For Immediate Release: Thursday, April 11, 2019
The Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) and the State Highway Administration (SHA) will be taking the next steps in studying proposed alternatives for I-495 and I-270 by holding a total of seven public workshops in Montgomery and Prince George’s County in April and May. Four of the workshops—where residents can learn more about the alternatives and make comments to planners—will be held in Montgomery County, including one in Germantown that was a late addition to the schedule.
Each workshop includes two identical one-hour presentations at which the MDOT/SHA team will guide attendees through the displays, handouts and interactive and hard copy maps. The workshops will provide an overview of where the proposed projects currently stand. The workshop sessions in Montgomery County will be:
- - Bethesda: 10 and 11 a.m., Saturday, April 13, at Pyle Middle School at 6311 Wilson Lane.
- - Silver Spring: 6:30 and 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 24, at Eastern Middle School at 300 University Boulevard East.
- - Rockville: 6:30 and 7:30 p.m., Thursday, April 25, at Wootton High School at 2100 Wootton Parkway.
- - Germantown: 6:30 and 7:30 p.m., Thursday, May 16, at Seneca Valley High School at 19401 Crystal Rock Terrace.
Since presenting the Preliminary Range of Alternatives in July 2018 that included 15 options, MDOT/SHA reduced the preliminary alternatives to seven recommended Screened Alternatives. MDOT/SHA is hosting this series of workshops to present the traffic, environmental and financial analyses for the recommended Screened Alternatives. The workshops also will address the recommendations for the alternatives to be retained for detailed study in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement.
The I-495 and I-270 Managed Lanes study is the first element in the Public-Private Partnership (P3) program. An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will include a review of existing and future traffic, roadway conditions and environmental conditions to identify alternatives and assess potential impacts. The overall program will include potential improvements for more than 70 miles of interstate in Maryland
The study limits for the first project will extend along I-495 from south of the American Legion Bridge to west of Maryland Route 5 and along I-270 from I-495 to I-370, including the east and west I-270 spurs.
# # #
Release ID: 19-121
Media Contact: Maureen McNulty 240-777-7199