Route 198 could see thousands of new jobs and slot machines, but road improvements may not come until years after potential congestion begins.
“We?re working with local governments, butas for funding for construction and completion, we?re years from that conversation,” said Doug Simmons, deputy administrator for the State Highway Administration.
The Base Realignment and Closure program will bring an estimated 22,000 jobs to Fort Meade beginning around 2010. Route 198 connects eastbound traffic to the southwest gate of Fort Meade.
But improvements for Route 198 between the Baltimore-Washington Parkway and Route 32 ? which is only two lanes ? may not come until 2019. The highway could be expanded to four lanes.
“Our goal is to keep the high cost, federally involved projects hitting their milestones,” said Bob Leib, Anne Arundel?s BRAC coordinator.
“We?d be fooling ourselves to think we can accelerate this. We want to make sure it does not slip.”
The State Highway Administration will seek public input on how to improve Route 198.
Anne Arundel has invested $4 million toward planning ? the only money any agency has put into Route 198 improvements ? officials said.
But west of the parkway, Route 198?s future is less certain. SHA has no immediate plans for improving Route 198 near Laurel Park.
Anne Arundel has some plans to improve Brock Bridge Road near Laurel Park, but nothing for the main highway.
Though Route 198 is narrow east of the parkway, it expands to six lanes westbound through Maryland City and Laurel.
State transportation officials said because slots are a far-off possibility, there would be no speculation on traffic issues.
Traffic concerns from slot parlors and BRAC also extend across the Patuxent River into the city of Laurel.
“We believe the most likely route to Laurel Park is through our city by way of [Interstate] 95 or Route 1, said Kristie Mills, Laurel?s administrator.
Laurel?s road network, especially Route 1, needs improvement before any addition comes to Laurel Park, she said.
IF YOU GO
» What: State Highway Administration?s meeting about improvements on Route 198 between the Baltimore-Washington Parkway and Route 32
» When: 6 p.m. Wednesday
» Where: Meade High School, 1100 Clark Road, Fort Meade
» For more info: 800-548-5026
