MDOT, show us the data on tolls!

Jeff Folden, the deputy project manager of the public-private partnership for the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) stated at a Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) hearing on November 20 that MDOT has a computer model that “spits out the toll numbers.” You can listen to this statement at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bAq921AtQY (scroll to 1:07:00).

In other words, MDOT has estimates of traffic levels and tolls for each roadway segment. This information is used to estimate the profit-and-loss of each roadway segment, using a model that calculates traffic levels and tolls. 

But MDOT refuses to release these data to anyone – the Board of Public Works (BPW), M-NCPPC, legislators, or the general public. This is unacceptable. The BPW must not vote on the toll lane project until this information has been provided. 

Governor Hogan claims that 70% of voters in Montgomery County and Prince George’s County support his plan. However, he is not telling people what the projected tolls will be. This is a completely deceptive and misleading poll: Poll numbers without toll numbers are meaningless!

Did you know?  Rush hour tolls hit $72 in Virginia on December 18. 


Once again, Comptroller Peter Franchot is the ‘swing vote’ on the BPW and his decision will be decisive. What to do? 

Write to Comptroller Franchot:

pfranchot@comp.state.md.us. 

Tell him:

  • There must be transparency from MDOT and insist on full disclosure of the critical information needed to make informed policy decisions.

  • The financial analyses that include estimates of what the tolls will be need to be made available.

  • Further consideration of the toll lane plan should be delayed until MDOT has provided full disclosure of essential information. 

Use these points, or add more to share your thoughts in your own words. Be sure to include your home address in the email. 



Thank you: Monday rally was a huge success

On Dec. 16, a frigid and stormy weekday evening, over 300 people (standing room only) came together for an emergency rally at the Silver Spring Civic Center. 

State and local elected officials spoke against Governor Hogan’s proposed managed toll lane project. They derided its effect on homes, businesses, parklands, the environment, and its risks to state finances and Maryland taxpayers.

Among the many prominent speakers, Senator Susan Lee, Delegate Julian Ivey, and Delegate Jared Solomon discussed legislation they would be introducing in the 2020 General Assembly. Montgomery County officials denounced the expensive toll lanes that would be available only to the wealthiest residents and the impact the roads would have on communities and neighborhoods.  

The speakers praised the efforts of organizations and community activists who have spoken out, rallied, and written letters and e-mails to the Governor, MDOT, the Comptroller, and others voicing their opposition to the proposal. Representatives of these organizations, including DontWiden270.org also spoke during the rally, emphasizing their continuing commitment to fighting the project.


MoCo Council awards citation to DontWiden270.org

Sidney Katz and Tom Hucker, president and vice president of the Montgomery County Council, presented a citation to Dontwiden270 at the Dec. 16 rally. The citation reads "The Montgomery County Council awards this citation to DontWiden270.org in recognition of its commitment to protecting our homes and neighborhoods by working to stop Governor Hogan's plans to widen 270."

 

State seeks access to 3,700 properties for survey work in advance of highway expansion

The State Highway Administration (SHA) has sent letters to 3,717 homeowners in the I-495 and I-270 corridor informing them that surveyors may access their property. According to SHA, the surveyors need access to individual lots to “gain a better understanding of land use, environmental conditions, and cultural resources.”

State Delegate Al Carr has tried unsuccessfully, so far, to get more information from SHA. Read more at https://www.facebook.com/297913220669359/posts/836231740170835/?d=n 

 

Delegate Marc Korman’s take on taxpayer risk from the proposed P3 

Delegate Marc Korman is chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation and the Environment in the Maryland General Assembly. He has posted an important message about financial risk from the Governor’s plan.

Read more about his message at: https://www.facebook.com/519017604812366/posts/2719953238052114/?d=n 

 

Montgomery County Council member Tom Hucker’s petition

Council member Tom Hucker has set up a petition to tell the Board of Public Works (BPW) not to approve the Governor’s plan to widen I-270 and I-495. To sign the petition, go to:

https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/dont-approve-the-i-495i
 

Press coverage continues to increase

News media (newspapers, magazines, radio, TV, social media) are steadily increasing their coverage of the managed toll lane boondoggle. Check out coverage of our lead stories on our Media Archives website tab. 

 

Get your friends and neighbors to sign on to our e-mail list

Tell them that this is a great way to stay current on what’s happening with the highway widening project and how they can help fight this boondoggle. Go to https://dontwiden270.org/get-involved to sign up.

And check out our website dontwiden270.org with our Spanish language tab for more: https://dontwiden270.org/en-espanol 

 

Have a Question or Comment? Want a speaker for your community?

Email us at contactdontwiden270@gmail.com .

 

Want a Yard Sign? 

Raise your voice and draw attention to Dontwiden270 with these colorful, two-sided yard signs!   Order here.

What's the latest with Annapolis and transportation?

Rally to Stop Luxury Lanes on I-495/I-270!

MONDAY -- DECEMBER 16,  7:00 PM
Silver Spring Civic Center
Silver Spring, MD 20910

  • Join Councilmember Tom Hucker, Dontwiden270.org, Citizens Against Beltway Expansion, Maryland Sierra Club, and many other officials and organizations.

  • Say NO to $30-40 rush hour tolls (like in Northern Virginia).

  • Demand a better deal for commuter relief with transit, transparency, and taxpayer protection.

  • Tell the Board of Public Works to reject Maryland Dept. of Transportation's deal-breaking amendments to the $11 billion Luxury Lane boondoggle. 

Bring a friend! Spread the word!


New Secretary of Transportation

On December 9, the Governor unexpectedly announced that MDOT Secretary, Pete Rahn, had resigned and that Greg Slater, the current State Highway Administrator would become the new MDOT Secretary. His appointment will become effective on January 10. Mr. Slater has a long and respected record of public service. However, Governor Hogan can be expected to push Slater to continue to push forward his plan to privatize and widen Maryland’s interstate highways with expensive toll lanes.

Keep writing Comptroller Franchot

The steady drumbeat of unanswered questions and concerns about Governor Hogan’s managed toll lane project continues. And while Dontwiden270.org members and others have dealt a setback to the Administration’s plans, the fight for a true multimodal traffic congestion relief plan remains elusive.

The Maryland Board of Public Works (BPW) was to meet December 4 to vote on substantial changes to their June 5th plan for the toll lane project. These changes must be approved by the state Board of Public Works (BPW), consisting of the Governor, Comptroller Franchot, and Treasurer Nancy Kopp. Treasurer Kopp is already skeptical of the toll lane plan. So once again, Comptroller Franchot’s vote will be decisive.

A new date for the vote hasn’t been determined. Therefore, keep sending your e-mails now.

Write the Comptroller

Write to Comptroller Franchot now:

pfranchot@comp.state.md.us. 

Tell him that further consideration of the toll lane plan should be delayed until there is full disclosure of essential information by the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT). 

Remind him that as the State’s Chief Financial Officer, he has a duty to protect Maryland taxpayers and promote fiscal accountability. MDOT must release its financial analyses to the BPW, the affected local governments, and the public before a vote takes place.

Some additional points you can make in e-mails to Comptroller Franchot:

  • This plan will not relieve traffic congestion. It requires congestion in free lanes to make people pay to use the toll lanes. It creates additional congestion at termini and exits. Traffic jams will worsen as the proposed 8 lanes (6-current plus 2-toll) merge to 2 on northbound I-270 and where I-270 joins the Beltway east of Wisconsin Avenue.

  • There are financial risks, including the need for the State to repay contractor loans if the contractor defaults. As recently described, ambiguous contract terms can lead to legal claims against the State for financial compensation. 

  • The proposal prioritizes the rich over the poor and middle-class. Rush hour tolls need to be $30-$40 for the plan to be financially viable. MDOT must release their analysis of realistic toll rates so the public can be informed.

  • There are no transit options being considered. In the case of I-270, there are a number of rapid transit options now available that could easily be expanded, including more MARC commuter rail service. Transit-oriented development is where economic growth occurs.

  • The project is bad for the environment. It promotes sprawl, greenhouse gas emissions, and noise and air pollution. Fast, safe, and accessible transit will give people a better alternative to driving, reduce traffic congestion, and reduce automobile emissions.  

  • There has been a total lack of transparency from MDOT. Our elected County officials and State legislators have been kept in the dark. The State has ignored Maryland’s tradition of collaboration with the affected local governments. Citizens whose lives will directly be impacted by this project are not being kept informed by the State. 

  • The bidding process is flawed because the financial companies that submit the bids won’t be required to name their subcontractors who will actually do the design and construction work. So the State won’t be able to judge the competence of these firms. 

Use these points, or add more to share your thoughts in your own words. Be sure to include your home address in the email. 

Media archives

Learn more about local coverage of the highway issue on our website at: https://dontwiden270.org/archives. 

Have a question or comment? Want a speaker for your community?

E-mail us at contactdontwiden270@gmail.com .

Want a yard sign? 

Raise your voice and draw attention to Dontwiden270 with these colorful, two-sided yard signs!   Order here.

Dontwiden270.org will continue to keep you informed of what is happening and how you can help.

Let's keep our momentum going

Our efforts have dealt a serious setback to the Administration’s plans:

The steady drumbeat of unanswered questions and concerns about the project have led to increased scrutiny and forced additional review. And be assured that all of this is being closely watched from afar by the potential investor groups. They can hardly be filled with confidence in the viability of the Governor’s 495-270 P3 scheme by what they’re seeing.

The Maryland Board of Public Works (BPW) was to meet December 4 to vote on substantial changes to their June 4th plan for the toll lane project. However, the new version of the toll lane scheme requires the BPW to approve the change.

The date for the BPW to consider the changes has been repeatedly postponed. A new date for the vote has still not been determined.

Once again, Comptroller Franchot’s vote will be decisive. E-mail him now (pfranchot@comp.state.md.us) and tell to delay the BPW vote until there is more information about the plan’s finances and environmental impacts. The Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) must release its financial analyses to the BPW and the public before a vote takes place.

Recent events

  • November 20: The Montgomery County Delegation to the General Assembly Priorities Hearing included discussion of the Governor’s toll lane project. Dontwiden270.org members and others provided testimony opposing the Governor’s plan.

  • November 20: The Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) voted unanimously to reject Governor Hogan’s P3 proposal. M-NCPPC’s vote is important because it controls parkland that MDOT needs for the highway expansion.

  • November 22: Governor Hogan launched an effort to rush big changes in the toll lane plan through the BPW over the Thanksgiving holiday, when public attention would be at a minimum. A vote was scheduled for December 4.

  • December 2: Nearly half the Maryland General Assembly (84 Senators and Delegates) sent a letter to the BPW to cancel discussion of the P3 proposal on December 4. The legislators requested the review occur only when MDOT provides sufficient information for the BPW, stakeholders, and the public to understand the proposal.

  • December 2: Comptroller Franchot requested a delay until December 18 on the BPW’s vote for amendments to the P3 toll lane procurement. Mr. Franchot acknowledged that additional time was necessary to consider the potential consequences of the plan.

  • December 3: Governor Hogan agreed to delay the BPW vote until December 18 in consideration of Comptroller Franchot’s request.

  • December 4: Governor Hogan did not appear at the BPW meeting. Lt. Governor Rutherford presided instead.

  • December 5: Comptroller Franchot announced that the critical vote on the P3 amendments might not occur until after Christmas to allow additional time for review.

  • December 6: The P3 proposal to widen I-270 and I-495 did not appear on the December 18 BPW agenda. However, it is still possible for a vote to occur on December 18. The next BPW meeting after December 18 is January 8, 2020.

For more information on recent events, go to https://dontwiden270.org/archives

Write the Comptroller

The BPW vote may yet take place on December 18. It is essential that Comptroller Franchot be told that the BPW vote must not occur until there has been an independent fiscal analysis and an economic report, including toll rates. And these reports must be made public. Remind him that as the state's fiscal watchdog, he has a duty to protect Maryland taxpayers and promote fiscal responsibility.

If you wrote before or you have not yet written, now is the time to write:

The Honorable Peter Franchot, Comptroller of Maryland at pfranchot@comp.state.md.us. 

Be sure to include your home address in the email.

Check out our latest addition to En Español on our website:

Legislatura Estatal: Una Visión General is the Spanish version of “Your State Legislature: An Overview”   


Have a Question or Comment? Want a speaker for your community?

E-mail us at contactdontwiden270@gmail.com .


Want a Yard Sign? 

Raise your voice and draw attention to Dontwiden270 with these colorful, two-sided yard signs!   Order here.