{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://sarbanes.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/sarbanes-leads-maryland-delegation-in-urging-federal-funding-for", "Sarbanes Leads Maryland Delegation in Urging Federal Funding for Baltimore Highway Improvements", "2016-12-05", "2016", "2016-12", "Democrat", "House", "MD", "John Sarbanes", "S001168", "sarbanes.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) today led a Maryland Delegation letter to U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Fox in an effort to secure federal funding for highway improvements on Interstate-95, better linking local communities with new development in South Baltimore planned by Sagamore Development.\nThe Members wrote, \u201cThe project will transform an industrial brownfields site into a vibrant hub for a thriving mixed-use live-work-play community, anchored by a corporate headquarters, existing and new manufacturing, restaurants, shops, parks, athletic fields, and over 40 acres of accessible public waterfront.\u201d\nA full copy of the letter is below.\nDecember 2, 2016\nThe Honorable Anthony R. Foxx  \n\tSecretary  \n\tUnited States Department of Transportation  \n\t1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE  \n\tWashington, DC 20590\nDear Secretary Foxx:\nWe are writing to offer our strong support for the City of Baltimore and the Maryland Transportation Authority\u2019s (MDTA) application to the US Department of Transportation for the Access I-95: Driving Baltimore\u2019s City\u2019s Growth (Access I-95) FASTLANE grant application.\u00a0 State and private funds are already committed to this project. Federal funding, through the FASTLANE grant program, will allow the project to become a reality.\nAs we stated in our previous letter, this grant will facilitate the redevelopment of Port Covington and ensure safe and efficient access to this waterfront complex at the southern end of the South Baltimore Peninsula bordering Interstate-95 (I-95).\u00a0 The Access I-95 package improves freight and human movement to and from Port Covington and on I-95 in Baltimore City.\u00a0 The project will transform an industrial brownfields site into a vibrant hub for a thriving mixed-use live-work-play community, anchored by a corporate headquarters, existing and new manufacturing, restaurants, shops, parks, athletic fields, and over 40 acres of accessible public waterfront.\nThe highway improvements associated with this project will generate more than $5.5 billion of private investment in six Baltimore City communities that have not seen significant investment or economic growth. The communities, the City and the developer are already at work ensuring that the benefits are far-reaching and inclusive. Millions of dollars will be invested in workforce training programs that prepare local workers for the job opportunities made possible by the Access I-95 project. At least thirty percent of all infrastructure construction workers will be hired from Baltimore, and twenty percent of residential units will be set aside as affordable housing. A capacity-building loan program will help support and grow minority and women-owned businesses in Baltimore. And profit-sharing agreements between Baltimore\u2019s communities and the developer will create sustainable funding for locally-chosen initiatives like educational scholarships, recreational programming, and anti-litter campaigns.\nThe Access I-95 package is large in scope and beyond what city, state, and limited private resources are available. We request that the Maryland Transportation Authority and the City of Baltimore\u2019s funding application for Access I-95: Driving Baltimore City\u2019s Growth receives its full award under the FASTLANE grant program.\nSincerely,\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://sarbanes.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/sarbanes-leads-maryland-delegation-in-urging-federal-funding-for"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.4586539473384619, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}