Similar deficiencies are found around Maryland and the country as almost 20 communities struggle to prepare for BRAC.

"Growth resulting from BRAC decisions will have a significant impact on transportation systems in some communities, but estimates of the total cost to address those impacts is uncertain," the study said.

The GAO found there are about $2 billion of national transportation needs within 46 short-term projects associated with BRAC, but by August 2008 only $500 million had been appropriated.

Time is running out, as realignments are supposed to be completed by Sept. 15, 2011.

Fort Meade alone will see an increase of 11,200 people in the military and civilian populations, according to the GAO, with an additional 10,000 workers heading to private office space leased on the grounds. Twelve road sections near the base could have failing traffic conditions and potentially result in "significant delays."

"Because all of these initiatives are taking place at the same time, the forces driving growth at military bases and the surrounding communities are more complex than they would be if they were the result of BRAC decisions alone," the report stated.

Although the time frame to prepare is short, it apparently is not short enough to take advantage of the money coming from the federal stimulus package called the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The report notes Maryland has deferred $2.2 billion of transportation projects because of its budget struggles, but the $610 million of transportation stimulus funds the state has received may not be much help. Typically, projects take 10 to 15 years to come to fruition, much longer than the "shovel-ready" conditions of the stimulus.

"State and local government officials said they plan to fund and complete these improvements, but are uncertain whether they will have sufficient funds to do so," the report said. "However, according to an MDOT official, Recovery Act funds are not a good fit for the BRAC-related intersection improvements because the projects are not ready for funds to be obligated, and the Recovery Act has tight obligation deadlines for highway and transit funds."

Money shifts

Bob Leib, the county's BRAC director, had two words to describe the GAO report: "No surprise."

"Between the normal planning processes in the state and the economic downturn … there is no denying that we don't have the resources," he said. "This reaffirmed what we knew."

But the state is trying to get what it can out of the stimulus, and this week applied for almost $130 million in federal transportation grants that could help BRAC.

Projects in the application include:

$58 million to improve intersections around BRAC areas such as Fort Meade, Aberdeen Proving Ground in Harford County and the National Military Medical Center in Montgomery County.

$45 million for MARC train capacity and service improvements.

$25 million for a Central Maryland Transit Maintenance facility to help with transit operations in Anne Arundel County, Laurel and Howard County.

"Our goal was to identify needed transportation projects that will be competitive in the federal process as a result of their ability to support jobs and promote economic recovery," Beverley Swaim-Staley, the state transportation secretary, said in a statement.

County and state officials have been meeting to try to redirect resources to high-priority projects, such as roads and intersections that will be used by commuters from Virginia, Leib said. With the struggling real estate market, relocated workers may travel from longer distances rather than moving to the county right away.

"It is just not acceptable not to have anything done," he said. "It is a challenge."

Ultimately, the federal government is going to have to pick up more of the tab as local jurisdictions struggle with financial problems, said Claire Louder, president and CEO of the West County Chamber of Commerce.

Intersections are only the beginning of the infrastructure challenge, she said, pointing to the need to widen Route 175.

"Without more investment … there is no possible way to improve the roads enough," she said. "This is beyond what state and local governments can do on their own."