POTOMAC, Md. — On an average weekday, more that 250,000 cars travel along Interstate 270 near the Capital Beltway in Montgomery County, in an area considered to be the most congested corridor in Maryland.
“This highway is simply not equipped to handle that kind of volume and any Marylander who has driven this route would quickly tell you that it’s sometimes a traffic nightmare,” said Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan.
At a news conference Monday along the interstate in Potomac, the governor officially announced a plan to help ease congestion in the area. With more than $560 million earmarked for highway improvements in Montgomery County, $230 million is being set aside for projects aimed to improve traffic flow on the interstate.
A project being called the Innovative Congestion Management Project is a part of the state’s strategy. Hogan says the state will soon begin collecting proposals from transportation firms for the $100 million project and will begin discussing and examining the submissions in the fall.
“We’re hoping to get some great ideas and implement some of them,” Hogan said.
Maryland’s Secretary of Transportation Pete Rahn says the hope is a project that successfully improves conditions on I-270 can then be used elsewhere in the state.
“If we do not get ideas that are truly innovative, that we believe can make a difference, we are not going to award the contract,” Rahn said.
Montgomery County Executive Isaiah “Ike” Leggett says the commitment from the governor puts real money on the table to address the real challenges presented by the gridlock on the interstate.
“I think that this is helpful, I think you are going to see relief down the line, but it’s not going to come overnight,” Leggett said.
Another way the state hopes to help relieve the stress on the highway is by investing in the construction of a new interchange at Watkins Mill Road. The state plans to start construction on the project next summer. The new interchange will cost $130 million and is aimed at alleviating traffic backups on Md. 124 and Md. 355.
The governor said public transportation also will play a key role since the state now has a full funding agreement from the federal government for the $2.4 billion Purple Line light rail project, which will run between New Carrollton and Bethesda. That project is expected to break ground in the fall.
Also, unbeknownst to county leaders, Hogan announced that the state will provide the county $1 million, to be used with the Montgomery County’s shuttle bus plans when Metro’s maintenance plan results in single tracking and track sections shutdowns in the county.
Leggett said the money will help the county foot the bill for its plan to help residents get around the track work.
