Traffic on I-270 by Mario Roberto Duran Ortiz licensed under Creative Commons.

A bill that would crave Governor Larry Hogan to study the environmental and financial risks of the proposed expansion of I-270 and I-495 has until Mon, Apr eight to be passed by the Maryland Country Senate. Advocates have raised concerns that, every bit it stands, his proposed highway widening would make air and h2o pollution significantly worse in the region, and potentially displace existing communities.

The proposed $11 billion plan would add four toll lanes to the Capital Beltway and I-270. Rather than improving public transit options to provide traffic relief, proponents' conclusion to focus on widening the highways would add hundreds of miles of new lanes, a practice which has repeatedly been shown to encourage more people to drive on them. Greater Greater Washington is partnering with Sierra Gild Maryland to highlight this issue.

Hogan'southward proposal would lay the groundwork for the largest public-private partnership (in which the government solicits a individual visitor to finance a public infrastructure projection) for highways in the earth. In calorie-free of the scale of the likely system, the bill HB 1091, sponsored by Delegate Jared Solomon (District 18), calls for a more noun review of the project'southward financial structure.

A printing conference for Jared Solomon's P3 Transportation Safeguards Act (HB1091) in Annapolis. Epitome by Maryland Sierra Club used with permission.

Currently, at that place are no laws on the books that crave Maryland to review the environmental impacts of a big transportation project before the state locks in the major details of that project. There are too no laws that require the country to review the impact of a public-private partnership on the land's credit rating before Maryland enters into an agreement that may last as long as 50 years.

With the Full general Assembly adjourning Apr 8, HB 1091 has emerged as the i remaining pecker that, if passed, would foreclose the land from recklessly rushing into this major proposal. HB 1091 as amended has been passed by the Firm of Delegates. On April 3, the Senate Budget and Taxation Commission heard testimony from many advocates as well as from Maryland Section of Transportation (MDOT) Secretary Pete Rahn, but did not vote on it. Just if the Committee holds a vote and the bill passes will the neb keep to the total Senate for a vote.

The General Assembly will be meeting over the weekend, nevertheless the claiming would be getting all the potential discussions and revisions washed before the General Assembly adjourns on the evening of Apr 8. Even if it is passed by the General Associates, it is subject field to a veto by the governor.

Separately, the General Associates has already passed the upkeep for the year. A provision added to that budget called for the highway expansion "pre-solicitation report" on the highway expansion proposal Maryland DOT (submitted in December for review and comment) to exist withdrawn until it tin can include an environmental touch on argument on the project. HB 1091 as amended also calls for this.

Advocates at a hearing in Maryland Land Senate upkeep and taxation committee on April 3. Image by the author.

On Thursday, a printing conference was held in House edifice with dozens of Delegates and local elected officials from Prince George's, Frederick, and Montgomery Canton, including County Executive Marc Elrich. These leaders joined with Citizens Against Beltway Expansion, Don't Widen 270, Sierra Club, and Chesapeake Bay Foundation to urge state senators to support the mutual-sense measures in the neb that would allow the land to make smart, informed decisions on its hereafter.

Whether or non HB 1091 is passed by the General Assembly, MDOT is expected to seek approval from the Board of Public Works (BPW) later this month on the highway expansion "pre-solicitation report." Advocates are hoping the BPW, or at least the ii Democratic members of the BPW (Comptroller Peter Franchot and State Treasurer Nancy Kopp, a witness at the bill hearing), will be responsive to the budget provision and HB 1091 every bit amended and postpone approval of the pre-solicitation report until it includes an environmental impact statement.

Tell your Maryland legislators that we need to empathise the environmental impacts and financial risks of the project before Maryland enters into long-term partnerships with any contractors.