Marylanders want more investment in public transit, walking, and biking to cut pollution, save time and money, and have better choices to get to work and school. And this is the case in every part of the state from Baltimore City, to rural Maryland, to the Washington and Baltimore suburbs.
Recently, the Sierra Club commissioned a poll with Gonzales Research and Media Services, Inc. where 811 registered Maryland voters were interviewed between December 27, 2024 and January 4, 2025. The poll indicates that:
- 78% of Marylanders say they support investing in more public transit, plus walking and biking infrastructure, to offset pollution caused by highway expansion projects that increase driving.
- 88% of Marylanders, including 82.5% of Marylanders polled from rural areas, say they support the state investing more in projects that give people additional choices to get to work, school, healthcare and other locations by taking public transit, walking and biking.
- Among Maryland voters, 68% agree having access to better public transit, and safer and more convenient walking and biking, would help them and their families reduce time sitting in traffic or save money on transportation expenses.
The poll comes as Maryland lawmakers consider a bill called the Transportation and Climate Alignment Act (HB 84/SB 395), also known as the TCA, sponsored by Delegate Edelson and Senator Hettleman. This bill would require the state to measure climate pollution from projects in the state’s six-year capital budget and invest more in public transit, walking, and biking in order to cut that pollution. The TCA is one of Maryland Sierra Club’s priority bills for the 2025 legislative session.
Learn more about the bill in our fact sheet.
Read more about the poll in articles that covered it, including Maryland Matters and Greater Greater Washington.