LARGO, Md. – Last month, Gov. Martin O’Malley approved improvements to the Greenbelt Metro station. If the FBI chooses to relocate to Prince George’s County, it’s likely the project will be fast tracked.
Drivers can only directly access the station from the inner loop of the Capital Beltway when entering the Greenbelt Metro. Outer loop drivers must use exit 23 at Kenilworth Avenue, turn left onto Cherrywood Lane and look for Metro station signs.
When leaving the station, drivers can only access the outer loop. No ramp exists to the inner loop. Drivers wishing to take the inner loop must take the outer loop to Route 1, then turn left, cross the Capital Beltway, then re-enter on the inner loop.
The $7 million project will go toward designing a full interchange and upgrading the existing partial interchange on the Capital Beltway at the station. But so far, no construction dollars have been allocated.
However, that could quickly change if the FBI decides to relocate to Greenbelt. A stipulation to the move would likely include an improvement to the Greenbelt station.
“All of these projects are done in phases and as we move continue to move forward, the next phase would be construction. Maryland is moving aggressively towards getting the design done,” says Darrell Mobley, acting director of the Prince George’s County Department of Public Works and Transportation.
Mobley would know because he was the Deputy Secretary of Transportation in Maryland from 2011 until 2012 before becoming the Acting Secretary of Transportation from 2012 until June 2013.
While the Maryland State Highway Administration will head the project, Mobley has connections to the agency and his name is well-known to it.
“I wouldn’t say the project is several years away [from completion], it could be as quickly as maybe a year-and-a-half to two years. You should’ve expect to see it tomorrow, but there are certainly a number of different ways you can advance a project to construction,” he says.
Prince George’s County is lobbying the FBI to move their headquarters from 9th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW to Greenbelt. Fairfax County wants the FBI to move their headquarters near the Franconia-Springfield Metro station.
The Greenbelt Metro has about 6,700 passengers each day, Franconia-Springfield has about 8,300 passengers.
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