Progress Being Made On I-270 Congestion

A viability study of a monorail system between Frederick and the Metro’s Red Line will be conducted.

Frederick, MD (TY) – The Maryland Board of Public Works voted Wednesday in favor of soliciting contracts for building toll lanes on I-270 and the Capital Beltway.
The I-270 lanes will be built first as it is the least controversial of the two projects. Maryland Senator Michael Hough said that the expansion of I-270 will affect less property and homes in comparison to I-495.

“Of course any time you build roads you are going to have some eminent domain,” Hough said.”But the impact is going to be a lot less than what you will have on 495.”

The solicitation of bids from private companies will allow the board to review options for approving contracts and proposals in the coming months, making the $11 billion contracts the largest public-private partnership in US history. The partnership would entail the private contracters would construct and operate the projects, keeping a majority of toll revenue collected over the next 50 years.

“This doesn’t mean that anything is moving forward,” Hough said. “We just want to see what options are there, start soliciting bids, and start moving these projects forward.”

In addition to the plan for toll lanes, a study for the viability of a monorail system between Frederick and the Metro’s Red Line will be conducted.

Hough said although the process for the expansion has begun, environmental studies, contract approvals and more will we need to be conducted before any construction can start.

“This is a whole process,” Hough said. “It’s not going to happen overnight.”

By Timothy Young