Ready to use stimulus funds

February 19, 9:08 AMDC Transportation ExaminerKatherine M. Hill

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Maryland has made a start on using its stimulus funds, and Governor Martin O'Malley has already begun with transit. From yesterday's article in The Baltimore Sun (emphasis mine):

O'Malley outlined his plan at a Board of Public Works meeting this morning in Annapolis. The state spending panel quickly approved a $2.9 million overhaul of a Laurel MARC station as a symbolic start to using the $3.8 billion.

Other projects range from creating sidewalks that are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act to installing safety guardrails on highways. They also will include road resurfacing.

Is your heart warmed? My cold, curmudgeonly, barely beating aorta is. Even if you don't like O'Malley (and he's not exactly popular, it seems) you have to like that he's already started and made a MARC station as his symbol. O'Malley also promised a website for residents to keep tabs on the spending. (Virginia has one too.) The article goes on to detail what the transit spending will detail (the full article includes Medicaid, education, and more):

At this morning's meeting of the board, which is made up of O'Malley, Franchot and Treasurer Nancy K. Kopp, O'Malley outlined his "Phase One" transportation spending plans.

The projects will be mostly maintenance, such as resurfacing roads, and will take place "in every region of the state ... supporting approximately 10,000 jobs," said Rick Abbruzzese, an O'Malley spokesman.

As for DC, WMATA is using $230 million with the intention of repairing rails, platforms, installing emergency tunnel carts, and replacing old buses, according to WMATA press release. The funds will fuel projects, which WMATA says will stimulate the economy and create jobs:

Some examples of Metro's stimulus projects include:
• Replacing Metro's oldest buses
• Replacing crumbling platforms
• Installing SmarTrip purchase capabilities at more Metro fare vending machines
• Enhancing bus garage security
• Installing technologies to improve bus route and schedule information
• Rehabilitating the oldest stretch of track in the rail system
• Building a railcar inspection and test facility to speed up the process of putting railcars into service
• Updating the train arrival signs on platforms and mezzanines
• Replacing the Metro Center Customer Sales Facility
• Expanding and replacing vehicles for paratransit service

WMATA also had this to say: "All of the projects are linked to Metro's strategic goals of delivering quality service, improving reliability, using resources wisely and ensuring safety."

Metro really needs the money so I don't have complaints (for now).