Recently, I asked the City Council to consider sending a letter to the SHA/MDOT thanking them for their announcement on the reconstruction of Route 1 in south College Park and asking them to start rebuilding Route 1 in North College Park. Segments 2 and 3 of the reconstruction in the north College Park has not been funded—there is no money in the draft six-year Consolidated Transportation Plan for engineering, right-of-way acquisition, and construction for the segments from MD 193 to the Capital Beltway. The City has requested the State to include funding for the rest of the project but has been unsuccessful thus far.
Prince George’s County annually submits a Transportation Priorities Letter to the State indicating the County priority for State transportation projects. The County lists funding of segments two and three of the Baltimore Avenue project as a third priority of nine projects. The County’s first priority is interchange improvements at I-495 and Arena Drive, and the second priority is an interchange and intersection improvements at several locations on MD 210. It’s important to send a request to the County council that it makes the Baltimore Avenue project a higher priority in its letter to the State and also consider sending a letter again to MDOT requesting funding for segments two and three.
Given the long timeframe for project engineering; the long delays in bringing Phase 1 to construction; and the importance this project for the safety of drivers and pedestrians in College Park, the Council will consider approving two separate letters to the County Council and the MDOT urging MDOT to fund planning, engineering, and right-of-way acquisition for Segments 2 and 3. We hope to approve these letters at tomorrow’s Council meeting.