MARYLAND -The Maryland Department of Transportation is asking local elected leaders and community members in the state's eight non-metropolitan counties to review and comment on its Draft 2026 Non-Metropolitan Areas Consultative Process, which outlines how those communities can help shape statewide transportation planning.
The draft process explains how local officials and members of the public in non-metropolitan areas can provide input on the Maryland Transportation Plan and the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program.
According to the Maryland Department of Transportation, the draft process has been distributed directly to county and municipal officials. The department's Draft 2026 Non-Metropolitan Areas Consultative Process brochure also is available for public review online.
A non-metropolitan area is a jurisdiction that is not a voting member of a federal Metropolitan Planning Organization, which is a policy-making body made up of representatives from local governments and transportation agencies.
Maryland's eight non-metropolitan counties are Allegany, Caroline, Dorchester, Garrett, Kent, Somerset, Talbot and Worcester.
The department is encouraging input from elected officials, citizens, businesses, government agencies and community leaders in those counties.
Federal law requires the state to seek feedback from non-metropolitan areas at least once every five years to evaluate the effectiveness of the consultation process for transportation projects. The brochure was last updated in 2021.
