Group in Favor of Beltway, I-270 Widening Forms

Brookville resident started the organization

After nearly two years of protests from Montgomery County residents over Gov. Larry Hogan’s proposal to add toll lanes to the Beltway and Interstate 270, a group with another point of view has formed.

Emmet Tydings, a Brookeville resident and president of Columbia-based AB&T Telecom, has started the grassroots organization Citizens4TrafficRelief, in support of the governor’s plan.

The group’s formation was first reported by Maryland Matters.

According a Facebook group page created this month, the nonprofit organization seeks to “support Maryland’s plan to add express lanes to I-270 and on the Beltway to increase travel options, reduce delays, and improve transit service in these key corridors with no tax increase.”

Since Hogan (R) announced his proposal to add tolls to the two roads nearly two years ago, the majority of Montgomery lawmakers have opposed the measure.

Hogan’s proposal uses a public-private partnership, or P3, model in which private contractors build the lanes at a cost to the state and revenue is used to repay the debt incurred by the construction costs.

The proposal, which is still in the study phase, has been estimated to cost upwards of $9 billion.

Montgomery County’s delegation of state legislators and members of the County Council have objected to the governor’s plan, largely on the basis that it does not incorporate public transportation as an alternative to car travel. Additionally, many are concerned about the possibility of the state needing to demolish homes, businesses and parks under eminent domain to widen the road.

State highway officials said last month that they would consider studying a plan favored by Montgomery officials that avoids widening the portion of the Beltway between I-95 and I-270. The alternative plan would route drivers I-95 onto the Intercounty Connector, which connects Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, as a way of bypassing an often-congested portion of the Beltway.

Tydings, the executive director and chairman of the group, said Wednesday that the Facebook group launched a couple of weeks ago. He said he and a few other people came up with the idea late last year.

He hopes to soon launch the group’s website, citizens4trafficrelief.org.

Tydings said several visitors stopped at the group’s booth at the county agricultural fair this month in Gaithersburg.

“We had a ton of people come engaged with opinions, but they’re reluctant to give you their address and name, because they think they’re gonna be spammed, so that was a challenge,” he said.

During the last two years, residents groups such as “Don’t Widen 270” and “Citizens Against Beltway Expansion” have formed in opposition to Hogan’s plan, with members often attending town hall meetings held by state highway officials.

Tydings said he hopes members of his organization will similarly show up to public events such as County Council and state legislative proceedings.

“There’s not a lot of people who advocate for other types of infrastructure, particularly roads and bridges,” he said.

Tydings said there is public support for road improvements beyond people who speak out at meetings.

“If you’re at a cocktail party or stopping on the sidewalk, if you ask someone if their commute could be 15 minutes instead of 45 minutes, nine out of 10 would say yes,” he said.

Tydings added that he hopes politicians currently opposed to Hogan’s project will have a change of heart if they see more proponents of the toll-lane expansion show up.

“They need to see a groundswell of support, which equates to votes. When you have a loud majority of opponents, they equate it to voter turnout,” he said.

Dan Schere can be reached at Daniel.schere@bethesdamagazine.com