Traveling Smarter

• Encouraging carpooling in State vehicles and use of public transportation if possible.
• Using biodiesel fuel for operations at the Port of Baltimore's public terminals and promoting the use of biodiesel fuels at private terminals through a grant program.
• Using biodiesel fuel for the BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport fleet, the State Highway Administration fleet, and the Maryland Department of Transportation fleet.
• Construction of E-85 Ethanol refueling sites for State vehicles. Two sites are under construction in Easton and La Plata, with a third site planned for Hagerstown.
• Ongoing conversion of the Maryland Transit Administration bus fleet to hybrid buses. Read more
• Purchase and use of 26 “green” locomotives for the MARC commuter rail fleet. Read more
• Development of Maryland’s first Statewide Freight Plan which identifies more than 100 port, highway and rail projects to help support the projected truck and train travel in the State by 2030 without increasing congestion on overburdened highways and commuter railways. Read more
• By reducing the width of mowed areas adjacent to State roads, the State Highway Administration estimates a 10 percent reduction in the total number of acres mowed annually – about 8,500 acres total, resulting in improved air quality with a decrease in carbon-fuel emissions created by gas-powered mowers. Read more
• In environmentally sensitive areas, the State Highway Administration has used goats instead of lawnmowers to cut the grass. In addition to reducing emissions statewide from mowers, the use of goats in Carroll County allowed the State to protect the bog turtle and its habitat. Read more
• Partners with volunteer groups for litter cleanup along thousands of miles of State highways through the Adopt-A-Highway Program. The State also partners with businesses for litter cleanup through the Sponsor-A-Highway Program.
• As part of the Intercounty Connector’s environmental program, the State has proposed seven new wetland sites totaling 83 acres, 700 acres of new forest habitat, and 44 bridges and culverts to provide safe passage for deer and small mammals.
• Working with the construction industry to develop environmentally safe methods to recycle pavement for use in future highway projects.