Transportation

SB 487 authorizes Maryland’s State Highway Administration and local jurisdictions to install speed monitoring systems in designated "safety corridors" - areas identified as high-risk for pedestrians, cyclists, and other vulnerable road users. It updates existing traffic laws to clarify that penalties from speed monitoring citations (e.g., for speeding in these corridors) must be paid directly to local political subdivisions for uncontested cases or to District Courts for contested cases. The bill amends multiple sections of Maryland’s Transportation and Courts codes to integrate these systems into standard traffic enforcement procedures. It directly affects drivers receiving citations in monitored corridors, local governments implementing the systems, and courts handling related cases. The law focuses on operational details of speed monitoring, not broader safety outcomes.

SB 149 establishes new rules for permits allowing heavy trucks to transport international cargo in sealed containers through Baltimore's Seagirt Marine Terminal corridor. It requires vehicles to weigh no more than 100,000 pounds, follow specific designated routes between the terminal and authorized destinations, travel only during permitted hours, and adhere to speed limits set by the Maryland Transportation Secretary. The bill directly affects trucking companies moving international freight by creating a formal "heavy weight port corridor" system with standardized weight, route, and timing requirements. The Secretary of Transportation will set permit fees, axle weight limits, and approved destinations through regulations, with the law taking effect June 1, 2026.

SB 936 updates Maryland's vehicle laws to prohibit drivers from parking, stopping, or standing in a bus stop zone when a transit bus is present. This directly affects drivers who park in designated bus stop areas during bus stops. The bill adds a new rule (Section 21-1003(GG)) allowing exceptions only for authorized personnel or drivers actively loading/unloading passengers with hazard lights on. It also revises related provisions about bus obstruction monitoring systems and their use in enforcement, replacing outdated references to "bus lane" with "bus obstruction." The law aims to improve bus stop efficiency by reducing obstructions.

SB 352 creates a special "Old Line Plate" program for Maryland motor vehicles, allowing owners of qualifying vehicles (passenger cars, light trucks under 10,000 lbs, and multipurpose vehicles) to obtain registration plates with numeric-only license numbers (1-5 digits, no letters or leading zeros). The Motor Vehicle Administration will auction rights to specific numbers, with proceeds funding transportation costs. Owners can transfer these number rights under strict rules (e.g., 180-day holding period, limited annual transfers) but cannot claim ownership of the plate itself. The program takes effect October 1, 2026, with the first auction by December 1, 2026.