Funds included in the fiscal year 2020 Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development appropriations bill could be used to support repairs on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway.
Maryland or the National Park Service would need to apply for funding.
The Park Service lowered the speed limit to 40 miles per hour on the parkway earlier this year between Maryland Routes 197 and 32 and also patched potholes. The poor road conditions have led to auto accidents, congestion, and road debris.
Funding levels are $25 million higher than fiscal year 2019 and would be also enough to repair and improve the Clara Barton and Suitland Parkways.
The Park Service “has estimated that there are millions of dollars in maintenance needs that have been deferred, and this new funding can help address that problem and make improvements to the Clara Barton and Suitland Parkways,” U.S. Sen Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) said. “I’m going to keep pushing to make sure Maryland receives the money it needs to make these improvements.”
Earlier this year, Van Hollen sent a letter to National Park Service Acting Director Dan Smith urging the agency to accelerate full reconstruction of sections of the parkway.
The bill advanced through the Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday.