Hanover, MD – The Maryland Department of Transportation today announced a new grant program to advance development projects near transit stations that will spur economic activity and increase connectivity in communities across Maryland. The first round of funding of the Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Capital Grant and Revolving Loan Fund includes $5 million to support local jurisdictions seeking to build equitable and inclusive development near transit hubs. This is the latest tool in the State’s efforts to create vibrant communities around transit, grow transit ridership and expand housing opportunities.
“With every grant awarded through this program, we will be fueling economic growth and building stronger communities across Maryland,” said Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld. “By investing in transit-oriented development, we can ensure more Marylanders benefit from new opportunities, reduce congestion, grow our housing stock, and build a greener, more sustainable Maryland.”
The TOD Fund was established by the Equitable Inclusive TOD Enhancement Act signed into law by Governor Wes Moore in 2023 and is in line with the Moore-Miller Administration’s vision for more transit-oriented development statewide. Transit-oriented development is widely known as a highly effective approach to help increase transit ridership, support economic development, maximize the efficient use of transportation infrastructure and increase affordable and accessible housing opportunities. An outcome from transit-oriented development includes lower greenhouse gas emissions on a per capita basis.
Through the TOD Fund, the Maryland Department of Transportation seeks to support projects that would lead to dense, mixed-use and mixed-income development. Eligible projects must have a direct connection or benefit to a site the state has designated for transit-oriented development. Local jurisdictions can apply for up to $1 million for planning, design or public infrastructure improvements. Nonprofit or private development partners are eligible to apply in partnership with a local jurisdiction for up to $1 million in gap funding for projects within a State-designated transit-oriented development. The Department will host two webinars for interested applicants on February 14 and March 4. Applications are due by April 8. Program details and the grant application can be found here.
The funding program is the first of its kind at the Maryland Department of Transportation to support the construction of transit-oriented developments across the state. In October, the Department released the Penn Line Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Strategy Plan, an effort to catalyze growth and further private investment along MARC’s busiest commuter rail line. That same month, MDOT and the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development signed an agreement to prioritize the resources and capacities of the two departments to accelerate the construction of development that catalyzes dense, mixed-use and mixed-income development within a half mile of transit stations. The Maryland Department of Transportation is actively working on plans for development at the Odenton MARC Station in Anne Arundel County and at Baltimore’s Reisterstown Plaza Metro Station.
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