Hogan declares state of emergency ahead of Hurricane Florence

Potomac River at 

flood stage at

Little Falls, 

White's Ferry closed,

National Guard alerted

Will Hurricane Florence hit Maryland hard? We don't know yet, but Gov. Larry Hogan isn't taking any chances. "While we're hoping for the best, we are preparing for the worst," Hogan said at a press conference, where he announced he has declared a state of emergency. The governor said the declaration would allow the state to mobilize the resources and personnel potentially needed in the areas expected to be hardest hit.

Hogan warned of the strong possibility of "historic, catastrophic, and life-threatening flooding," in coastal and low-lying, flood-prone areas. "At my direction, the state is currently taking action to activate all available resources," he told reporters, "including alerting the Maryland National Guard."

Sporting a yellow-trimmed polo shirt, Hogan said he is in constant contact with the National Weather Service and National Hurricane Center, to obtain up-to-the-minute briefings on the storm's track. He said the state's Emergency Management Center is "fully-staffed" at this hour, at that emergency shelters around the state are now standing by to receive displaced residents.

Pepco will face its first real test of its "new" system. The utility will have no excuse to be short on personnel, because Hogan explicitly mentioned that he has personally alerted the state's electrical companies to mobilize now.

The governor urged residents to "start now to prepare your families and your homes for potential heavy rains, wind and possible flooding." He recommended citizens "have water, batteries, and flashlights at the ready in case of power outages."

Hogan said he expected to know more about the storm's potential impacts by later today.

Suburban News Network

Storm Center Update

The National Weather Service has put a Dense Fog Advisory into effect until 10:00 AM this morning. A Flood Warning remains in effect until noon Wednesday. The many preceding days of heavy rain have put the area behind the 8-ball before Florence even arrives near the end of the week.

Already, the Potomac River is above flood stage at Little Falls, and high water has closed White's Ferry for now.

Current temperature in Bethesda and Chevy Chase is 69 degrees. It is 68 in Potomac, and 70 in Friendship Heights.

The high today will be 80, with a shower or thunderstorm expected this afternoon. Winds are from the NNE at 5 MPH, gusting to 6 MPH.

BILL TO STUDY NEW MD-VA POTOMAC RIVER BRIDGE ADVANCES IN VA HOUSE

The Virginia House Transportation Committee voted Tuesday to send a bill requiring further study of a new Potomac River crossing to the House Appropriations Committee. Bill HB-1244 would require the Virginia Department of Transportation to review the results of an ongoing demand study for a new bridge. The study area is between existing crossings at Point of Rocks (US 15) and the Harry Nice Bridge (US 301). A new crossing would be constructed within that area.

Historically, new Potomac River bridges had been planned at several locations. Most notable were those to connect the unbuilt Rockville Freeway to the Fairfax County Parkway at Riverbend Park, and the unbuilt Outer Beltway (I-370 extension) to VA 28. Other bridges were considered at Arizona Avenue in the District, and in relation to the George Washington Parkway. Failure to build some - or all - of these crossings is a major factor in today's congestion on the American Legion Bridge in Bethesda, and on I-495 and I-270. A recent Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments study concluded that about a quarter of all traffic on the American Legion Bridge is heading to or from the Dulles area.

If the study shows a need for a new crossing (duh!), the bill requires VDOT to furnish recommendations for specific crossing sites to the Virginia General Assembly, and VA Secretary of Transportation, by December 1, 2015.

HB-1244 is co-sponsored by Del. Thomas Davis Rust and J. Randall Minchew. There is some urgency regarding the bill, as the House Appropriations Committee has only three meetings scheduled before all non-budget House bills must be finished.

A new crossing has been endorsed by U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Virginia).

UNCLE SAM REFINES DESIGN OF SANGAMORE RD. INTELLIGENCE CAMPUS IN BETHESDA (PHOTOS)

Images of a future Bethesda homeland security site have been unveiled by the U.S. Government, in response to feedback on the initial blueprints. The Montgomery County Planning Board will examine refined designs for the future federal intelligence campus, at 4600 Sangamore Road, at its January 30 meeting. County planners are recommending approval of the new renderings for transmittal to the National Capital Planning Commission, which has oversight of the project.

A refinement of the initial designs was sought in response to both community concerns, and the environmentally-sensitive location of the project, at the former Geospatial Intelligence Agency campus. The updated designs take into consideration the cosmetic appearance of several structures, as they appear from both the adjacent residential neighborhood, and from the Potomac River below.

Overall, the project aims to balance a return of the site to its origins as a scenic river bluff, and the significant expansion of personnel. The federal agencies in charge of the project are the Defense Intelligence Agency, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

I love the fantastic aerial photo of the river running behind the campus. Clark Construction has been in charge of the current construction phase, reconfiguring the high-security entrance and parking, and construction of the new Centrum building. The ultimate expansion will be a huge boon to businesses and restaurants in the Shops at Sumner Place, located directly across the street from the campus. Click images to enlarge for more detail:

LATEST IMAGES OF FUTURE INTELLIGENCE CAMPUS IN BETHESDA (PHOTOS)

The most secure and hardest government target in Bethesda - along with Walter Reed and the NIH - is the future Intelligence Campus on Sangamore Road. Formerly known to locals as "The Mapping Agency," the Geospatial Intelligence Agency at this site has moved to Fort Belvoir in Virginia.

For a variety of reasons - many classified - the federal government chose to maintain the site, and expand it as a massive, 30-acre "intelligence campus," for the Defense Intelligence Agency and others.

The DIA has been working with nearby residents on a variety of concerns: traffic, noise, stormwater runoff, height and visual appearance of buildings, and a controversial parking garage.

This site will remain a primarily automobile-oriented workplace. There is excellent Ride On bus access literally at the front door. But the bus schedule and hours are limited, and the time factor will keep many in their cars.

It is surprising, given the massive personnel boost this site will generate in the coming years, that neither the county nor the federal government are even talking about an obvious transit solution: the still-intact Georgetown-Glen Echo streetcar right-of-way. The former streetcar line passes by the campus in between MacArthur Boulevard and the Clara Barton Parkway.

With the District planning a streetcar line between Union Station and Georgetown University, thereby making a direct link to the Glen Echo ROW, well... duh!

Doesn't it make a lot of sense to be working on that?

The streetcar could also serve the large and rapidly-growing Sibley Hospital campus, which is building an entirely new hospital, and has completed a large physicians office building.

The basic concept of the new Intelligence Campus design will be to turn the current sea of asphalt, and (post 9/11) fortress appearance, into a well-manicured campus with a natural, green setting.

Based on these images, I think they've done a very good job. What an improvement over the existing design.

Currently, a crane is looming over the site, and the sidewalk on Sangamore is closed to pedestrians. One structure is rising, but the overall transformation of the space between the buildings and street will occur much later in the project.

What goes on at this site?

Top secret. Ostensibly, it was a mapping and satellite imaging site years ago. Having said that, the facility once had its own railroad spur off of the Baltimore & Ohio Georgetown Branch Railroad (now the Capital Crescent Trail). Those must have been some heavy maps, right?

My favorite image among these is the one that shows the Potomac River flowing by in the background. What a spectacular view. You'd have to use a helicopter to get a view like that.

This project has been recommended for approval by planning board staff, and action is expected at today's meeting.

I have to commend the DIA, NCPC, and many other agencies and local residents who have worked on this. On paper, at least, it looks like the federal agencies have gone the extra mile to make this work.

Ultimately, I think most people realize what an important site this is in protecting the country, and are willing to be fairly understanding about the various impacts the site will have.

WSSC CONTRACTOR SEEKS PERMIT TO RELEASE MILLIONS OF GALLONS OF GROUND AND WASH WATER INTO BETHESDA STREAM

Bethesda's Old Farm Creek, a tributary of Cabin John Creek and the Potomac River, is one of 2 local waterways scheduled to carry over 3.6 million gallons of groundwater per day during a WSSC tunnel construction project.

A WSSC contractor has applied to the Maryland Department of the Environment for a discharge permit to allow this during construction of the Bi-County Water Tunnel along Tuckerman Lane in Bethesda.

Water flows will also contain 5000 gallons per day of equipment washwater, to be discharged into Old Farm Creek near Tuckerman, and Rock Creek near Kensington Parkway.

The Old Farm discharge site lies between Cabin John shopping center and Westfield Montgomery Mall near Tuckerman Lane.  A prominent channel passes beneath Tuckerman in that area.

Should you wish to request a public meeting to be held regarding this matter, you can mail a written request to:

MDE: Water Management Administration, 1800 Washington Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21230-1708
Attn: Mr. Michael Richardson

Hurry - it must be received by May 16, 2013.

You can arrange to review the application in person, by calling Richardson at 410-537-3323 to schedule an appointment.

WHERE IS SANDY? WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY AFTER THE SUPERSTORM - POTOMAC RIVER FLOODING, AIRPORT OPENINGS AND CLOSINGS, AMTRAK

BETHESDA STORM CENTER

SANDY UPDATE

Bethesda may have dodged a bullet, but flooding remains a serious issue here and throughout the DC area today.  At 3 AM, the Potomac River was only 4" away from flood stage at Little Falls.  It is expected to reach and surpass flood stage within hours.  Then it is expected to recede into Thursday.  Potomac flooding also means creek flooding, so continue to drive with caution near waterways like Little Falls Stream, Booze Creek, etc.

WHERE IS SANDY?

Superstorm Sandy is currently near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at this hour.  It will continue northward, and its cloud mass currently stretches from the Great Lakes to New England.  Sandy continues to dump snow to its southwest, with one Western Maryland town having 29" so far.

BETHESDA FORECAST

Mostly cloudy today, with highs in the mid-50s.  Breeze SW, 10-15 MPH.

TRANSIT, TRAVEL, TRAINS, AIRPORTS

Reagan National, Dulles and BWI airports are open.

Newark Liberty and JFK Airports in New York opened at 7 AM this morning.  Call your airline to confirm your flight before leaving home.

Amtrak service has resumed between DC and Philadelphia, but not to New York.  Amtrak is operating south of DC, but not to Chicago.  Again, call ahead, as this could change at any time.

Vamoose Bus has resumed service to New York City from Waverly Street in downtown Bethesda.

Metro subway, Metrobus, Ride On, MARC, MTA bus, Maryland commuter buses, and MTA light rail and subway are all operating this morning.

ETC.

Little Falls Parkway has reopened.

Early voting in Maryland: 8 AM - 9 PM today.

Stay tuned for more, and make sure to follow me on Twitter at @BethesdaRow for all the latest Sandy coverage!