MetroNow Celebrates Signing of Metro Funding Act in Maryland, and Turns to Accountability

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, April 25, 2018

Contact:
Clare Flannery
MDB Communications
cflannery@mdbcomm.com
914-659-7805

Annapolis, MD –  Following today’s signing of the Maryland Metro/Transit Funding Act (SB 277/HB 372) by Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, the MetroNow Coalition issued the following statement:

“In March, Maryland joined Virginia and Washington D.C. in pledging dedicated funding for Metro, securing an additional $500 million annually. Today, Maryland followed through on its part as Governor Hogan signed the Metro/Transit Funding Act (SB 277/HB 372), passed by the Maryland General Assembly earlier this month.

Establishing a dedicated funding source for Metro has been a critical need since the transit agency’s formation in 1967, and the region’s recent success is a historic achievement. This issue impacts the entire state, as estimates show that there are more than 30,000 riders who rely on Metrorail daily from Maryland jurisdictions outside of Montgomery or Prince George’s counties. Metro is an invaluable part of the state’s economy.

With two of three jurisdictions now having passed and signed funding legislation, and Virginia having passed legislation in March that Governor Northam is expected to sign soon, the funding reform that Metro has so desperately needed for decades is closer than ever before. This is nothing short of a major, historic victory for our region.

The MetroNow Coalition continues to urge leaders in each jurisdiction to work together to complete the necessary reforms to Metro’s governance to provide better outcomes across the system. During this year’s legislative sessions, reasonable governance reform proposals were advanced that can now be built on to achieve lasting improvements. Only by pairing governance reforms that improve accountability with the newly secured dedicated funding can Metro achieve the operational improvements that will deliver safe, frequent, and affordable service.

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About the MetroNow Coalition

The MetroNow Coalition is a group of regional leaders from organizations representing businesses and non-profit advocates who have come to together to ensure that action is taken to put Metro—the backbone of Greater Washington’s transportation infrastructure—on a safe, smart and sustainable path forward in 2018 and beyond. We are dedicated to securing comprehensive improvement of Metro’s governance, funding and operational structures in 2018. Visit www.MetroNow.com for more information.