Maryland Express Toll Lanes RECOMMENDATION

Maryland Express Lane Network Recommendations:

General:

• All Manage lanes should be free to HOV users with three people.
• Additional Park and Ride Lots need to be developed along I-270 corridor
• Brunswick MARC Line reconfiguration (See Below)
• Express Bus Service (5-10 min headways peak, 15-20 off-peak) between Frederick and Tysons (3 highway BRT stops and Shady Grove Metro Station)

Project 1: I-495 between from Dulles Toll Road in Virginia to I-270 Spur

• Lane Configuration (2 Express Lanes, 4 General Purpose Lanes, and 1 Auxiliary Lane in each direction). - 240' ROW

Project 2: I-270 between I-70 and Montrose Road

• Project 2A: I-270 Spur to I-370 (2 Express Lanes, 4 General Purpose Lanes, and 1 Auxiliary Lane in each direction). Remove Local C/D Lanes. - 240' ROW
  • Median Highway Bus Rapid Transit Station at Montgomery Mall
  • Median Highway Bus Rapid Transit Station - North of Montrose Road (Near Preserve Parkway) or Wootton Pkwy
  • Median Highway Bus Rapid Transit Station - Corridor Cities Transitway (CCT) crossing of I-270 (Build Corridor Cities Transitway (CCT) crossing at I-270 as part of project)
• Project 2B: I-370 Spur to Clarksburg (2 Express Lanes, 3 General Purpose Lanes, and 1 Auxiliary Lane in each direction). Remove Local C/D Lanes. - 216' ROW
  • Median Highway Bus Rapid Transit Station near Metropolitan Grove MARC Station (Shift MARC Station closer to I-270)
• Project 2C: Clarksburg to Frederick (2 Reversible Express Lanes; 3 GP in each direction). - 144' ROW

Project 3: I-495 between I-270 and I-95

• Lane Configuration (2 Reversible Express Lanes, 4 General Purpose Lanes, and 1 Auxiliary Lane in each direction). - 200' ROW (Some portions may require the new roadway to be elevated due to adjacent parkland/creeks)
• No Access between I-270 and I-95
• Median Highway Bus Rapid Transit Station at Georgia Ave (Access to Forest Glen Metrorail Station)
• Interchange safety improvements (Remove cloverleafs)
  • Ex. I-495/Georgia Ave = Diverging Diamond Interchange

Project 4: I-495 between I-95 and MD210

• Add C/D around Full Cloverleaf interchanges at B/W Parkway, Pennsylvania Ave (Route 4), and St Barnabas Rd
• Add auxiliary lanes between access points

Project 5: I-495 between MD 210 and US1 in Virginia

• Restripe I-495 THRU lanes to add a Bus/Transit lane between MD210 and US1
• Build Bus-Only Ramp from Tanger Blvd to I-495 Onramp (Thru) from MD210

Other Recommendations:

• ICC should be HOV3 free.

MARC Recommendations (Brunswick Line):

• Parking Garage at Germantown MARC station
• Close MARC Stations Boyds, Dickerson, Barnsville, Washington Grove, Garrett Park
  • New MARC Stations - Shade Grove, Nebel St/White Flint
• Close Frederick Branch (Frederick, Monocacy)
  • Expanded Bus Service between Frederick and Shade Grove/Tysons
• Additional Service between Germantown and Union Station (20 Minute Peak Headways)
• Service expansion to L'Enfant, Crystal City, and Alexandria (Long Bridge)
  • Reduces WMATA Core Capacity Issues
• 3rd Track between Rockville and Germantown

PROJECT 2 - I-270 - Maryland Express Lane Network Assumptions :

• Length of HOT Lanes (Miles) - I-270 Spur to I-70 - 30
• Construction Cost (Billion) - $4,000,000,000
• Annual Debt Payment - 50 year Term - 2.5% Rate) $140,228,377
• Rush Hour Cars per lane - 1800
• Rush Hour HOV3/Buses (25%) - 450
• Rush Hour SOV (75%) - 1350
• Rush Hour Week Days - 250
• Rush Hour Length per Weekday (5:30AM-9:30AM, 3:00PM-7:00PM) - 8
• Rush Hour Revenue - 70%
• Rush Hour Time - 11%
• Outside of Rush Hour Revenue - 30%
• Outside of Rush Hour Time - 89%
• Annual Rush Hour Revenue Needed - $98,159,864
• Rush Hour Toll per 30 miles - $18.18
• Average Rush Hour Length per Trip (Miles) - 12.5
• Average Rush Hour Toll per user - $7.57

Project 3: I-495 between I-270 and I-95

• Length of HOT Lanes (Miles) - 2 Reversible Express Lanes - 8.8 Miles - (2.5 Miles Elevated)
• Construction Cost (Billion) Estimated - ~$2 Billion
• Rush Hour Toll Year 1 - $5.00
• Off-Peak/Weekend Toll - $2.00
• Rush Hour Cars per lane - 1800
• Rush Hour HOV3/Buses (25%) - 450
• Rush Hour SOV (75%) - 1350
• Rush Hour Week Days - 250
• Rush Hour Length per Weekday (5:30AM-9:30AM Westbound, 3:00PM-7:00PM Eastbound) - 8
• Off-Peak/Weekend SOV Cars per lane - 250
• Toll Increase Rate: 2% per year
• Rush Hour Expansion: 0.5% per year
• Traffic Growth: 0.5% pear year
• Revenue Generated over 50 years term: ~$3.6 Billion