Studies show Intercounty Connector will not ease Beltway, interstate congestion
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Originally posted at:
http://www.gazette.net/stories/091907/montlet213526_32365.shtml


Studies show Intercounty Connector will not ease Beltway, interstate congestion


The Gazette’s Sept. 12 editorial, ‘‘Now more than ever, we need the ICC,” included major misstatements and omissions.

First, the editorial stated that the 18-mile Intercounty Connector would have ‘‘reasonable tolls,” but didn’t mention that the state anticipates round trip, rush-hour tolls of $7 a day in 2010, according to the 2006 Final Environmental Impact Statement for the ICC (see Environmental Consequences, IV-350 of the FEIS at www.iccstudy.org).

Second, The Gazette continues to cite Beltway and interstate congestion as an argument for the ICC even though the Maryland Department of Transportation confirmed in the FEIS that the ICC wouldn’t reduce congestion on Interstate 270, the Beltway or I-95 (see Environmental Consequences, IV-352 and IV-380).

Third, the editorial omitted mention of a better east-west connection than the ICC: widening Muncaster Mill Road, and Routes 28 and 198 from Georgia Avenue to U.S. 29 to four lanes throughout. The estimated cost is $350 million, a small fraction of what the multi-billion dollar ICC would cost.

Fourth, the editorial wrongly stated that the Bush administration selected an ICC alignment that would have ‘‘the least impact on the environment.” In fact, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of the Interior are on record stating that the northern alignment would cause less damage than the one selected. In addition, federal agency staff concluded in January 2003 that the ICC was not a good candidate for a fast-tracked environmental review. President Bush disregarded the advice of professionals in both cases.

Fifth, contrary to the editorial, construction of the toll highway is not ‘‘already under way,” although some preparatory clearing has been done. The ICC is in court, not in concrete.

The Gazette is correct that transportation needs have been shortchanged for years — all the more reason why Maryland can’t afford to waste billions of dollars on the ICC high-toll highway. Scarce funds should be spent on less damaging, cost-effective projects like road widenings described above, and for crucial transit projects such as the Corridor Cities Transitway, which would bring light rail from the Shady Grove Metro to Clarksburg, and the Purple Line.

Philip M. Andrews, Gaithersburg

The writer, a Democrat, represents District 3 on the County Council.