Gov. Hogan Cancels Red Line, Trims Purple Line
In one fell swoop yesterday, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan canceled the $1.9B Red Line rail project in Baltimore and greatly reduced the state's funding for the Purple Line, a light rail project planned to transect the suburbs of DC. Hogan announced the state's previously planned $700M on the Purple Line would be reduced to $168M, the difference to be made up by the taxpayers and governments of Montgomery and Prince George's counties, reports the Baltimore Sun. In lieu of funding rail transit, the governor doubled down on his campaign promise of more money for roads, highways and bridges, increasing the state's budget for vehicle-related capital projects by $1.3B. Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, who, along with the business community, worked for years to plan the Red Line, said she was "disheartened" by Hogan's decision. [Sun]
