On November 12, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan and Virginia Governor Ralph Northam announced a partnership to rebuild and widen the American Legion Bridge. The agreement states that Virginia will help pay for the project even though most of the Bridge belongs to Maryland.
The exact design of new bridge is far from finalized. The actual details still need to be worked out by the Departments of Transportation in both states.
The announcement is opaque. Governor Hogan’s and Maryland Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Rahn’s actual intentions and MDOT’s immediate and long-range plans and schedules are entirely unknown.
How will this agreement affect the proposed P3 plan? It seems that the tollways would be added to I-495, I-270, and the American Legion Bridge at the same time.And this changes what the Board of Public Works (BPW) approved.
At their June 5 meeting. the BPW approved an amendment added at Governor Hogan’s request to widen the southern segment of I-270 ahead of widening the Beltway or the American Legion Bridge.
This BPW-approved plan, addressing 270 first, was impractical. It would lead to increasing congestion at the American Legion Bridge, already one of the largest traffic bottlenecks in the region.
The BPW now needs to vote on the new proposal before contracts can be developed. It is currently unknown when this will be placed on the BPW agenda.
Their vote will force more information to be revealed on the actual details of the plan. These details will appear in the background agenda package that will be put together for the BPW review.
How you can help
Dontwiden270.org, along with our partner organizations, will have to rethink our approaches and strategies to confront the Governor’s new P3 plan as the details emerge.
We will keep you informed and let you know how you can help once we have more details
Learn more
Refer to the Dontwiden270.org Media Archives tab for additional information on the announcement and its implications.
See Citizens against Beltway Expansion (CABE)’s November 13 blog, “Relaunch of Luxury Lanes," which discusses why the risks, costs, and obstacles of the P3 plan are unchanged as a result of this agreement.
The CABE commentary also explains why the BPW needs to require an independent analysis of the proposal’s fiscal and financial data.
Joint Maryland House and Senate Priorities Meeting
When: Wednesday, November 20 at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Montgomery County Council Hearing Room (Third floor), 100 Maryland Avenue, Rockville MD
This hearing is your opportunity to present issues of concern to our county delegation in Annapolis. It is our chance to tell our legislators about the work we want them to do.
Show up and let our legislators know that you are opposed to Governor Hogan’s plan.
Speak out. Give testimony. Our information sheet explains how to testify at a Montgomery County Delegation hearing and includes a sample legislative testimony template.
MDOT Briefing to Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission (MNCPPC)
When: Wednesday, November 20 at 10:00 a.m.
Where: MNCPPC Headquarters, 8787 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring MD
MDOT will provide updates on the Interstate 495 and Interstate 270 Managed Lanes Study to the 10-member governing body of the MNCPPC. The meeting agenda will focus on MDOT’s analysis of the MD 200 (ICC) Diversion Alternative added to the preliminary alternatives for review to determine whether to include it as an alternative retained for detailed study (ARDS). Discussion will also include potential revisions to the ARDS.
The meeting is open to the public, but no testimony will be taken. The briefing will be streamed live at MontgomeryPlanningBoard.org.
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