Maryland Gov. Wes Moore announced plans to expand the Capital Beltway, add toll lanes and rebuild the American Legion Bridge without a public-private partnership as the previous administration planned.
Moore said his administration will apply for billions of dollars in federal grants to get the project off the ground.
“Providing long-desired, equitable transportation solutions in the American Legion Bridge and I-270 corridors is critical to eliminating employment barriers, linking more people to high-demand jobs and stimulating local economies,” Moore said in a statement.
The governor’s plan first calls for a rebuild of the American Legion Bridge. Then the managed or toll lanes would stretch with a widening of the Beltway from the bridge to the Interstate 270 spur. Those managed lanes or toll lanes would come later.
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A citizens coalition says it’s going to fight it every step of the way.
“We’re going to fight like hell, and there are a lot of people who will,” said Barbara Coufal of Citizens Against Beltway Expansion.
She said they had some success in heading off the plans during former Gov. Larry Hogan’s administration and they will continue their efforts in finding a better way.
Transportation
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“We had hoped that Gov. Moore would step back from the Hogan plan and look at alternatives because we know from the state’s own study that the widening the Beltway and I-270 won’t solve congestion, it will only move the bottlenecks,” Coufal said.
Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich released a statement praising the governor’s plans to first focus on the bridge but added local voices need to be heard.
“I am heartened by the Moore administration and MDOT acknowledgement that engaging with the communities is fundamental to the success of this project, and based on conversations thus far, I am optimistic that this project can be done without the impacts that people are concerned about,” he said.
Included in the governor’s statement is a plan to listen to the public’s concerns at open houses in Montgomery and Frederick counties this fall and winter.
Virginia already moved forward with its expansion of the Beltway all the way up to the bridge. Construction has been going on for months.
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