The InterCounty Connector (ICC) is a proposed 18 mile roadway that will link existing and proposed development areas between the I-270/I-370 and I-95/US 1 corridors within central and eastern Montgomery County and northwestern Prince George’s County Maryland with a state-of-the-art east-west highway. The project consists of 5 contracts at cost of $2.4 billion.
Many of you know that I am working in Rockville at the ICC Project Office. After several years in downtown Baltimore I have been relocated to Montgomery County. Suburbia is such a different experience. The traffic here is crazy. It really does not matter what time I leave the house, it takes 1 hour to drive 18 miles. Most of the engineering staff in this office are based in the Baltimore area and often share horrible traffic experiences.
Other than complaining about the commute this project is very interesting. I work in the role of Maryland State Highway Administration’s Traffic Engineering Team. I review plans related to traffic for both interim & ultimate design. For now Contract A is the only active contract and will keep me busy until August of 2010. Of course I can expect to be involved in subsequent contracts as then are advertised and awarded.
Some of the more interesting elements of this project are related to environmental responsibility in constructing this roadway. For example, The State is studying and tagging box turtles in the project vicinity as well as evaluating endangered shiners that inhabit Rock Creek. There are many efforts to salvage wetlands, stream beds and maintain green areas in the project corridor. I have been to environmental awareness training on several occasions, it is quite impressive to see what is happening behind the scenes on this project. Most of the environmental programs conducted by the State are not required but voluntarily performed. The Maryland SHA website has a page dedicated to environmental programs associated to the ICC project, I recommend taking a look. Â Â ICC Project Website