Thursday marks the start of a series of public meetings that will focus on plans from Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan’s administration to add toll lanes to parts of the Capital Beltway and Interstate 270 in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties.
The meetings, hosted by Maryland’s Department of Transportation, are meant to provide information and give members of the public a chance to share their thoughts.
There will be six such workshops held throughout April and two more in May.
The first one is set for Thursday night at the Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex in Landover. There will be another one Saturday morning and afternoon at Pyle Middle School in Bethesda.
“On average, travelers navigate between seven and 10 hours of daily traffic congestion on I-270 and I-495,” the department said in a statement. “To address this congestion, the Federal Highway Administration and the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration are completing the I-495 and I-270 Managed Lanes Study.”
A list of seven proposals is under review in the study, including various plans to add Express Toll Lanes or High Occupancy/Toll Lanes to the highways.
On Express Toll Lanes, toll prices can vary based on the time of day or on actual traffic conditions. High Occupancy/Toll Lanes, on the other hand, are free to High Occupancy Vehicles while lower occupancy vehicles can use them by paying a toll.
“This study aims to provide a solution that addresses congestion, improves trip reliability, and enhances existing and planned mobility and connectivity for other modes of travel, including transit,” said the transportation department.
During the public meetings, a team with the transportation department will guide attendees through workshop materials that will include informational displays, handouts, and interactive and hard copy mapping.
Staff members will be on hand to answer questions, and public comments will be accepted both at the workshops and online.
You can find the locations and times of all the public meetings below:
- Thursday, April 11, 2019
6:30 p.m. — 8:30 p.m.
Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex
8001 Sheriff Road
Landover, MD 20785 - Saturday, April 13, 2019
10 a.m. — 12 p.m.
Pyle Middle School
6311 Wilson Lane
Bethesda, MD 20817 - Tuesday, April 23, 2019
6:30 p.m. — 8:30 p.m.
Eleanor Roosevelt High School
7601 Hanover Parkway
Greenbelt, MD 20770 - Wednesday, April 24, 2019
6:30 p.m. — 8:30 p.m.
Eastern Middle School
300 University Blvd., East
Silver Spring, MD 20901 - Thursday, April 25, 2019
6:30 p.m. — 8:30 p.m.
Thomas Wootton High School
2100 Wootton Parkway
Rockville, MD 20850 - Saturday, April 27, 2019
10 a.m. — 12 p.m.
Suitland Community Center
5600 Regency Lane
Suitland-Silver Hill, MD 20746W - Tuesday, May 14, 2019
6:30 p.m. — 8:30 p.m.
Oxon Hill High School
6701 Leyte Drive
Oxon Hill, MD 20745 - Thursday, May 16, 2019
6:30 p.m. — 8:30 p.m.
Seneca Valley High School
19401 Crystal Rock Drive
Germantown, MD 20874
