The Maryland Board of Public Works is set to cast their vote that would determine the outcome of two projects under the Public-Private Partnership scheme -  the I-495 and I-270 highways concessions.

The I-270 corridor, known as the I-270 Innovative Congestion Management (ICM) contract includes the improvement of the highway covering the extension of general purpose lanes, the addition or extension of auxiliary lanes, corridor-wide, adaptive ramp metering, and active traffic management solutions such as dynamic message signs and dynamic speed limit signs. The additional lanes are being added through the narrowing of lanes and shoulders along with minimal widening where needed. 

The second project, I-495/I-95 (Capital Beltway), would include the addition of six general purpose and four express toll lanes, and eight general purposes and two express toll lanes within Montgomery and Prince George's Counties.

The State of Maryland plans to improve the two highway projects with an estimated cost between US$9 billion and US$11 billion. Once approved by the Board, the projects will be developed by concessionaires selected under a competitive bidding process. 

The vote scheduled for tomorrow has been called controversial by some because one of the members of the voting committee - the treasurer - will be absent and her request to withdraw the item of highway concessions from the meeting was not satisfied. 

Some believe that The Maryland Board of Public Works should not consider the P3 process for the highways until the environmental review process is completed.

The state is holding “public workshops” in counties that would be affected by the highway widening, to give residents an opportunity to learn more about the state’s plans and to comment on them. Thousands of people have attended the sessions, including many homeowners who live close to the Beltway and 270.