PUBLIC COMMENTS & REPORT NOW AVAILABLE ON RECOMMENDED TOLL RATE RANGES FOR PHASE 1 SOUTH: AMERICAN LEGION BRIDGE I-270 TO I-370
Register by Nov. 16 to Comment In-Person at Nov. 18 MDTA Board Meeting
The Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) today posted a summary report for the second public comment period as part of the toll rate range setting process for proposed High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes for Phase 1 South: American Legion Bridge I-270 to I-370.
The summary and analysis, as well as the raw written and voicemail comments received during the second comment period from September 30 to October 28, 2021, are available at mdta.maryland.gov/ALB270TollSetting.
The summary also will be presented during a livestreamed MDTA Board meeting on November 18 that will be open to the public. At this meeting, MDTA staff will present the final toll rate range recommendation to the Board. The Board will accept additional in-person public comment during the meeting prior to voting whether to approve the toll rate ranges.
Pre-registration is required to comment on the final toll rate range recommendation during the November 18 MDTA Board meeting, and those offering comments must attend the meeting in person at the MDTA, 2310 Broening Highway, Baltimore, MD 21224. Please email Natalie Henson at nhenson@mdta.state.md.us by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, November 16, to register to comment. The following information needs to be included in your email: name, affiliation (if any), contact number and the item(s) on the agenda you would like to comment on. Public comments will be limited to two minutes per person.
MDTA encourages the public to review the toll rate range recommendation presented on September 30, 2021, to the MDTA Board for Phase 1 South: American Legion Bridge I-270 to I-370 at mdta.maryland.gov/ALB270TollSetting.
Unless otherwise indicated on the MDTA Board Meeting Schedule webpage, the meeting will begin at 9 a.m. Anyone planning to attend the MDTA Board meeting who wishes to receive auxiliary aids, services or accommodations is invited to contact 711 (MD Relay) at least 48 hours in advance.
If you are unable to access the materials online, or if you require special accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act or require language translation services (free of charge), please contact the MDTA’s Title VI Officer at mdtaeeo@mdta.maryland.gov or at 410-537-6720.
As a result of comments received during the first public comment period, which ran May 20 to August 14 and included in-person and virtual call-in public hearings, the recommended toll rate ranges reflect a new base minimum per-mile toll rate of 17 cents per mile – lower than the 20 cents per mile proposed in May. The 17 cents per mile recommendation is consistent with the base off-peak minimum per-mile toll rate for the MDTA’s Intercounty Connector (ICC)/MD 200.
Note: As part of the ongoing National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process, the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) published the Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) for the I-495 & I-270 Managed Lanes Study on October 1, 2021. The public comment period for the SDEIS is currently underway. More details on the SDEIS and the Preferred Alternative, Alternative 9 – Phase 1 South: American Legion Bridge I-270 to I-370, can be found at oplanesmd.com/SDEIS/.