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The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) signed off on the Baltimore Red Line's Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), making the first major expansion of the Baltimore region's transit network since the early 1990s eligible for future federal approvals and funding, Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley announced earlier this week.

The FTA issued its record of decision, which marked the end of the process to review the project's possible impacts to communities, historic buildings and natural resources, O'Malley administration officials said in a prepared statement. The FEIS was filed in December.

"Now we must move to our next challenge, which is providing the state funds necessary to keep this project moving," O'Malley said. "Without an increase in transportation funding, work on the Red Line will come to a halt later this year as the state dollars simply aren't there to continue."

He encouraged passage of a transportation bill that he, state Senate President Thomas V.  Mike Miller Jr. and state House Speaker Michael Bush introduced on Monday. Their initiative would raise $3.4 billion for transportation investments over five years.

"Under our proposal, we can continue to move these projects forward, demonstrate our commitment to the project and remain in a position to compete for federal construction funds," O'Malley said.

The legislation also would require the study of regional transportation authorities that, along with public-private partnerships, could be part of the project's funding plan for construction, he added.

The Maryland Transit Administration's proposed 14.1-mile light-rail line will include 19 stations between Woodlawn, downtown Baltimore and Johns Hopkins Bayview. Riders will be able to connect to existing Metro Subway, light-rail and MARC lines. Red Line daily ridership by 2035 is projected at more than 50,000.