Message From Governor Larry Hogan

Dear Friend, November has flown by, and the holiday season is now upon us. We are gearing up with festive decorations and looking forward to celebrations and the new year. The First Lady and I will host our annual Holiday Open House on Saturday, December 17 from 1pm to 4pm. The event is free, and no reservations are required. Click here or scroll down for more information. Hope to see you there! We have stayed very busy during the past month, from announcing over $46 million to support victims of crime, to celebrating the new D/E terminal connector at BWI. I even had the chance to meet students (pictured above) at Mount Harmony Elementary School in Owings! Read on below for some of the latest announcements from our administration, and stay tuned to future newsletters for a firsthand look at the progress we are making for Marylanders across the state. Your Governor,

Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge – Time for an Upgrade

Standing at the base of the 75-year-old Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge, Governor Larry Hogan announced $765 million in funding for construction of a new Potomac River crossing from Charles County, Maryland, to King George County, Virginia. The Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) anticipates advertising a design-build contract for the new bridge in 2018, starting construction in 2020, and opening a new, wider, and safer bridge in 2023 – seven years sooner than the plan legislatively mandated during the 2016 session.

Currently, there are 1,073 transportation projects, totaling nearly $8 billion dollars, under construction across the state – a record amount for the state of Maryland.

“With this announcement, I am extremely proud to officially dedicate more than $760 million dollars to fully fund a new Potomac River bridge and finally replace the Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge,” said Governor Hogan. “From the start, our administration has consistently taken every step necessary to expeditiously push forward with this much-needed replacement project and going forward we will continue to push to ensure it’s completed as fast and efficiently as possible. Simply put, Marylanders deserve better than the daily congestion caused by the current bridge, and with the construction of this new bridge, they will finally get it.”

Victims of Crime Act – Funding Every Application

Governor Larry Hogan announced that over $46 million in Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Victim Assistance federal grants will be awarded to state and local agencies and nonprofit organizations that provide assistance, services, and treatment for Maryland citizens who have been victims of crime.

“Here in Maryland, we are working tirelessly to ensure that victims have the right to information, the right to provide input, the right to receive restitution, and perhaps most importantly, the expectation of being treated with the dignity and respect they deserve,” said Governor Hogan. “The more than $46 million we are announcing today will be dedicated to protecting the most vulnerable among us, to improving services for victims, and to providing our citizens with the most basic rights of safety and security.”

This year marks an increase in the allotment of VOCA funding to Maryland, and in response, the Governor’s Office of Crime Control & Prevention commissioned a Statewide Victim Services Needs Assessment to work as a guide for funding decisions, and to ensure that programs and services are fully responsive to the needs of crime victims across Maryland.

“Thanks to Governor Hogan’s strong commitment to supporting victims and the increase in grant dollars this year, every single eligible application was funded, including $35.9 million to continue and expand projects and $10.2 million for new projects or services,” said Glenn Fueston, executive director of the Governor’s Office of Crime Control & Prevention.

Across the Bay 10k – Running for a Cause

Across the Bay 10k – Running for a Cause

The annual Across the Bay 10k, the fifth largest 10k in the United States, welcomed nearly 21,000 participants including Governor Hogan and First Lady Yumi Hogan. This year, Team #HoganStrong raised over $18,000 for cancer-related programs and research. To see photos from the race, visit the Larry Hogan Facebook Page or click here.