AASHTO Journal - Maryland DOT Aids Baltimore Watershed Resiliency Projects

The Maryland State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) – a division of the Maryland Department of Transportation – and the South Baltimore Gateway Partnership or SBGP recently entered into a 15-year “master memorandum” of understanding to advance nature-based resiliency projects in the Baltimore Harbor Watershed.

[Above photo by SBGP]

Through this partnership, MDOT SHA and SBGP will identify, design, fund, and implement projects that manage stormwater runoff, improve water quality and strengthen climate resilience in and around the communities of South Baltimore.

“These collaborative, nature-based solutions help advance Maryland’s environmental goals while delivering meaningful benefits to local communities,” said Kevin Wilsey, director of MDOT SHA’s Office of Environmental Design, in a statement. “This partnership maximizes public investment and supports long-term resiliency in the Baltimore Harbor Watershed.”

The agreement also dovetails with MDOT SHA’s commitment to advancing investments that reduce polluted runoff and support the health of the Chesapeake Bay and local waterways, the agency said.

It also supports SBGP’s implementation of the Middle Branch Resiliency Initiative, a comprehensive effort focused on restoring damaged ecosystems, improving water quality, expanding public recreation and active transportation opportunities and reducing coastal hazards such as flooding, erosion, storm surge, and sea level rise, MDOT SHA added.

The Middle Branch Resiliency Initiative is the shoreline restoration arm of Reimagine Middle Branch; a community-driven initiative to reconnect South Baltimore communities and shorelines, which SBGP leads in partnership with Baltimore City and the Parks and People Foundation.

“The Middle Branch Resiliency Initiative is about restoring the harbor in ways that benefit both people and nature,” noted Samantha Rose, SBGP’s restoration director. “Through partnerships like this with MDOT SHA, we can advance projects that improve water quality, restore our shorelines and create more resilient and welcoming waterfront spaces for South Baltimore communities.”