At this week’s meeting, the City COuncil will discuss the review of Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the I-495 and I-270 Managed Lanes Study, in particular its impact on College Park. On July 10, 2020, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) released the Notice of Availability of the DEIS and announced a 90-day review period including several public hearings. This comment period has been extended 30 days to November 9, 2020. A range of 15 preliminary alternatives were initially identified and screened, and ultimately 8 alternatives were retained and analyzed in the DEIS including a no build alternative. No standalone transit alternatives are included but allowing free bus usage in managed lanes and accommodating connections to existing transit stations are proposed in each Build Alternative. The managed lanes proposed are designed to control the number of vehicles using the lane to keep them flowing at an acceptable level of service (LOS) and include, but are not limited to, HOV (high-occupancy vehicle) lanes, HOT (high-occupancy toll) lanes, ETL’s (express toll lanes), and bus-only lanes.
Please see the full staff report below: