They used words like “blackmail” and “holding a gun to our heads.” But the St. Mary’s County Commissioners with extreme reluctance Tuesday approved the creation of a Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for transportation planning for an area that includes southern Calvert (including Chesapeake Ranch Estates and central St. Mary’s (California/Lexington Park).  Last week the Calvert County Commissioners gave a similarly reluctant approval.

The requirement comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and is triggered when an “urbanized area” reaches 50,000 people, which is what happened in the last census to the swath of land on either side of the Gov. Thomas Johnson Bridge. The federal agency requires the creation of MPO and their attendant bureaucracy when that happens.

The commissioners on either side of the river argued that the extra layer of planning was unnecessary given the planning that occurs locally, at the Tri-County Council and at the state. They also argued that the area encompassed by the census designation wasn’t contiguous and also included a large area (Chesapeake Ranch Club) served by private roads and another large area (Patuxent River Naval Air Station) over which the state and local governments have no transportation authority.

During the process St. Mary’s County enlisted the help of U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski, but the federal agency didn’t budge. Commissioner President Francis “Jack” Russell (D) and Commissioner Todd Morgan (R: 4th) also visited the Maryland Secretary of Transportation James Smith, Jr. to enlist his aid. Morgan reported on Tuesday that Smith looked him in the eye and said, “It (the MPO) doesn’t make any sense.” But the state has argued their hands are tied because the feds don’t recognize any appeal process.

Morgan said the map that created the urbanized area was gerrymandering, the worst he has ever seen. Commissioner Lawrence Jarboe (R; 3rd) said, “If we don’t sign this, our federal transportation funding dries up.” And ironically the creation of the new planning organization doesn’t give any greater assurance of federal construction monies, including those for the Gov. Thomas Johnson Bridge replacement project that connects the two counties.

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