ICC open from 95 to 270 in the morning
About a half-century after it was first proposed, the Intercounty Connector will provide a direct link between Interstates 95 and 270 starting early Tuesday morning. With the opening of the 10-mile stretch between 95 and Georgia Avenue, the new toll road will finally become useful for many residents of the Baltimore region.
Motorists will have about two weeks to "test drive" the road free of charge. The Maryland Transportation Authority has waived tolls until Dec. 5. If you don't have an E-ZPass and think you'll be using the new road regularly, now is the time to break down and get a transponder. You can use the ICC without E-ZPass, but you'll have to pay a service fee to cover the costs of billing by mail.
Comments
What statutory authority does The Maryland Transportation Authority possess to waive any toll? Is The Maryland Transportation Authority suggesting that no one will use the ICC without a free test drive? How about a free toll on the newly resurfaced Hatem Bridge? Oh, that's between Harford and Cecil Counties and MOM didn't come close to carrying those counties. He only provides tolls gratis to Montgomery and P.G. Counties; counties he carried in the last election.
Posted by: MDR | November 22, 2011 8:49 AM
I would like to thank Governor Ehrlich for giving this a butt kicking to move it along. I would like to thank Governor O'Malley for deciding it should be a toll road and then finding out people aren't going to pay as much so you have to raise the tolls all over Maryland to cover the balance. Maybe someone should stop stealing from the transportation fund for special projects and then demanding a gas tax increase because the money magically disappeared.
COMMENT: It was Ehrlich who decided to build the ICC as a toll road. The financing plan, including the reliance on increased tolls at other facilities, was adopted under his administration. O'Malley didn't change what Ehrlich put in place. The gas tax doesn't go toward supporting the Maryland Transportation Authority. The raids on the the trust fund affect the State Highway Administration a great deal, but not the toll authority.
Posted by: Phillip | November 22, 2011 10:02 AM
So put speed cameras on the ICC... it should pay for itself within the year.
Posted by: Ric | November 22, 2011 11:03 AM
Is toll waived for entire road or just newly opened part?
COMMENT: The whole road.
Posted by: Anonymous | November 22, 2011 2:26 PM
The ICC should be extended across the Potomac to Leesburg.
Posted by: Brian | November 22, 2011 5:52 PM
On my way to my job in Beltsville from Baltimore and i-95 was STILL backed up SB approaching MD212, haha!
Maybe it was the holiday traffic, but jeez, we should get at least 1 or 2 years of noticeably reduced congestion....
Posted by: N. Payer | November 22, 2011 11:52 PM
I agree with Brian, and it probably will eventually get extended over the Potomac to Leesburg. Also the speed limit should be increased to 65 or 70.
Posted by: Barry G | November 23, 2011 10:18 PM