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.