Heavy traffic moves slowly on Interstate 495 during Thanksgiving travel in November 2019. Both roads and public transportation need support for the state’s economic health. File photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images.
The Essential Takeaway Bryan Sears’ recent article on Maryland’s transportation infrastructure invites us to consider the stark reality that deferring maintenance and necessary improvements to Maryland’s public transportation infrastructure, as we know it, is overdue.
Any sensible analysis of this situation would reveal that we are not just dealing with roads and bridges, but with the economic lifeblood of the state.
A public convinced of the need for these improvements, as reflected in the recent Gonzales Poll, has shown the commendable insight that procrastination in this area will only increase the looming costs – both financial and human.
It would be redundant to argue that Maryland’s transportation network is vital. In a civilized society, the free movement of goods and services, and even the movement of people, is fundamental. The transport network is the bloodstream of our economy. Therefore, the current state of disrepair and inadequacy – due to a lack of visionary public investment – should be seen not only as a social inconvenience, but as an affront to common sense and prudence.
Let us not forget that all postponed improvements come at a higher cost, which is not just limited to dollars, but extends to the productivity of the population. If we remain in gridlock, it means sacrificing precious hours in the day – hours that could otherwise be spent on productive endeavors.
Such a loss is incalculable, but it is undeniably harmful.
The Gonzales Poll reflects a willingness among the people of Maryland to face this reality, provided we can throw off the self-imposed handcuffs of fiscal shortsightedness. While the debate over whether roads or public transit should be prioritized continues, this binary choice completely misses the point. Both need to be funded, both need to be improved, and both need to be seen as complementary pieces of a larger puzzle.
The suggestion that a gasoline tax increase of just one cent could help solve this problem would hardly stir the souls of those concerned with prudent fiscal policy. The cost of doing nothing is much greater than that of a modest tax adjustment.
What remains is that our officials will act with the necessary determination. For far too long, politicians have been seduced by the siren song of short-term austerity, which invariably leads to longer-term dangers. Deferred maintenance is not just a metaphor; It is a neglect that will certainly cost this state a lot of money if we don’t address it now.
