Controversy swirls around plans for new American Legion Bridge
A New American Legion Bridge according to Maryland Governor Hogan is the final piece of the puzzle to end Beltway gridlock, but the plans have been met with opposition.
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan and Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced on November 12 that a new American Legion Bridge will be built on the Capital Beltway. Gov. Hogan also revealed he wants to accelerate his previously announced plan to widen the Beltway from the legion bridge to I-95 north.
Montgomery County Councilmember Tom Hucker along with Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich remain opposed to widening the beltway.
The Silver Spring Democrat says he wants to see more emphasis on transit. "It's unlikely to relieve congestion. It's unbalanced; It puts more cars on the road and more smog into our air and doesn’t do anything to allow people to commute using transit," Hucker said.
Activist Tony Hausner fears his silver spring neighborhood will lose parkland and some of his neighbors will lose their homes. He told ABC7 Maryland Bureau Chief Brad Bell, “I understand the frustration with the traffic with beltway and 270 but I think this is the wrong solution.”
So far state officials are holding firm. Maryland Secretary of Transportation Pete Rahn yesterday explaining the need to widen the Beltway, “There’s five times more traffic on that bridge today than there was in 1965 so the issue is it cant accommodate more without the roadways being fixed along with the bridge itself.”
MORE DETAILS: Hogan, Northam say new American Legion Bridge will be built on Beltway to reduce traffic
