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News

Action Needed: A Terrible Idea Gets New Life: The Zombie Potomac Bridge Rises Again UPDATE

7/19/2017

 
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Update (8/28): What are the proposed routes for the highway? There are a whole, whole lot of them:
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click to see this map larger
Update: 
7/19 saw a meeting of the Transportation Planning Board (TBP) of the regional Council of Governments. One of the 10 items being considered for study between now and December when the board will make decisions based on said studies is ----yes --- a re-re-re-study of the Potomac Bridge. Along with our partner Stewart Schwartz from Coalition for Smarter Growth, our own ED Caroline Taylor was there to provide testimony cautioning the board to not look at transportation in a vacuum - this project would impact land use, the Ag Reserve and particularly water resources - the federally designated Piedmont Sole Source Aquifer and the fact that the proposed connection point would be just upstream from the WSSC intake. 

Board member and MoCo Councilmember Elrich attempted to float an amendment to remove the Bridge from the list of other reasonable projects the Board was voting to study - many of them transit oriented and proven to reduce gridlock. The amendment failed to get enough votes, the Bridge will be studied, for the 4th time. To be fair, a number of votes in favor of yet another bridge study are not in favor of the bridge being built. 

The bottom line:  The TBP has only until December to study and report on all of these 10 projects at which time they will vote to move ahead with some of them. We are concerned that there is not enough time to make this a comprehensive study, the kind of solid investigation that has shown time and again that this bridge will not objectively ease, and may even exacerbate current gridlock. See the map below for all the different routes that have been studied over the years. 


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There is much work to do on this, we give thanks to those who have written in comments so far. Please sharpen your pencils, stay tuned and if you have not already done so- please become a member of MCA with your tax deductible donation.
​​
​The Outer beltway and Potomac Bridge crossing through federal and state parkland, Montgomery County's Agricultural Reserve and existing communities... that brainless, soulless resource consuming zombie has risen again. This time we have learned that several Montgomery County businessmen with both Maryland and Virginia development goals, have been lobbying key decision-makers on both sides of the River. They have garnered support from the chair of the Council of Government's key Transportation Policy Board. This group advises as to the transportation projects that merit inclusion in the region's transportation plans. ​
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​To be clear: this project has been studied to death. The traffic modeling has repeatedly
 demonstrated that an outer beltway will offer no perceptible relief to traffic congestion in either Maryland or Virginia and in fact may induce additional gridlock and sprawl development.
​ 
Some good news: Thanks to Montgomery County Council leadership under Council President Roger Berliner (with key assistance from Councilmembers Marc Elrich and George Leventhal), a full Council resolution opposing the inclusion of this multi-billion dollar boondoggle has been introduced and will be voted on July 18, 2017. Montgomery County's list of transportation priorities has been released and, rightly, this is not on the list. 

​We ask that County Executive Ike Leggett also make clear his support for transportation solutions and that this zombie outer beltway is not on the list. However, there is a real push both from well funded development interests and residents who have been duped to believe that this project will bring miraculous relief to their commute. Now is the time to make it clear that we want solutions not sprawl and loss of established communities, invaluable farmland, parks, historic and environmental resources.
​
Take Action Now: Please take action and share with your network 

We've heard from some in Virginia who see Montgomery's nationally recognized 93,000 acre reserve as a proper sacrifice for their needs, including bolstering ailing Dulles Airport. Join us in saying no.
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Media:

(see media that needs your supportive comments)

Washington Post: Planners to weigh 2nd Potomac River crossing from Montgomery — again  (please comment) 

Bethesda Beat: Opposition Rising Against Plan To Study Second Potomac River Crossing in Montgomery County (please comment)

Loudon Now A New Potomac River Bridge? How About Two?

Northern Virginia  Transportation Alliance: List of Priorities

Loudon County Board of Supervisors: Potomac Crossing Proceedings from June 29, 2017

WMAL: VA's Potomac Crossing Dream is a Bridge Too Farm for MoCo
​

MoCoAlliance: The Recurring Cry for the Outer Beltway and Bridge Crossing through the Reserve: 2017
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We need to be at the table to represent you as this project again comes to life ​with full resources. In 2001, we won the fight against this same bridge project because of the commitment and support of local people like you. If you are a first time donor or need to renew your membership - either way, we welcome your help.

Comments are closed.
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Montgomery Countryside Alliance
P.O Box 24, Poolesville, MD  20837
301-461-9831  •  ​[email protected]
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MCA is proud to announce that we have been recognized for a third time as one of the best small charities in the D.C. region by Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington. A panel of 110 expert reviewers from area foundations, corporate giving programs, and peer non-profit organizations evaluated 270 applications.

​MCA is known as an effective and innovative non-profit whose efforts to preserve and promote Montgomery County’s nationally recognized 93,000 acre Ag Reserve have brought increased public and governmental support of local food production and farmland and open space preservation. Most importantly, MCA’s efforts are putting more farmers on the ground and keeping them there.
COPYRIGHT © MONTGOMERY COUNTRYSIDE ALLIANCE 2008