid Transit (SMRT) Project: Funds will be used for the planning, design, engineering, and environmental review process for the development of a 19-mile fixed-route, high-capacity transit service from the Branch Avenue Metrorail Station in Camp Springs to Waldorf/White Plains. The transit corridor would help alleviate traffic between Washington D.C. and Charles County and serve as a catalyst for economic and job growth. It is a top priority for Charles County.
$1 million in funding for the MD 4 Corridor and Thomas Johnson Bridge Capacity Improvements Project: Funds will be used to continue the design of St. Mary’s County’s top priority transportation project, which includes widening sections of MD 4 and replacing the functionally obsolete MD 4 Thomas Johnson Bridge. The completed project will improve safety and capacity for commuters in an increasingly congested corridor, and ensure access to Naval Air Station Patuxent River.
$610,000 in funding for the Charles County Body Worn Camera Project: Funds will be used to implement a Body-Worn Camera program and outfit 215 officers with cameras.
$500,000 in funding for the Girl Scouts of Central Maryland Inc., Outdoor Programs located in Annapolis: Funds will be used to renovate Girl Scouts Camp Woodlands in Annapolis to expand access for underserved families and individuals with disabilities while also upgrading storm-water management to protect the shoreline in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.