ROCKVILLE FREEWAY

UPDATE

As I mentioned earlier this week, I spoke at a public hearing regarding the Montrose Parkway East extension on Wednesday. I argued for the construction of the original Rockville Freeway along the Rockville Facility (a 50 year-old highway right-of-way running from Falls Road to the ICC near Indian Spring Country Club) instead of the proposed Parkway. The Parkway cannot handle the traffic load that will be generated by the White Flint development currently underway. The proposed Parkway East also diverts from the Rockville Facility short of Veirs Mill Road, and dead-ends onto that road at Parkland. This, of course, defeats the purpose of the original freeway, which was to carry 6-8 lanes of traffic to all destinations between Rockville and the ICC. It was to have cloverleaf interchanges at Veirs Mill, Connecticut Avenue (the ramp stubs are already there waiting for the Freeway - check it out yourself sometime, if you don't believe me!), Georgia Avenue, etc.

In short, I suggested that if money is not available to build the freeway to the ICC, the county should at least build to Veirs Mill, and construct the interchange there. We would then be on track to extend the highway to Connecticut Avenue in the coming years.

The Gazette covered this important story, and quoted me in the article.

http://www.gazette.net/article/20110715/NEWS/707159559/1022/1022/residents-fear-loss-of-parkland-with-montrose-parkway-extension&template=gazette

The Rockville Freeway has implications far beyond Rockville, White Flint and Aspen Hill. Traffic generated by White Flint, Rockville's massive new Rockville Pike plan and BRAC here in Bethesda will grind Wisconsin Avenue to a halt if we don't build the Rockville Freeway.

That's why I encourage you to contact your county councilmember (Roger Berliner, if you live in Bethesda) and ask him or her to support building the Rockville Freeway. With more construction on the way in Bethesda, our quality of life and public safety depend upon adequate road capacity.