For Immediate Release: Wednesday, May 16, 2018
ROCKVILLE, Md., May 16, 2018—Montgomery County Council President Hans Riemer; Isiah Leggett, Montgomery County Executive; Jan H. Gardner, Frederick County Executive; and Bud Otis, Frederick County Council President sent a letter to Maryland Governor Larry Hogan and Secretary of Transportation Pete K. Rahn urging the State not to postpone a study on potential improvements to the I-270 highway between I-370 and Frederick County. The letter encourages the inclusion of one or more transit elements in the study to reduce automotive traffic and congestion.
The letter is in response to the Maryland Department of Transportation’s announcement that it will indefinitely postpone the study of improvements to I-270 between I-370 and Frederick County. A similar study has already been conducted on the southern portion of I-270 as part of the State’s Traffic Relief Plan, announced in 2017, which would add express toll lanes to I-270. Council President Riemer and the Council believe that the plan as currently envisioned would exacerbate congestion on I-270 between Gaithersburg and Frederick.
“While we are pleased that the Governor has put widening I-270 on the agenda, we are dismayed to learn that he has decided to stop any potential new construction at I-370 in Gaithersburg,” said Council President Riemer. “Residents north of Gaithersburg need relief as well. Additionally, we are calling on the Governor to make this project multi-modal by including a major transit investment in the infrastructure plan.”
The Council strongly supports the addition of transit elements to the Traffic Relief Plan, to provide an efficient, environmentally-friendly alternative to driving and reduce the glut of cars on the highway.
Watch a video segment about the I-270 improvement study:
https://youtu.be/4Ynldjnfzq4
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