Don’t Make I-270 Traffic Jams Worse, Give Us A Real Transportation Solution
Maryland transportation officials are pushing a plan to widen I-270 by having a private, for-profit company build and operate two new toll lanes in each direction. This plan won't work without sky-high tolls -- upwards of $40 dollars during rush hour.
The company would build new lanes between the Beltway and Shady Grove first. Then, if those lanes made enough money, new toll lanes between Shady Grove and Frederick would also get built.
Under this plan, I-270 would back up even more at the merge points north of Shady Grove. South of Shady Grove, there would still be back-ups in the free lanes, because otherwise, nobody would choose to pay these high tolls.
There is a much better answer: Rail Transit. Frederick County now has very limited train service on weekdays and none on the weekend. We need all-day rail transit running both ways. This could be accomplished by adding a third track on the MARC rail line from Frederick and Brunswick to D.C or by building monorail or light rail along I-270 from Frederick through Urbana to Shady Grove.
Please sign our petition to the Frederick County Council. Tell them to oppose the toll lane plan that would make traffic congestion worse on I-270. And ask them to put all-day rail transit at the top of the list of transportation priorities they send every year to the state Department of Transportation.
Petition to the Frederick County Council
Dear Council Members:
Please don’t let the Maryland Department of Transportation’s toll lane plan make our traffic problems worse.
Your older constituents remember what happened the last time I-270 was widened: traffic was supposed to flow freely for at least 20 years, but instead traffic jams returned in less than 10.
Plus, the plan is to widen the section of I-270 between Shady Grove and the Beltway first. Shady Grove to Frederick would come later, if at all. So 8 lanes of northbound traffic at Shady Grove would merge into 2 lanes at Clarksburg. That will make traffic jams even worse driving to Frederick County on I-270.
Also, even if the toll lane plan works as intended, drivers in the free lanes will continue to sit in traffic jams. Why? Because the for-profit company operating the highway will only make money if people pay to drive in the toll lanes. And people will only pay to drive in the toll lanes if the free lanes are congested.
We need transit alternatives that provide all-day two way train service to Montgomery County and D.C. This could be done by adding a third track to the MARC train to Frederick and Brunswick or by building monorail along I-270. The state Department of Transportation is refusing to plan for all-day train service, but Montgomery County planners are launching a study of all transportation alternatives for the I-270 corridor next July.
We ask Frederick County to:
- list all-day rail service as a top priority when the county sends its next transportation priorities letter to the state;
- join with Montgomery County to study transportation alternatives for the entire I-270 corridor; and
- oppose high-priced toll lanes on I-270.
Thank you.
Tell Delegate Fraser-Hidalgo To Not Make I-270 Traffic Jams Worse
Maryland transportation officials are pushing a plan to widen I-270 by having a private, for-profit company build and operate two new toll lanes in each direction. The company would build new lanes between the Beltway and Shady Grove first. Then, if those lanes made enough money, new toll lanes between Shady Grove and Frederick would also get built.
Under this plan, I-270 would back up even more at the merge points north of Shady Grove. South of Shady Grove, there would still be back-ups in the free lanes, because otherwise, nobody would choose to pay the tolls.
And Maryland transportation officials are refusing to even study transit alternatives, like all-day trains back and forth on the MARC Brunswick Line.
David Fraser-Hidalgo chairs the Motor Vehicles and Transportation Subcommittee of the Maryland House of Delegates. If you live in Delegate Fraser-Hidalgo's district (Potomac, Poolesville, the western Agricultural Reserve, western Germantown, and western Clarksburg - see map), please sign this petition urging him to stop the plan for increased traffic congestion on I-270.
Petition to Delegate Fraser-Hidalgo
Delegate David Fraser-Hidalgo
Maryland House of Delegates
Dear Delegate Fraser-Hidalgo:
Please don’t let the Maryland Department of Transportation’s toll lane plan make our traffic problems worse.
Your older constituents remember what happened the last time I-270 was widened: traffic was supposed to flow freely for at least 20 years, but instead traffic jams returned in less than 10.
Plus, the plan is to widen the section of I-270 between Shady Grove and the Beltway first. Shady Grove to Frederick would come later, if at all. So 8 lanes of northbound traffic at Shady Grove would merge into 2 lanes at Clarksburg. That will make I-270 worse for upcounty residents, and local roads too.
Also, even if the toll lane plan works as intended, drivers in the free lanes will continue to sit in traffic jams. Why? Because the for-profit company operating the highway will only make money if people pay to drive in the toll lanes. And people will only pay to drive in the toll lanes if the free lanes are congested.
Meanwhile, the Department of Transportation is refusing to even study transit alternatives, including the MARC Brunswick Line. With another train track, trains could run all day in both directions.
As chair of the Motor Vehicles and Transportation Subcommittee of the Environment and Transportation Committee, you have great influence over the state government. We ask you to protect your constituents and stop this toll lane plan.
Tell Senator Nancy King Not To Make I-270 Traffic Jams Worse
Maryland transportation officials are pushing a plan to have private investors build two new toll lanes in each direction on I-270. This plan first adds the new lanes between the Beltway and Shady Grove. Only later would they be extended to Frederick. And -- as with any big profit-seeking construction scheme -- if the early phases of the project don't pay off as well as expected, there might not be enough money to build the rest.
Under this plan, I-270 would back up at merge points even more than it does now. Eight northbound lanes would merge into two lanes between Shady Grove and Clarksburg.
Nancy King chairs the powerful Budget and Tax Committee of the Maryland Senate. If you live in Senator King's district (Montgomery Village, most of Germantown, and Clarksburg south of Little Seneca Parkway-see map), please sign this petition urging her to stop the plan for increased traffic congestion on I-270.
Petition to Senator Nancy King
Senator Nancy King
Maryland State Senate
Dear Senator King:
Please don’t let the Maryland Department of Transportation’s toll lane plan make our traffic jams worse.
Under this proposal, the section of I-270 between Shady Grove and the Beltway would first be widened by adding four lanes. Extension of the toll lanes from Shady Grove to Frederick would be left for later – and there can be no guarantee it would happen at all.
Widening south of Shady Grove first would force 8 lanes of northbound traffic to merge into just 2 lanes. The terrible traffic backups we already face at the merge points would get even worse.
Regardless of whether adding toll lanes to I-270 is a good idea or a bad one, this makes no sense.
As chair of the powerful Budget and Tax Committee, you have immense influence over the state government. We ask you to protect your constituents and stop this plan.
Tell Delegate Krimm You Want Trains, not Tolls
Expanding MARC Brunswick Line service is a cost effective alternative to Governor Hogan's multi-billion dollar proposal for destructive toll lanes on I-270. The Maryland legislature is considering a bill, HB 102, to require county approval for new toll lanes, simply expanding the local control already enjoyed by Eastern Shore counties.
If you reside in Delegate Carol Krimm's district 3A (mostly Frederick City), please sign this petition urging her to support the bill. Please also send her a personal email at [email protected] and tell her, in your own words, why Maryland should develop alternatives like more MARC trains instead of widening I-270 with $41 toll lanes. Be sure to mention HB 102 and include your home address.
Petition to Delegate Carol Krimm
Delegate Carol Krimm
Maryland House of Delegates
Governor Hogan plans to widen I-270 by adding toll lanes. To pay for construction with tolls, the one-way toll in rush hour from Frederick to Shady Grove has to be $41. Few drivers can afford such high tolls, so taxpayers will inevitably get stuck with the bill.
Instead, we should build another track for the MARC rail line. Trains could then run all day back and forth between Frederick and DC. This would move as many people as the toll lanes, cost less, and be better for the environment.
The Hogan administration has rushed the toll lane project through without adequately informing the public or consulting local officials. Meanwhile it is stalling on plans for more MARC trains.
Delegate Krimm, we need you to support HB 102, which would require county approval of new toll roads. This bill would put a needed check on the highway-building juggernaut, so that we can create a balanced transportation system that provides good transit alternatives to our ever-crowded highways. Please support HB 102.