Maryland Toll Road Project Loses Key Operator Amid Lawsuits, Shifting Political Landscape

The loss of toll operator Transurban could be a death knell for the controversial I-495/I-270 Managed Lanes Project in Maryland.

1 minute read

March 12, 2023, 7:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell

Maryland Department of Transportation / I-495/I-270 Managed Lanes Project

A plan to add toll lanes to Interstate 270 and the Capital Beltway, a key component of the legacy of former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, is facing yet another setback that threatens to prevent the project.

The I-495/I-270 Managed Lanes Project has been in the works since 2017, finally gaining federal approval in August 2022 after moving forward in fits and starts over the years and facing local opposition and legal peril.

Now, Erin Cox and Luz Lazo report that Australian toll company Transurban has dropped out of the project “amid uncertainty that Maryland’s new Gov. Wes Moore (D) supported the proposal and the unresolved — potentially costly — lawsuits over the project’s environmental implications.”

“The decision suspends progress on replacing the American Legion Bridge and relieving the congested Capital Beltway and Interstate 270 with high-occupancy toll lanes,” according to the article. “It’s a potentially insurmountable setback to a $6 billion plan first announced in 2017 by Maryland’s previous governor, Republican Larry Hogan.”

“The timeline for next steps is not immediately clear,” adds the article.

FULL STORY: Toll road operator withdraws from plan to develop Beltway, I-270 toll lanes

Thursday, March 9, 2023 in The Washington Post

Infrastructure Transportation Maryland I-495/I-270 Managed Lanes Project Maryland Department of Transportation Governor Larry Hogan Road Construction Highway Widening Toll Roads Capital Beltway View More

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Start Learning

Advertise with us

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.