Program Overview

Op Lanes Maryland is a historic effort to reduce congestion for millions of travelers in the National Capital Region by seeking input from the private sector to design, build, finance, operate, and maintain improvements on both I-495 and I-270. Many states choose to take the same old approach to reduce traffic congestion. But here in Maryland, we’ve opted to chart our own path. Op Lanes Maryland allows us to develop exciting and effective transportation solutions that result in more options for area travelers and more opportunities for local businesses.

Improvements will transform these overloaded interstates to allow people to reach their destinations faster and to remove overflow traffic from the local roads. Op Lanes Maryland will include improvements for over 70 miles of interstate in Maryland including:

• I-495 (Capital Beltway) from south of the George Washington Memorial Parkway, including replacement of the American Legion Bridge over the Potomac River, to the Woodrow Wilson Bridge and
• I-270 (Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Highway) from I-495 to I-70, including the east and west I-270 spurs.

Program Elements

I-495 & I-270 Managed Lanes Study

The I-495 & I-270 Managed Lanes Study is the first element of Op Lanes Maryland undergoing the environmental review process. The I-495 & I-270 Managed Lanes Study Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will include a review of existing and future traffic, roadway, and environmental conditions to identify alternatives and assess potential impacts. The limits for this study extend along I-495 from south of the George Washington Memorial Parkway, including improvements to the American Legion Bridge, to west of MD 5 and along I-270 from I-495 to north of I-370, including the east and west I-270 spurs.

I-270 from I-370 to I-70 Pre-NEPA

The I-270 from I-370 to I-70 pre-NEPA activities extend along I-270 from I-370 in Montgomery County to I-70 in Frederick County, Maryland. During these initial activities, MDOT SHA will conduct environmental planning activities prior to starting a study under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This will include identifying the project’s purpose and need, developing a range of alternatives, reviewing existing and future traffic volumes and existing environmental conditions, and engaging the public.