Ehrlich delivers transportation planning money

Wood lends support to GOP governor

Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2006

Click here to enlarge this photo Staff Photo by Reid Silverman Del. John F. Wood Jr. shakes hands with Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. at Calvert Marine Museum. Ehrlich announced a study of road projects in Southern Maryland. E-Mail This Article | Print This Story

Under dreary skies Friday that relocated a planned outdoor event in front of the soaring structure to the Calvert Marine Museum, Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. dedicated $1.5 million to begin planning for a second span to the bridge.

Motorists face near-daily traffic logjams as 24,000 vehicles inch across the two-lane bridge daily that links Calvert and St. Mary’s counties. As the area’s population soars during the next 20 years, that number is projected to nearly double, and officials fear an already overloaded bridge will become a severe choke point that will jeopardize nearby economic development.

‘‘It’s time to plan,” Ehrlich (R) said.

Work will begin in fiscal 2008, which begins July 1, 2007.

Officials acknowledge that such a massive undertaking will be expensive and time-consuming, which is why urgency is important.

‘‘We can’t wait 15 years because what we’re going to see is a doubling of the traffic,” said Del. Anthony J. O’Donnell (R-Calvert, St. Mary’s).

‘‘Growth is beautiful, but there are problems that come with it,” echoed Del. John F. Wood Jr. (D-St. Mary’s, Charles).

Previous efforts to promote state funding of a new span, led by Sen. Roy P. Dyson, have yielded no progress.

Dyson (D-St. Mary’s, Calvert, Charles) introduced legislation each of the past two years to require the state to pay for planning, design and construction of a new bridge, but that ultimately died.

Although the $1.5 million is minuscule compared to the project’s estimated $275 million price tag, it could signify future financial commitments from the state.

But as the gubernatorial race between Ehrlich and Baltimore Mayor Martin O’Malley (D) enters its final month, the event was draped in political motivations.

‘‘Anything that anyone does in this time period is going to be perceived as political and not as policy because we’re a month out from a hotly contested election,” said Zach Messitte, a political science professor at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. But because Ehrlich easily carried Calvert and St. Mary’s counties in 2002, Messitte doubts that the funding announcement was intended to sway voters in a region that is already likely to line up behind Ehrlich again.

At least one Democrat acknowledged that Ehrlich is effectively using the power of incumbency, known in political circles as the ‘‘Rose Garden strategy,” as he campaigns in his official capacity as governor.

‘‘The Rose Garden strategy can be effective when it’s done right,” said Del. Murray D. Levy (D-Charles).

Ehrlich also dished out $750,000 to examine another congested road in St. Mary’s — Route 5 between Compton Road (Route 243) and Hollywood-Leonardtown Road (Route 245).

The transportation event was just one part of Ehrlich’s daylong dart through Southern Maryland that saw him transform from Ehrlich the governor to Ehrlich the candidate at several stops.

His day began with an endorsement from the Maryland Farm Bureau at the 600-acre Walter family farm in Hughesville. Farmers said Ehrlich has given their industry a seat at the table and opened the lines of communication with them on agricultural issues.

‘‘The things that are most important to agricultural are things he certainly helped to promote,” said Buddy Hance, a Port Republic farmer who is the group’s president. He cited increased funding for cover crops and agricultural preservation programs as hallmarks of Ehrlich’s administration.

Later, Ehrlich touted his achievements to elderly residents at Northern Senior Center in Charlotte Hall. Several audience members said they liked what they heard.

‘‘He took a budget that was totally out of control and with restraints ... has been doing positive things,” said Harold Cunningham, 64, of Golden Beach.

But Clare Whitbeck, a Democrat who lost a primary bid for the House of Delegates, said Ehrlich slashed funding for senior programs 12 percent during his first three years, only to restore it this year in time for his re-election campaign.

‘‘It was very convenient for all the money to appear this year,” she said.