The Washington PostDemocracy Dies in Darkness

Opinion Naysayers aside, Montgomery Country residents support improvements to I-270 and I-495

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October 18, 2019 at 4:03 p.m. EDT
Evening rush-hour traffic on Interstate 495 in Montgomery County in April. (Sarah L. Voisin/The Washington Post)

Jason Neuringer is a longtime Montgomery County resident.

Summer is over, and fall is here, which means the return of three things to Montgomery County. Pumpkin-spiced everything, traffic congestion and a county government and state delegation that are unwilling to solve our traffic nightmare.

In a March 24 Local Opinions essay, “Just build the bridge already,” I challenged the Montgomery County Council to help ease a major traffic headache in our region by supporting the construction of a second Potomac River crossing. Since then, the Montgomery County government and its state delegation have done nothing to improve traffic and instead have wasted precious time and taxpayer money on imprudent issues.

Instead of alleviating traffic and working to benefit the overwhelming majority of Montgomery County residents, they have, instead, bungled future budgeting and financing for the county, been outraged over alleged police brutality and ranted against ordinary citizens for voicing their real concerns about the direction of this county.

While all this was occurring, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) and concerned leaders have worked to alleviate another traffic nightmare: Interstates 270 and 495. As a regular traveler on I-270 and I-495, I could not be more appreciative.

Since the spring, Hogan has added lanes on the 270/495 merge, improved add and drop lanes to 270 and made traffic significantly better. Many of these improvements were finalized ahead of schedule and were seen even before the summer break began. Their improvements were noticeable. There is still much work to do, but we are on the right path. Perhaps, if the Montgomery County government and its state delegation cooperated and worked for the vast majority of Montgomery County residents, solving the traffic problem may be an achievable goal.

I could write page after page about how bad traffic in our region is. Countless articles already explain how bad it is. Most Montgomery County residents know how bad it is, notably near the American Legion Bridge and I-270.

Instead, our county government officials and elected representatives and state delegation are grossly indifferent to the plight of the hardworking and struggling residents of Montgomery County. Instead, they listen to a vocal minority that is opposed to not just reasonable solutions but any solution. From their criticism, it is clear both these naysayers and this county government don’t regularly travel I-270 or I-495 and do not understand just how bad it is.

But it’s not just those of us sitting on I-270 or I-495 who suffer when traffic is bad. Feeder roads — Watkins Mill Road, Montrose Road, Rockville Pike, Georgia Avenue, River Road — are unbearable at 8:30 in the morning because of backups on I-270 and I-495. Alleviating I-270 and I-495 traffic congestion means alleviating congestion on other roads as well.

The naysayers are vocal. However, it is time the residents who are frustrated with sitting in traffic also have a voice. I am just a dad who has precious little free time, but I cannot sit idly by. I have written about my frustration, and I have publicly spoken about it as well. I encourage others to do the same.

The county and our state delegation must know that most residents support widening I-270 and I-495 and support a second Potomac crossing. Let’s get a county government that will work for the benefit of Montgomery County residents. Let’s build a road to the future.

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