Maryland Toll Lane Plan Gains Federal Approval

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan’s controversial $5 billion plan to expand parts of the Beltway and Interstate 270 can move forward after the Federal Highway Administration signed off on the project, reports Ian Duncan in the Washington Post. “Maryland is planning to add two toll lanes to the Beltway in each direction, between the Virginia side of a new and expanded American Legion Bridge and the exit for Old Georgetown Road in Bethesda,” and convert two I-270 lanes to toll lanes. The plan was scaled back in May 2021 in response to strong opposition from some officials and environmental groups.

The project also includes some funding for transit. “The contracting group with which the state intends to partner would provide $300 million for transit in Montgomery County over the life of the project. The state transportation department would build a new facility and provide a fleet of buses, and allocate a further $60 million to design transit projects in the county.”

Nevertheless, transit advocates criticize the project, saying the approval process lacked transparency and “ignored valid concerns from members of the public, and advocates from the environmental and transportation communities.” According to a separate article in Maryland Matters by Danielle E. Gaines, transit advocate Ben Ross cited “possible scientific fraud,” saying that “he found unexplained changes in the traffic models the state used to determine how much time motorists would save by using toll lanes.” The Federal Highway Administration stated they failed to find evidence of any fraud. The project now requires approval of the contract by the state’s Board of Public Works.