Maryland State Highway Administration

What Maryland State Highway Administration does

Maryland State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) is a state government agency and constituent modal administration within the Maryland Department of Transportation, responsible for maintaining non-toll numbered state highways — Interstates, U.S. routes, and Maryland routes — across all 23 Maryland counties (excluding Baltimore City and county/municipal roads, which fall under separate jurisdictions). The agency employs approximately 989 staff organized through 7 district offices and a Statewide Operations Center, delivering road maintenance, traffic signal management, bridge preservation, snow and ice operations, stormwater management, and ADA-compliant pedestrian infrastructure. Its technology stack centers on the CHART (Coordinated Highways Action Response Team) real-time traffic management platform, TSMO (Transportation Systems Management and Operations) for corridor optimization, Esri ArcGIS-based interactive mapping applications (Know Your Roads, Roadway Sign Inventory Viewer, STORM), and a Salesforce-based Customer Care Management System for citizen service requests.

The agency's product surface extends beyond core highway maintenance to include permitting platforms (Maryland One hauling permits, Maryland OneStop), the Transportation Alternative Program and Recreational Trails Program (federally-funded multimodal infrastructure grants), real-time traveler information via live traffic cameras and travel advisories, commercial vehicle safety enforcement, and accessibility programs including over 1,600 Accessible Pedestrian Signals deployed statewide. Recent capital deployments include a $9.9 million pedestrian access project on US 50 in Easton, an $8.6 million truck parking expansion at I-70 South Mountain Welcome Centers, and a $1.9 million bridge preservation contract covering seven Anne Arundel County bridges.

MDOT SHA does not generate revenue in a commercial sense; it is funded through the Maryland Department of Transportation budget, drawing on state transportation revenues (motor fuel taxes, vehicle registration fees) and federal highway funds distributed via the Federal Highway Administration. The agency coordinates with sister MDOT modal administrations (Maryland Transportation Authority for toll roads, Motor Vehicle Administration), all 23 county transportation departments, Baltimore City DOT, and FHWA. It serves as the sole statutory authority for its highway maintenance jurisdiction, governed through the Maryland Transparent Government Act and Public Information Act, with workforce development partnerships including the Eddie B. Tombs Scholarship Program with Morgan State University.

Name

Maryland State Highway Administration

Legal name

Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration

Website

https://roads.maryland.gov

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Maryland State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) is a state government agency maintaining non-toll numbered highways across all 23 Maryland counties, operating CHART real-time traffic management, TSMO corridor optimization, Salesforce-based citizen services, and ArcGIS mapping platforms for residents, commercial vehicle operators, and contractors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

State Highway Infrastructure Management

NAICS

Regulation and Administration of Transportation Programs (92612)

akta.pro primary industry

Road & Highway Authorities (Planning, Construction, Maintenance) (BPAIALAA)

Keywords

• State highway maintenance
• Traffic management systems
• Transportation infrastructure
• Commercial vehicle permitting
• Roadway safety operations

Headquarters

HQ city

Baltimore

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding - State Budget: MDOT SHA is a state government agency funded through the Maryland Department of Transportation budget. Funding comes from state transportation revenues including motor fuel taxes, vehicle registration fees, and federal highway funds distributed to Maryland.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

MDOT SHA owns, maintains, and operates Maryland's non-toll state highway network (Interstate, U.S., and Maryland routes) across all 23 counties, delivering roadway maintenance, bridge preservation, traffic signal operations, snow and ice removal, and real-time traveler information. The agency administers commercial vehicle permits, bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure programs, and federal-aid grant programs (Transportation Alternative Program, Recreational Trails Program) while operating the CHART traffic management system and TSMO program for system optimization.

Product overview

MDOT SHA operates as a state government transportation agency managing Maryland's state highway system (non-toll numbered roads including Interstate, U.S., and Maryland routes) across 23 counties. The agency's product portfolio centers on highway infrastructure maintenance and traffic management through its CHART system for incident response and travel information, complemented by a Project Portal for public-facing project communications. Customer-facing digital services include a Salesforce-based service request system, interactive mapping applications (Know Your Roads, Roadway Sign Inventory), and truck parking information. The agency also administers permit systems for commercial vehicles and grant programs for alternative transportation infrastructure including bicycle/pedestrian trails and the Transportation Alternative Program. Key digital platforms leverage Esri ArcGIS technology for mapping, dashboards, and open data services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• State Highway Maintenance and Operations
• CHART (Coordinated Highways Action Response Team)
• Customer Care Management System
• Maryland One Hauling Permits
• Transportation Alternative Program (TAP)
• Recreational Trails Program
• Know Your Roads Application
• Statewide Operations Center (SOC) Highway Emergency Service

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,600 Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS) installed, expanding from the original 2006 commitment to install 1,250 signals by 2016
• +3 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered moderate and core.

• Morgan State UniversitymoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerMDOT SHA, in conjunction with Morgan State University, has established the Eddie B. Tombs Scholarship Program to honor Eddie B. Tombs Sr., one of the first Black American engineers to work for the Maryland State Roads Commission (MDOT SHA's predecessor). This scholarship represents a strategic partnership for workforce development and diversity in transportation engineering.
• Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA)coreOthersMDTA owns and maintains all toll roads including I-95, the Bay Bridge, and the Fort McHenry Tunnel. MDOT SHA coordinates with MDTA for jurisdictional clarity on Maryland's comprehensive transportation network, as both agencies serve distinct but complementary roles in the state's transportation infrastructure.
• All 23 Maryland County Transportation Departments and Baltimore City DOTcoreOthersMDOT SHA coordinates with county road departments across all 23 Maryland counties for road maintenance jurisdiction, GIS data sharing, transportation planning, and the Transportation Alternative Program (TAP). The agency provides a 'Know Your Roads' GIS application to help citizens identify state vs. county road jurisdiction.
• Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)coreOthersMDOT SHA receives federal highway funding through FHWA programs including the Surface Transportation Program which funds the Transportation Alternative Program (TAP). The agency submits to FHWA requirements including Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS) reporting.
• County Governments (All 23 Counties)coreOthersCounty Roads Departments are listed as key coordination partners. MDOT SHA provides county contact information on its website and works with counties on projects affecting shared corridors. The 'Know Your Roads' application jointly displays state, county, and MDTA-maintained roads.
• Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT)coreOthersMDOT SHA is an operating agency within the Maryland Department of Transportation, along with MDTA, the Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA), and others. MDOT SHA operates under the overall governance and budget of MDOT.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT): Direct peer — neighboring state highway agency responsible for non-toll state highway maintenance, construction, and traffic management across Virginia. Operates CHART-like traffic management systems and similar district-based field operations.
• West Virginia Department of Transportation (WVDOH): Direct peer — neighboring Appalachian state highway agency with overlapping rural highway maintenance, bridge preservation, and limited-access corridor responsibilities in western Maryland's service area.
• New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT): Direct peer — neighboring mid-Atlantic state DOT with comparable urban-corridor congestion challenges, similar district structure, and overlapping freight and truck parking responsibilities.
• Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT): Direct peer — large Northeastern state DOT operating a highway system across 67 counties with similar functions (maintenance, CHART-equivalent traffic ops, permitting, ADA programs) and shared federal funding streams.
• Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA): Sister agency under MDOT — operates Maryland's toll facilities (I-95, Bay Bridge, Fort McHenry Tunnel). Closest institutional peer, with shared governance and complementary (rather than overlapping) jurisdiction.
• New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT): Direct peer — large state DOT with extensive non-toll highway network, similar CHART-style traffic management (NYSDOT's INFORM system), and analogous ADA and pedestrian infrastructure programs.
• Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT): Direct peer — smaller mid-Atlantic state DOT with overlapping operational scope, regional coordination with Maryland, and similar traffic management center functions (DelDOT's TRANSCOM/TSMO equivalent).

Others

• Federal Highway Administration (FHWA): Federal regulatory and funding partner — not a peer in competitive terms but the federal counterpart that distributes highway funds to MDOT SHA, sets HPMS reporting standards, and oversees federal-aid compliance.

Broad incumbents

• Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT): Broad incumbent — operates one of the largest state highway systems by lane-mile, with comparable functions (maintenance, traffic management, pedestrian infrastructure) but substantially larger scale and decentralized district structure.
• California Department of Transportation (Caltrans): Broad incumbent — much larger state DOT operating the most extensive state highway system in the U.S., with similar CHART-equivalent programs (Caltrans TMC) but vastly greater scale and urban congestion mandate.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/MDStateHighwayAdmin
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/maryland-state-highway-administration

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Maryland State Highway Administration