MDOT has worked to increase safety while also saving Marylanders time and money. (David Trozzo/MDOT)
From starting construction on Maryland’s first Pedestrian Safety Action Plan project to the Motor Vehicle Administration’s releasing a data dashboard, the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) has worked hard this year to increase safety while also saving Marylanders time and money. Below are Maryland’s top five transportation achievements for 2025.
#5 – Saving Marylanders Time and Money
Customers use self-service kiosks at the MVA branch in Annapolis. (MDOT)
The Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) expanded its digital services through myMVA where customers can complete more than 60 driver and vehicle services from home, including renewing their driver’s license and vehicle registration. If customers do need to visit a MVA branch, they can see up-to-the-minute wait times and the average visit time on the agency’s data dashboard.
MDOT also expanded its Commuter Choice Maryland program to help ease congestion across the Baltimore region. This past year the program launched new vanpool, carpool and transit incentives to help employers and commuters.
#4 – Getting Transit Back on Track
MTA has made tremendous progress building the Purple Line light rail project in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties. (Purple Line)
The Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) is moving forward with its more than $1 billion project to modernize the light rail system. The project will effectively build an all-new light rail system that will be more reliable, faster, safer and accessible. This is the first significant investment in the light rail system in 30 years.
MTA has also made tremendous progress building the Purple Line light rail project in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties. The Purple Line is nearly 85% complete and achieved several milestones including laying all the track in Prince George’s county, the delivery of all 28 light rail vehicles and starting to test the new transit system.
#3 – Driving Economic Growth
Plans are underway to reimage state-owned properties including Odenton in Anne Arundel County, Bowie State in Prince George’s County and State Center in Baltimore. (MDOT)
As work wraps up on BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport’s new A/B Connector, one floor below, the new state-of-the-art baggage handling system is up and running. Workers completed the new baggage handling system and put it into service in October. Project managers say the goal of the new system is to reduce the time between when passengers get off the plane to their luggage reaching baggage claim down to six minutes.
The Port of Baltimore continues to be a popular place to head out on a cruise. The Port signed a new five-year contract with Carnival Cruise Line. The Carnival Pride sails from Baltimore to destinations in the Bahamas, Bermuda, and the Caribbean. The ship also takes trips north to Greenland and Canada.
MDOT leaned into the power of transit-oriented development to transform underutilized land around transit stations into dense, unique developments that add housing and retail space. Plans are underway to reimage state-owned properties including State Center in Baltimore, Odenton in Anne Arundel County and Bowie State in Prince George’s County.
#2 – Keeping Marylanders Safe
The State Highway Administration began construction on several safety and mobility projects including long-awaited pedestrian, bicycle and roadway improvements along MD 97 (Georgia Avenue) in the Montgomery Hills area of Montgomery County. (David Trozzo/MDOT)
MDOT is Serious About Safety and saving lives. We’ve taken a big step forward, including seeing a 20% year-over-year decrease in road deaths.
The State Highway Administration began construction on several safety projects including Maryland’s first Pedestrian Safety Action Plan project. The project will enhance safety for pedestrians and bicyclists along a busy portion of New Hampshire Avenue in Prince George’s and Montgomery counties.
MTA enhanced safety for passengers and employees this year. In October, MTA implemented its new rider code of conduct that allows the agency to ban individuals who commit physical or verbal assaults against riders or employees. MTA also launched the SeeSay app which lets riders discreetly report safety concerns and communicate with the Maryland Transit police in real time.
#1 – Rebuilding the Francis Scott Key Bridge and Making the Baltimore Region Whole Again
Artistic Daytime Aerial View of the Francis Scott Key Bridge with downtown Baltimore and the Port of Baltimore in the background. The design was unveiled in February. (MDTA)
MDTA has been working at breakneck speed on the Key Bridge Rebuild project. In February, Governor Moore and Lt. Governor Miller unveiled the design for the new bridge and announced it would be the state’s first cable-stayed bridge. Workers started demolishing the remaining bridge in July then began the test pile program two months later. In November, the project reached the critical milestone of 70% design which provided a better estimate of the bridge’s total cost and timeline to build. Reaching the latest milestone of 70% design takes most projects about seven years but MDTA made the accomplishment in about 14 months.
Meredith Devereux is a Senior Writer with the Maryland Department of Transportation.