Design and Right-of-Way Acquisition for a new interchange at MD5 @ Brandywine Road and MD 373, Prince George's County, MD

Funding would be utilized toward design associated with construction of a new interchange at MD 5, MD 373 and Brandywine Road in order to close the two at grade signalized intersections.  The purpose of this project is to provide relief to the public from the congestion along MD 5 at the intersections of MD 373 (Accokeek Road) and Brandywine Road in Prince George's County.  This is a valuable use of taxpayer dollars because it will improve safety and traffic flow along a heavily congested corridor which is a significant commuter route into and out of Washington, D.C.

MD 4, MD 2/4 to MD 235 including Thomas Johnson Bridge and MD 235 Intersection
Request: $2,000,000
Maryland Department of Transportation
7201 Corporate Center Drive, Hanover, Maryland 21076

This corridor serves as one of the primary transportation corridors and evacuation routes for a fast growing part of Maryland and major safety and capacity enhancements must be undertaken to meet the current and future transportation needs of the nearby communities.  The requested funds would be used for design, right-of-way acquisition, or construction for improvements to the Thomas Johnson Memorial Bridge, dualization of MD 4, stormwater management improvements, and improved traffic operations.  This is a good use of taxpayer dollars because the project seeks to address congestion, improve safety, and reduce the impact on the environment.

Southern Maryland Commuter Bus Initiative
Request: $2,000,000
Maryland Department of Transportation
7201 Corporate Center Drive, Hanover, Maryland 21076

Commuter bus service has grown rapidly in Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary's counties over the past sixteen years and the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) Southern Maryland Bus program now operates more than 200 bus trips with a total of 7,200 riders each day. This funding will support planning, design and construction of new or expanded commuter parking lots in Southern Maryland as well as the acquisition of over-the-road coaches.  This is a good use of taxpayer dollars because it seeks to reduce traffic congestion, thereby improving the quality of life of area residents and the environment.

U.S. 301, Charles County, Maryland
Request: $1,000,000
Maryland Department of Transportation
7201 Corporate Center Drive, Hanover, Maryland 21076

Funding will be used for planning to help address the transportation needs along U.S. 301 in Charles County.  This highway is a major commuter thoroughfare from Southern Maryland to Washington, DC.  Due to the economic growth in this region, U.S. 301 is often very congested and is in desperate need of upgrades.  This is an appropriate use of taxpayer funding because it seeks to determine the best, most appropriate way forward to reduce traffic congestion and gridlock impacting the quality of life for local residents and access to local businesses.

New Fredrick Douglass Memorial Bridge Construction Project
Request: $3,000,000
District Department of Transportation
2000 14th Street, NW, 6^th Floor, Washington, DC 20009

Funding would be used for the design of the new Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge.  This is a good use of taxpayer dollars because a new bridge will enable South Capitol Street's transformation into a grand urban boulevard, improve access and traffic flow for commuters and visitors to our nation's capital, and help bolster the economic recovery of the neighborhood.

Southern Maryland Mass Transit Corridor Alignment Study
Request: $2,000,000
Maryland Department of Transportation
7201 Corporate Center Drive, Hanover, Maryland 21076

Funding will be used toward completion of the planning and preliminary engineering process to begin the final design, right-of-way acquisition, and ultimately construction of this vital mass transit link from Southern Maryland to Washington D.C.   This is a good use of taxpayer funds because it seeks to address the long-term transportation needs of one of the fastest growing areas of the state, while reducing traffic congestion and gridlock and providing an efficient and environmentally beneficial means of transportation for the thousands of residents who commute to Washington on a daily basis.

MD 261 Bridge over Fishing Creek, Calvert County, MD
Request: $500,000
Maryland Department of Transportation
7201 Corporate Center Drive, Hanover, MD 21076

Funding would be used for design of a higher, wider bridge over Fishing Creek.  The MD 261 Bridge over Fishing Creek is structurally deficient.  This is a good use of taxpayer dollars because a new bridge would improve safety, as well as better accommodate increased automobile traffic and enable taller marine traffic to pass under the bridge.

WMATA - Capital Maintenance Project
President's Budget Request: $150,000,000
WMATA
600 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001

The President's request would be used for capital and preventive maintenance projects for the maintenance and upkeep of the public transportation system in the Nation's Capital, which was built primarily to serve the federal government, as authorized in Title VI of Division B of PL 110-432.  This is an important use of taxpayer funds because it will address urgently needed capital investment in WMATA's (rail, bus and paratransit) transit system to ensure that WMATA can provide safe and reliable service for area residents, commuters, and visitors.  Funds will be matched by Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia.

Maryland Heritage Interpretive Center
Request: $400,000
Historic St. Mary's City Commission
P.O. Box 39, 18559 Hogaboom Road, St. Mary's City, MD 20686

St. Mary's College of Maryland is scheduled to construct a new classroom/laboratory building on the site of the current Anne Arundel Hall.  The funding will be used to develop and fabricate exhibits for the Maryland Heritage Interpretive Center about Maryland's first capital and its contributions to the development democracy in the United States.  This is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because the project will greatly enhance the value of Historic St. Mary's City as a valuable asset for economic development in Southern Maryland and a tool for educating visitors about Maryland's contributions to national history.

Indoor Plumbing - Charles County
Request: $300,000
Charles County Department of Community Services
8190 Port Tobacco Road, Port Tobacco, MD 20677

This project will provide funds for the installation and/or rehabilitation of homes so that these Charles County citizens and their families will have decent and sanitary housing.  There are an estimated 250 homes in Charles County which lack indoor plumbing. Additional homes have indoor plumbing that is inoperable and needs repair. The Housing Authority will work with local contractors to provide services. This project is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it will enhance quality of life, improve environmental and health conditions, and helps provide a critical utility to some of Charles County's most vulnerable citizens.

Sotterley Preservation Project
Request: $500,000
Historic Sotterley, Inc.
P.O. Box 67, Hollywood, MD 20636

Sotterley is a National Historic Landmark located on the Patuxent River in St. Mary's County.  The continued restoration and conservation of this extraordinary landmark provides continually expanding opportunities for educational and cultural events to serve the region.  This project is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it creates significant construction-related activity, as well as enhancement of an important educational institution serving many throughout the region.

St. Mary's County 4-H Pavilion Repairs
Request: $60,000
St. Mary's County Board of County Commissioners
23115 Leonard Hall Drive, P.O. Box 653, Leonardtown, MD

This project will replace two buildings that are principally used to showcase agricultural livestock and products to promote farming in the Southern Maryland region.  In addition, the Fair Association allows community non-profit organizations to use these facilities for fundraising throughout the year, generating a significant source of funding for charitable organizations.  This is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because these facilities are critical to continuing activities for the 4-H and other organizations that promote agriculture, a historically and economically vital sector of the Southern Maryland economy.

Technical Correction - Charles County Department of Community Services
Charles County Department of Community Services
8190 Port Tobacco Road, Port Tobacco, MD 20677

Funding was included in the FY09 Transportation/HUD Appropriations bill to acquire and rehabilitate a specific facility to be used as a homeless shelter and site for transitional housing in Charles County. This facility is no longer available for acquisition. This technical correction language is necessary to provide flexibility to the Charles County Department of Community Services to acquire and rehabilitate a facility to be used as a homeless shelter and transitional housing site.  This is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because helps the neediest members of the community transition to independent living.  It will provide housing for people who would normally utilize emergency sheltering, whose model is not only cost-ineffective but would not adequately address the social services needs of the citizens.