Hogan: ‘We’re Not Going to Take Your Houses’
A protester asked Gov. Larry Hogan at a Labor Day parade Monday about the loss of homes from the widening of I-270 and the Capital Beltway.
In a video, seen here, you can hear Hogan say it won’t happen.
We asked Hogan about it as well as he finished a speech at the Hispanic Business Conference on Tuesday in North Bethesda. Here’s what he said:
As the governor says in MCM video, the process is in its early stages.
The State Highway Administration held public meetings in July and revealed 15 potential options, including a “no build” option. Another option also would not widen the road but add a “contraflow” lane — where an existing lane on the opposite side of the highway would be devoted to traffic in the peak direction.
After the governor spoke, the Maryland Department of Transportation sent this statement from Greg Slater, the State Highway Administrator:
Our approach is to implement a solution to increase capacity on I-270 and the Capital Beltway within the existing right of way. There are innovative solutions for transportation features in tight spaces around the world, and we want to leverage those solutions here in Maryland. We ultimately plan to seek these types of solutions from the private sector through the P3 process.
It is important to note that [we are] in the early stages of the federally-mandated environmental assessment (NEPA) process, a process which requires us to look at ALL options to provide congestion relief along the I-495 and I-270 corridors. The NEPA process requires us to study options ranging from highways to transit to a potential “no build” option, and requires that we solicit feedback from the public.
To be clear, the department has not presented a preferred option at this point in the process, we are required to first look at all potential options and integrate public comment — that is where we currently are in the process. However, our approach is to ultimately develop and select an option within the existing right of way.
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