Maryland to open new I-95 Express Toll Lanes ahead of holiday travel

The Maryland Transportation Authority announced that it will open a new stretch of Express Toll Lanes on northbound I-95 tomorrow, Wednesday, December 18, 2024. A variable toll charged to drivers who use the lanes will provide a way around traffic congestion, which is expected to be heavy around next week's Christmas and Chanukah holidays. The new Express Toll Lanes run for 6.5 miles along the northbound side of the interstate between White Marsh Boulevard (MD 43) and Mountain Road (MD 152).

Completed Express Toll Lanes all the way to MD 24 (Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway), along with new ramps connecting I-695 to the northbound ETL, are expected to open to traffic by the end of 2027. The first section of ETL opened in 2014. MDTA recommends obtaining an E-ZPass, to save up to 77% over toll charges you might otherwise receive via Pay-by-Plate or video tolling.

“The northbound I-95 Express Toll Lanes extension project provides travelers with a more reliable travel experience while easing congestion on our highways,” MDTA Executive Director Bruce Gartner said in a statement. “Through innovation and safety, this project represents our commitment to modernize Maryland’s infrastructure and enhance mobility options.”

MD BOARD OF

PUBLIC WORKS

HANDS I-95

TRAVEL PLAZAS

TO

AREAS USA

Existing Operator HMSHost May Sue

The travel plaza soap opera appeared to reach its grand finale yesterday, as Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley and Treasurer Nancy Kopp voted to approve a public-private partnership with Areas USA.

But just as the fat lady prepared to enter from stage right, Areas USA's Bethesda rival HMSHost stole the spotlight, threatening new legal action in what it says was an unfair process.

Comptroller Peter Franchot continued to enhance his growing reputation as an independent player, strongly questioning the wisdom of proceeding with the deal under such legal storm clouds.

The 2-1 decision puts the state in the awkward position of having evicted a Maryland company - with over 1,000 employees in the state - from its travel plazas. And doing so days after HMSHost was named "Best Overall Food and Beverage Operator" in the United States. And just won a ton of awards for its airport concessions at American airports nationwide.

Oops.

Now HMSHost may have to fire employees who worked at or managed the plazas. Not exactly a great PR move for the state during a time of record unemployment.

The other concern, and sadly, one that is all too common in today's Montgomery County, is that poor government relations with HMSHost will make them more likely to move their headquarters to a more business-friendly place. Like Northern Virginia? Here we go again.

Areas USA's bid is an impressive one. Should their very optimistic revenue projections be met, the deal would clearly be a winner for the state. O'Malley and Kopp are gambling that this will be the case.

It would be better, however, for the state to hear a matching offer from HMSHost and Airport Plazas/Tishman Construction. If they can't match it, then the taxpayer can be confident that they got the best deal from Areas.

I hope we can have that type of closure. That would avoid lengthy trials. And it would give Areas USA a chance to proceed with 110% effort on building two outstanding travel plazas, without this soap opera diverting company time and resources.

At this hour, however, it appears that only a judge can order such a resolution to this dispute.

MOCO JUDGE TELLS

HMSHost TO HIT THE ROAD

IN I-95 TRAVEL PLAZA

FIASCO

Montgomery County Circuit Court Judge Eric Johnson rebuffed Bethesda's HMSHost's request to stop the Maryland Board of Public Works from voting on a new I-95 travel plaza contract yesterday.

This means Treasurer Nancy Kopp, Governor Martin O'Malley and Comptroller Peter Franchot are now free to consider the winning bid from Spanish subsidiary Areas USA on March 7 at 10 AM.

The decision is unlikely to be the end of the dispute. Johnson noted that other legal issues outside of the question he ruled on remain. It was somewhat surprising, however, because Johnson felt there was enough evidence on HMSHost's side that he issued the initial injunction.

Now the potential exists for a Maryland-based company - with 1200 employees in the state - to lose a bid to a foreign firm. That is going to be a public relations nightmare, as is the question of a deal that essentially turns 85% of the profits over to Areas.

My guess is that there will be another legal action by HMSHost before Wednesday. This is simply too lucrative of a contract for any bidder to pass it up.

BETHESDA FIRM TO

BUILD NEXT SEGMENT

OF ICC;

NEXT EXIT: BOWIE

First Leg of Future DC Outer Beltway to

Reach U.S. Rt. 1 by 2014

Yesterday's announcement that Bethesda-based contractor ICC Constructors will complete a one mile extension of the ICC from I-95 east to U.S. 1 was another step towards a DC Outer Beltway.

News outlets and public officials, you may note, describe it as the "final" stretch/mile/leg, etc. In reality, this is just the beginning.

Once Route 1 is reached by 2014, further extensions west and east will be inevitable.

Next stop east? Bowie. Write that down. Bowie was long expected to be an exit on the Outer Beltway. Such an extension would revitalize Bowie's economy, and boost its property values.

While the rich pat themselves on the back in their New Urbanism $800,000-and-up transit-oriented condos in high-tax inner suburbs, future Beltways will allow easy movement for middle class workers between their jobs and affordable-yet-desirable single-family home neighborhoods in the exurbs.

Did I just say Beltways?

Surely you don't believe the Outer Beltway is the end?

Beijing has 5 Beltways. 5! And last time I checked, China's economic growth rate is ahead of ours.

Where is the next Beltway?

The Outer Outer Beltway will be what has been known as the Western Bypass. It will sweep westward from I-95, interchange with I-70, pass by southern Frederick County and Clarksburg, crossing the Potomac River near Point of Rocks. In Virginia, it will reach Fredericksburg as it turns southeast. NIMBYs and environmental groups will say it is going to cause sprawl (even as they heartily endorsed MoCo politicians who voted to build a city in the country around the Belward Farm - a city on farmland... now that's sprawl, ladies and gentlemen, and calls for a taking of the Hypocritic Oath!).

In fact, the areas that would be connected by an Outer Outer Beltway are currently growing as much as 800%, according to the latest Census data. That's without any new highways.

Eventually, you can expect yet another outer ring highway, this one reaching Hagerstown and Westminster.

The same politicians who talk about the environment so much are also approving all of their developer buddies' projects that will require these highways.

Mobility and affordable housing are good things. Future highways will be offset by zero-emission vehicles, and growing interest in sustainable local agriculture. This will minimize environmental harm, while expanding support for preservation of farmland.

Considering how long we've waited for the Outer Beltway (I-370) and the Rockville Freeway, future ring highways could be 50 or more years away.

Hopefully, we'll apply the same quick action to those two latter projects that developers forced politicians to apply to the ICC (Konterra) and the Woodrow Wilson Bridge (National Harbor).

MOCO JUDGE:

MD MTA VIOLATED

PROCUREMENT LAW, REGULATIONS

IN I-95 TRAVEL PLAZA

BIDDING PROCESS

Circuit Court Issues Temporary Injunction

Requested by Bethesda's HMSHost

Montgomery County Circuit Court Judge Eric Johnson sided with Bethesda-based HMSHost in a dispute over who will renovate and operate two I-95 travel plazas.

The Maryland Transportation Authority had selected Spanish subsidiary Areas USA, but HMSHost charged that the state excluded it from a final round of negotiations. Areas has little experience in the travel plaza field, but its bid offered the best financial deal for the state.

Maryland's powerful Board of Public Works had delayed its ruling on the Areas contract Wednesday, in deference to Johnson's imminent ruling in Rockville. The BPW plans to take the matter up at its March 7 meeting.

But, in another dramatic twist in this rest stop soap opera, Johnson has scheduled a hearing for the same morning - just one hour prior to the BPW meeting!

One reason the issue has become unusually sensational by Maryland standards, is the perception that a taxpaying Bethesda, MD company has been rudely knocked aside in favor of a foreign subsidiary.

HMSHost's complaints are substantive. For example, the pie-in-the-sky financial projections in the Areas bid seem hard to believe.

While that has been noted in most media accounts, there's an additional obstacle to those rosy projections of massively-higher gas sales at Maryland travel plazas: the new gas tax hike expected to be passed by the General Assembly this session. Most drivers have smartphone apps that tell them gas prices at each station. If drivers know that gas is cheaper in Delaware and Virginia, who in their right mind would plan to fill up in Maryland along I-95?

Expect more twists and turns before this is over. But Johnson's ruling indicates that HMSHost's claims of exclusion are more than just sour grapes; the court would not have stopped the process otherwise. That bodes well for one of Bethesda's largest international firms going forward.

MD BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS

VOTES TO DELAY I-95 TRAVEL

PLAZA DECISION

Breaking news: The Maryland Board of Public Works has decided to delay a final decision on a contract to renovate and run two I-95 travel plazas. Areas USA was the winning bidder.

Montgomery County Circuit Court Judge Eric Johnson will rule on a challenge by Bethesda-based HMSHost in the next twenty-four hours.

HMSHost seeks to reopen the bidding process, claiming it was excluded from a final round of negotiation.

Johnson will decide whether or not to grant an injunction. For that reason, the Board will wait until its March 7 meeting to revisit the travel plaza issue.

MD TRAVEL PLAZA

CLIFFHANGER:

WILL THEY OR

WON'T THEY?

Courtroom Shocker Leaves

Maryland Board of Public Works

Free to Vote on Controversial

Contract Wednesday

Yet another twist in the ongoing soap opera over the future of Maryland's I-95 travel plazas occurred in court today. The Montgomery County judge weighing a 10-day restraining order requested by HMSHost now won't rule until Thursday. Just one problem: the Maryland Board of Public Works is scheduled to vote on the matter tomorrow.

Montgomery County Circuit Court Judge Eric Johnson announced his decision today, leaving the Board with the option to approve the winning bid by Spanish subsidiary Areas USA, or table the matter until Johnson's final ruling.

Bethesda-based HMSHost has argued that Areas' bid has wildly-overblown financial projections, and that HMSHost was excluded from a final round of negotiations between Areas and the state.

Johnson's announcement sets up a double-cliffhanger. First, will the Board go ahead and vote on the matter despite the legal uncertainty? And will Johnson provide HMSHost, Airport Plazas LLC and others with the reopened bidding process they seek on Thursday?

Stay tuned!

BETHESDA'S HMSHost

FILES LAWSUIT

TO HALT MD TRAVEL

PLAZA CONTRACT AWARD

As expected, Bethesda hospitality firm HMSHost has asked for a legal injunction in the Montgomery County Circuit Court to stop the awarding of I-95 travel plaza contracts to Areas USA.

Areas USA, a subsidiary of a Spanish company, is set to have its $56 million contract voted on by the Maryland Board of Public Works on February 22.

HMSHost and Airport Plazas LLC/Tishman Construction have formally complained that the state did not have a fully transparent bidding process. Neither was allowed to counter Areas' final offer, according to the companies, and they've raised questions about the accuracy of the winning bid's financial projections.

MD TRAVEL PLAZA

SOAP OPERA

CONTINUES TO

GENERATE SUDS

Bethesda's HMSHost May File Suit,

Questions Raised About Areas USA

After the Maryland Transportation Authority's strong rejection of HMSHost and Airport Plazas complaints of an unfair bidding process, new questions have been raised about the Spanish subsidiary, Areas USA, primed to renovate and operate two I-95 travel plazas.

HMSHost may go to court over the matter.

One interesting note is that the Baltimore Sun coverage is now acknowledging that Areas is in fact a subsidiary of a Spanish firm.

That's one of the most compelling storylines about this matter. Even as state elected officials stress job creation, they would be choosing a foreign firm over one that pays heavy state and Montgomery County taxes.

Areas also lacks experience in managing travel plazas, though that doesn't mean they wouldn't be successful; the company has a large portfolio in related transportation services.

It is not known if Airport Plazas intends to pursue legal options in the matter, as well.

Meanwhile, losing bidders are questioning the Areas bid, saying that there's no way Areas can operate a plaza for the relatively small amount it has claimed.

One other twist to consider: when this matter goes to the Board of Public Works on February 22, all three board members hail from Montgomery County, home to HMSHost.

HMSHost I-95 TRAVEL

PLAZA CHALLENGE

REBUKED BY MTA

Recent challenges to the Maryland Transportation Authority's decision, to allow Spanish subsidiary Areas USA to redesign and operate two I-95 travel plazas, were batted down yesterday.

The MTA rejected complaints about the bidding process from Bethesda-based HMSHost, and a joint bidder, Airport Plazas/Tichman Construction, yesterday.

While restating that Areas USA had the best bid, officials did not provide much detail about the main issue raised; complaintants believed they had been denied a fair chance to counter Areas' final offer.

A final vote will be cast February 22 by State Treasurer Nancy K. Kopp, Gov. Martin O'Malley and Comptroller Peter Franchot.

BETHESDA'S HMSHost

CHALLENGES MARYLAND'S

CHOICE OF SPANISH FIRM

TO MANAGE I-95

TRAVEL PLAZAS

Bethesda-based hospitality management firm HMSHost is challenging the State of Maryland's decision to select Spanish subsidiary Areas USA to rebuild and operate two I-95 travel plazas.

By all accounts, HMSHost was not given equal negotiating opportunity to compete with a final, amended bid by Areas.

I have seen some of the proposed redesigns for the new facilities and they are promising. Areas brings a good track record and some interesting possible tenants for restaurant space in the Maryland and Chesapeake House plazas.

So I certainly don't have a problem with Areas coming to Maryland. It could be a great partnership with the state.

I don't have a problem with the state getting the best deal for the taxpayer; that is the job of our elected officials.

What I do have a problem with is the apparently unfair process. Only by fueling competition can one get the best deal. So if only one bidder is negotiating, the state clearly is going to pay more. With HMS at the table, the state could have still chosen Areas, but Areas would have had to sweeten its deal, in response to an almost-certainly sweetened offer from HMS.

To not take negotiations to their logical conclusion, state officials cannot credibly tell taxpayers they indeed have the best possible deal.

It's also troubling that Maryland would snub a company that has its international headquarters in Maryland(!!). And employs Marylanders right here in Bethesda.

Because of my great interest in interstate highways, I am familiar with HMSHost's rest stop operations around the country, and have always had a favorable impression. There's always room for improvement. And that's where competition comes in. Want the contract? Provide superior service at the lowest price.

If elected officials are going to talk a good game about jobs and efficient government spending, they'd better back it up with transparent negotiations. And not by excluding companies that pay heavy taxes in Montgomery County and Maryland.

We've witnessed the county council's attempts to drive out Lockheed Martin a few months back. Having contentious relationships with the few large firms willing to accept the pain of headquartering in Montgomery County is no way to run a railroad.

Or a travel plaza.