The state-mandated Mandatory Referral process provides advisory comments from the Commission on concerns and issues on the project
WHEATON, MD – The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) is requesting additional time for issuance of the Record of Decision (ROD) by the Federal Highway Administration for the I-495 & I-270 Managed Lanes Study, also referred to as Op Lanes Maryland. As stated in an August 2, 2022, letter sent by Montgomery County Planning Board and M-NCPPC Chair, Casey Anderson, the additional time is requested to allow for the Commission’s Mandatory Referral process to occur, as required by state law.
M-NCPPC has been a Cooperating Agency on the I-495 & I-270 Managed Lanes Study providing consultation, feedback, and input since 2019 regarding the environmental impacts of the project.
The Commission’s Mandatory Referral process is a statutory review process in which all public sector development projects (federal, state, and local governments) proposed in the Regional District (Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties) are referred to the Commission for review. The statute allows M-NCPPC no more than 60 days to complete the review and issue its recommendations.
About the MLS Study
The I-495 and I-270 Managed Lanes Study was initiated by the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) along I-495 (Capital Beltway), as well as along I-270 (Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Highway). Managed lanes consist of a highway facility or set of lanes where operating strategies are used to control the number of vehicles using the lanes at any given time. Learn more about the MDOT SHA Managed Lanes Study. M-NCPPC’s project coordinator for the Managed Lanes Study is Acting General Counsel Debra Borden.
About The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission
The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) is a bi-county agency empowered by the State of Maryland in 1927 to acquire, develop, maintain, and administer a regional system of parks within Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties, and to provide land use planning for the physical development of Prince George’s and Montgomery Counties. In addition, the agency gained responsibility for the public recreation program in Prince George’s County in 1970.
The governing body of M-NCPPC consists of 10 members, five appointed by Montgomery County and five by Prince George’s County. The commission coordinates and acts on matters of interest to both counties and meets at least once a month. The members of the commission from each county serve on separate county planning boards to facilitate, review, and administer the matters affecting their respective counties.