Welcome to Citizens Against Beltway Expansion
New Study Shows Toll Lanes Won’t Work
Today, the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) issued a Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement for its plan to add private, toll lanes to I-495 and I-270. A key table on page 3-9 of the SDEIS shows that the toll lanes would fail to ease congestion during evening rush hour.
According to the table, there will be virtually no change in traffic speeds from the George Washington Memorial Parkway up I-495 and I-270 to the end of the toll lanes at I-370. Travel speed on the Beltway from the GW Memorial Parkway to the I-270 spur would be the same in the year 2045, whether the toll lanes were added or not. Traffic speed on I-270 North, from the spur to I-370 would be 29 miles per hour if no lanes were added and 28 miles per hour if the lanes were added. The bottom line: After
putting up with five years of construction delays, drivers traveling north during evening rush hour would see no improvement in their commute home from work.
See more below:
Toll lanes on Beltway, I-270 in Maryland wouldn’t improve worst evening traffic in regular lanes, study says
Washington Post, October 1, 2021
Maryland Transit Opportunities Coalition Calls for Withdrawal of Toll Lanes SDEIS Due to Blatant Errors in Traffic Forecast
MTOC Press Release, October 1, 2021
Why CABE Opposes the $11 Billion For-Profit Tollways on I-495/I-270
MD is pushing an $11 billion public-private partnership (P3) to expand I-495 and I-270 with up to four for-profit tollways. Tollway companies claim it will end rush hour congestion without costing taxpayers a dime. Here's the truth:
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Luxury Lane P3s are designed to monetize bad traffic, not relieve it.
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P3's pose high risk to taxpayers (Just look at the Purple Line.)
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P3's rely on taxpayer subsidies despite claims there's no net-cost to taxpayers.
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$50 tolls on I-270 are ahead per MDOT estimates.
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Luxury Lanes are bad for pollution, parks, stormwater runoff.
CABE is pushing back. We're a coalition of civic associations, taxpayers, and other organizations demanding better, affordable commuter options for suburban Maryland.
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