Maryland motorists saw progress made during 2006 on two large projects aimed at allowing them to spend less time in their vehicles.
Maryland officials celebrated the opening of a new Woodrow Wilson Bridge in May. Work on a second bridge continues, as does work on other improvements related to the bridge project, such as upgrading the intersection of Maryland Route 210 and Oxon Hill Road.
“Opening the first Woodrow Wilson Bridge span is a crucial first step to breaking one of the East Coast’s greatest bottlenecks,” Gov. Robert Ehrlich said in May. “The Woodrow Wilson Bridge, just like the Intercounty Connector, will be key to unclogging our transportation network, opening up economic opportunities and creating jobs throughout the capital region.”
A Prince George’s County resident was chosen to push the button that blew up part of the old bridge in August. Dan Ruefly, an Oxon Hill native who lives in Accokeek, was selected because of his long commute. He begins his two-hour commute to work at 5 a.m. and faces a 90-minute trip home.
In October, state officials formally broke ground on the Intercounty Connector, a project that has been under discussion for at least 50 years. The 18-mile toll road will link Interstate 270 in Montgomery County with Interstate 95 and Route 1 in Prince George’s, allowing motorists to drive between the two points without heading south and going on the Beltway.
Building the ICC is expected to cost $3 billion. The first of five segments is scheduled to open in 2010 and will connect Interstate 370 and Georgia Avenue.
“The ICC will improve the lives of residents and provide more quality time with children,” said Lon Anderson, a spokesman for the travel group AAA Mid-Atlantic.
The connector and the proposed Purple Metro line, which would link the Bethesda and New Carrollton Metro stations, are seen as crucial accommodations for Montgomery’s and Prince George’s growth. The state is studying proposals to build the Purple Line, which could use buses instead of trains, and expects to issue a report early next year.
Environmental groups and residents who live near the ICC’s proposed path filed two federal lawsuits this month to stop work on the controversial toll road. They argue federal agencies did not follow federal law in determining a route for the connector.
