$9 Billion Traffic Relief Plan, Largest Highway P3 in North America RFI Released Today
ANNAPOLIS, MD – Delivering on his commitment to provide innovative transportation solutions for Maryland, Governor Larry Hogan today announced the administration’s plans to add four new lanes to I-270, the Capital Beltway (I-495), and the Baltimore-Washington Parkway (MD 295). The $9 billion Traffic Relief Plan for these three major state highways will reduce congestion for millions of drivers and mark the beginning of a historic and transformative effort to significantly improve the traffic conditions on some of Maryland’s most traveled roads and highways for years to come.
“These three massive, unprecedented projects to widen I-495, I-270, and MD 295 will be absolutely transformative, and they will help Maryland citizens go about their daily lives in a more efficient and safer manner,” said Governor Hogan. “Today, we are turning Maryland’s celebrated innovation into real action. These projects will substantially and dramatically improve our state highway system and traffic in the region.”
Joining the governor were Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) Secretary Pete K. Rahn, MDOT State Highway Administrator Greg Slater, Maryland Transportation Authority Executive Director Kevin Reigrut, as well as elected officials and community and business representatives from throughout the Baltimore-Washington region.
Today’s announcement officially begins the process to solicit the Public-Private Partnership (P3) industry for input and solutions to provide major congestion relief to these key transportation routes. With the total project estimated value at $9 billion, the P3 portion to add four new lanes on both I-495 and I-270 is the largest proposed P3 highway project in North America. The P3 will be seeking private developers to design, build, finance, operate, and maintain new lanes on I-495 between the American Legion Bridge and the Woodrow Wilson Bridge and on I-270 between I-495 and I-70. Once completed, the Traffic Relief Plan will deliver new express toll lanes, in addition to existing lanes, on I-495, I-270, and MD 295.
“Using innovation and partnering with some of the greatest minds in the world, Maryland is going to finally get some congestion relief by investing $9 billion in three of the most congested highways in the state,” said Secretary Rahn.
The first step to build new express toll lanes on MD 295 will begin with the transfer of MD 295 from the U.S. Department of the Interior to the Maryland Transportation Authority. Governor Hogan has already personally started this process during a recent meeting with Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and has directed MDOT officials to move forward with the transfer negotiations. Following the transfer, the Maryland Transportation Authority would then build, operate, and maintain the new lanes and maintain existing lanes between Baltimore and Washington, D.C.
The Traffic Relief Plan announced today is critical to spurring increased economic development and restoring quality of life for countless Marylanders who have been negatively affected by years of traffic congestion. Maryland has the second-longest commuting times in the country, and the National Capital Region is the most congested region in the nation based on annual delay and congestion cost per auto-commuter. The statewide cost of congestion based on auto delay, truck delay, and wasted fuel and emissions was estimated at $2 billion in 2015. This is an increase of 22 percent from the $1.7 billion estimated cost of congestion in 2013. More than 98 percent of the weekday congestion cost was incurred in the Baltimore/Washington region.
In making this announcement today, Governor Hogan has directed MDOT to issue the Request for Information to the P3 industry and continue the transfer process with the U.S. Department of the Interior.
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
11 comments:
Again nothing on bay bridge debacle ?
Ignore
For 9 billion dollars you could pay half the people to move away and problem solved
Just another scheme to take our money via tolls
Like our pitiful little bypass around Salisbury, the roads will have their current lanes REDUCED for years, while they construct the new ones. Then there's the work zone speed cameras,lane changes, etc. I don't use that corridor now, because of congestion, and I damn sure am not going to go that way in the future. There are a hundred ways to get from around DC to Frederick without going on those God forsaken bottlenecks.
If those poor souls think their commute is bad now, wait and see what
the construction does to their commuting time. They better pack a meal for the commute!
Today's commuters will be retired before the construction is done. And their commute is going to go from the hell it is now, to something much, much worse.
Widening 270 again!!! I Lived there for 12 years. Drove it 5 days a week. It was 12 lanes from Germantown to 495 after the last widening. With townhouses right up against it. Just what the heck and where can it be widened more. And traffic is no where near as bad as no whee near the number of people use it as in the 80's.
Private/public funding = tolls since the Private entity will pony up the $9B and build it pretty fast. No read tape with State Gov't - see what VA did in Northern VA.
Lesson here kids - when your state has zero money to address crumbling infrastructure, cannot tax anymore, but the need is to move people, then you hire private contractors to build it and give them the profits via tolls.
State legislatures have become very lazy and need term limits!
Way Overdue !! Dugh
Hope they remember to provide the bike lanes. Locally they are by next to no one. Waste of money.
It will take them 50 years to complete the construction.
Better hire some Chinese men to do the work.
270 is like death race 2000. I avoid it as much as possible. why don't they take part of that money and use it for driver education
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