Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan and members of the state’s congressional delegation met in Annapolis to talk about federal issues of interest to the state, including the condition and future of the Baltimore-Washington Parkway.
Hogan recently wrote a letter to the members of the delegation urging them to support his efforts to have the state take over the road, saying conditions on the parkway had reached “a breaking point.”
Hogan, who has proposed transferring the federal parkway from the National Park Service to Maryland and adding express toll lanes, told reporters Friday, “I think we did have a fruitful discussion about the future of the parkway.”
Sen. Chris Van Hollen talked about the news that repairs to the roadway, ravaged by potholes, would begin Friday night. And he added that work to resurface stretches of the parkway would be “moving ahead within weeks.”
Referring to Hogan’s proposal to have Maryland modernize the parkway with toll lanes, Van Hollen said, “The larger questions about the future of the whole corridor are something that we’ll continue to engage in conversations over.”
Sen. Ben Cardin said the members of the delegation and the governor also talked about Hogan’s proposed swap of state land in Western Maryland for the federal property Oxon Cove, a spot near National Harbor.
“It was a very constructive discussion, and a very positive discussion” Cardin said.
Also present for the meeting: House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, Democratic U.S. Reps. Jamie Raskin, Dutch Ruppersberger, David Trone and John Sarbanes along with Republican Rep. Andy Harris.
