September 7th, 2017 by WCBC Radio
Following approval by the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) Board, Governor Larry Hogan announced the Intercounty Connector (ICC)/MD 200 will be dedicated to former Maryland Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr.
“Over the decades, plans for the ICC started – and stalled – countless times, but it wasn’t until Governor Ehrlich made it a top priority that the Intercounty Connector Project was finally revived,” said Governor Hogan. “The ICC was the very first all-electronic toll road in Maryland, and it is one of the most significant transportation projects in state history.”
"I would like to sincerely thank Governor Hogan for this wonderful dedication," said Governor Ehrlich. "Many Marylanders thought the ICC would never be built. It was certainly a difficult task, against all odds. But it got done through the hard work of professionals who contributed to the planning, financing, and construction of this magnificent road."
After his election, Governor Ehrlich made a direct request to President George W. Bush to secure the key federal funding for the project. He garnered bipartisan support between federal and local governments to gain key endorsements from the U.S. Department of Transportation and Montgomery County.
“Thanks to Governor Ehrlich’s foresight and accomplishments, Marylanders now benefit from one of the State’s most significant and innovative transportation improvement projects,” said Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) Secretary and MDTA Chairman Pete K. Rahn.
The ICC was included in transportation planning efforts tracing back to the 1950s. Despite significant financial investment, planning and engineering work, the ICC/MD 200 project had stalled before Governor Ehrlich directed the Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) to begin construction. MDOT SHA managed the construction, and the ICC/MD 200 opened between I-270 and I-95 in 2011 and further east to US 1 in 2014. The MDTA now owns and operates the ICC/MD 200 as one of Maryland’s eight toll facilities.
“Governor Ehrlich’s direction to bring the ICC/MD 200 to fruition directly benefits MDTA customers with a shorter, safer, less congested, and more reliable driving option,” said MDTA Executive Director Kevin C. Reigrut. “A 2013 study also indicated that the opening of the ICC/MD 200 had a substantial impact on reducing the amount of congestion on nearby roadways.”
The ICC/MD 200 is Maryland’s first all-electronic toll road where tolls are collected at highway speed as motorists drive under tolling structures. Tolls vary to help manage traffic volumes with a higher toll charged during peak hours and a lower toll charged during off-peak and overnight hours.
