Transportation bill to assess climate impact on major highway projects

Annapolis, Md. – One of the bills being considered in Maryland’s legislature is House Bill 437, also known as the Transportation and Climate Alignment Act of 2026.

The bill, sponsored by Democrats, would require the Department of Transportation, to assess the greenhouse gas emissions of major highway expansion projects totaling over $100 million. WMDT spoke to Delegate Wayne Hartman who says he tried to add an amendment to the bill to exclude a project to expand Route 50.

“This is for public safety,” he said. “This is to have another means of egress. If that route 50 bridge is stuck, to have a second means dual highway, it’s going to reduce traffic congestion, because right now you have a bottleneck when you’re getting into Ocean City.”

Despite his claims that the proposed Route 50 project should be excluded from the proposed legislation due to safety and “common sense” concerns, Hartman’s amendment was rejected by a 94 – 39 vote, with four abstaining. The bill has since passed in the House and was referred to the Senate’s Budget and Taxation Committee for a hearing.