Officials: Transportation cuts will be noticeable

Do not expect much in new roads or maintenance in the fiscal 2011 budget, state transportation officials told a group of Prince George's County leaders.

"We hoped that by this time, we'd be ahead [on the economy]," Maryland Transportation Secretary Beverly Swaim-Staley said to leaders at an annual meeting Nov. 4 to discuss transportation funding for the county. "But as you know we've had a tumultuous year."

Economic losses have led to major state cutbacks, leaving Prince George's with about $1.6 million for road construction in the next fiscal year from the State Highway Administration, and upkeep is expected to be cut so much that the reduction in pothole repairs, road striping and mowing will be noticeable.