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