Government

Residents Recoil at Plan to Expand Beltway with Toll Lanes

WASHINGTON INFORMER — Dozens of area residents railed Thursday against a proposal to expand the Capital Beltway in Maryland, as the state mulls seeking out a private firm to add toll lanes to the roadway. Rep. Anthony Brown (D-Maryland) led the charge during a town hall session at the Wayne K. Curry Sports and Learning Complex in Landover, urging Gov. Larry Hogan and the state Department of Transportation to support more transit options in lieu of the proposal.

Published

7 years ago

May 24, 2019

Oakland Post

By William J. Ford

Dozens of area residents railed Thursday against a proposal to expand the Capital Beltway in Maryland, as the state mulls seeking out a private firm to add toll lanes to the roadway.

Rep. Anthony Brown (D-Maryland) led the charge during a town hall session at the Wayne K. Curry Sports and Learning Complex in Landover, urging Gov. Larry Hogan and the state Department of Transportation to support more transit options in lieu of the proposal.

“You may add short-term relief, but you add more vehicles to the road,” Brown said. “We really should not be tolling our highways and roads.”

Prince George’s County Council Chairman Todd Turner said the county has a list of transportation-related initiatives that should take precedence.

“Toll lanes on any of the highways is not on our transportation priority list,” Turner said. “Just slow down. This is a major undertaking.”

Hogan and other state officials have said a public-private partnership to not only expand Interstates 495 and 270 in Prince George’s and Montgomery counties but also add toll lanes is a way to relive congestion in one of the most heavily traffic states in the nation. The proposal has six alternatives and is estimated to cost at least $9.8 billion.

The Board of Public Works, which includes Hogan, Treasurer Nancy Kopp and Comptroller Peter Franchot, may decide June 5 on the next steps to approve the P3 model and seek private firms to design, build and finance the 70-mile project.

The proposed work would happen between I-495 west of the Branch Avenue in Temple Hills in Prince George’s County, on northbound I-270 just north of I-370 in Montgomery County and westbound on I-495 in Cabin John south of the George Washington Memorial Parkway in Montgomery County.

The department estimates the average commuter in the region currently loses more than 87 hours annually due to congestion. A state-conducted study found that a commuter’s travel time would decrease between 45 to 73 hours per year if the beltway and I-270 are widened.

Crystal Hancock, acting supervisor of special projects for the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, drew gasps when she mentioned the project proposes 26 access points for the managed toll lanes. About 10 would be in Prince George’s, she said.

Sherrie James of Landover said that’s the problem because not many people knew about this and other details of the plan.

“We are never, never, never asked how do we feel,” she said. “All of a sudden, [a] plan is developed and here it is. Not a lot of people understand what this means. I hope this is not a done deal.”

Before any approval would be given, a draft for an environmental impact study must be done. A final decision that includes a specific contract isn’t scheduled until 2020 and construction underway one or two years later.

Montgomery County Councilman Tom Hunker, one of the most vocal opponents of the state’s proposal, which could affect 34 homes in his jurisdiction, posted a petition on his website.

“There are serious concerns from taxpayers … both on the policy and process,” he said at Thursday’s meeting. “None of us want to be gouged by tolls.”

This article originally appeared in the Washington Informer.

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Oakland Post: Week of February 18 – 24, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – February 18 – 24, 2026

Published

1 week ago

February 20, 2026

Oakland Post

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CITY OF SAN LEANDRO STATE OF CALIFORNIA PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT ENGINEERING DIVISION NOTICE TO BIDDERS FOR ANNUAL STREET OVERLAY/REHABILITATION 2019-21 – PHASE III

WORK DESCRIPTION: The work to be done consists of roadway paving, base cement stabilization, concrete curb ramps, driveways, sidewalks, curbs and gutters, traffic detection loops and pavement striping, and doing all appurtenant work in place and ready for use, all as shown on the plans and described in the specifications with the title indicated in Paragraph 1 above, and on file in the office of the City Engineer. Reference to said plans and specifications is hereby made for further particulars.

Published

2 weeks ago

February 20, 2026

Oakland Post

PROJECT NO. 2020.0050

BID NO. 25-26.011

BID OPENING: The bidder shall complete the “Proposal to the City of San Leandro” form contained in the Contract Book. The proposal shall be submitted in its entirety. Incomplete proposals will be considered non-responsive. Sealed bids containing the completed Proposal Section subject to the conditions named herein and in the specifications for ANNUAL STREET OVERLAY/REHABILITATION 2019-21 – PHASE III/PROJECT NO. 2020.0050 addressed to the City of San Leandro will be received at City Hall, 835 East 14^th Street, 2^nd Floor San Leandro at the office of the City Clerk up to 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 19, 2026, at which time they will be publicly opened and read.
WORK DESCRIPTION: The work to be done consists of roadway paving, base cement stabilization, concrete curb ramps, driveways, sidewalks, curbs and gutters, traffic detection loops and pavement striping, and doing all appurtenant work in place and ready for use, all as shown on the plans and described in the specifications with the title indicated in Paragraph 1 above, and on file in the office of the City Engineer. Reference to said plans and specifications is hereby made for further particulars.
OBTAINING THE PROJECT PLANS AND CONTRACT BOOK: The project plans and Contract Book may be obtained free of charge from the City’s website at:https://www.sanleandro.org/Bids.aspx Bidders who download the plans are encouraged to contact the City of San Leandro Public Works Department Engineering division at 510-577-3428 to be placed on the project planholder’s list to receive courtesy notifications of addenda and other project information. Project addenda, if any, will be posted on the website. A bidder who fails to address all project addenda in its proposal may be deemed non-responsive.Bidders may also purchase the Project Plans and Contract Book from East Bay Blueprint & Supply Co., at 1745 14^th Street, Oakland, CA 94606; Phone Number: (510) 261-2990 or email: ebbp@eastbayblueprint.com.
PRE-BID CONFERENCE: A mandatory pre-bid conference will be held on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, at 2:00 PM and on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, at 10:00 AM as follows:
Tuesday, February 24, 2026, at 2:00 PM
Zoom Meeting ID: 883 8752 6074
Passcode: 502955
Zoom Link: https://sanleandro-org.zoom.us/j/88387526074?pwd=hZ5rjB8AWdLAUem3CtByFiZxqKarHj.1
And
Wednesday, February 25, 2026, at 10:00 AM
Zoom Meeting ID: 898 2672 0472
Passcode: 091848
Zoom Link: https://sanleandro-org.zoom.us/j/89826720472?pwd=JgZX2nXMpLSRM5xDPr7EJUxl7QIznr.1The information presented at the conferences will be identical, all bidders must attend one of the pre-bid conference and sign the attendance sheet. A firm that didn’t attend the pre-bid conference isn’t qualified to bid on the project.Questions regarding the plans and specifications may be submitted in writing to the project engineer until 5:00 p.m. five (5) days before, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays, bids must be received by the City. The City will not respond to oral questions outside of the pre-bid conference. The response, if any, will be by written addendum only. Oral responses do not constitute a revision to these plans or specifications.
VALUE OF WORK: The Engineer has estimated that the value of work is between $1,000,000 and $5,000,000.
SAN LEANDRO BUSINESS PREFERENCE AND PARTICIPATION GOALS: The work performed under this contract is subject to Section 1-6-225 of the San Leandro Municipal Code regarding local business preference and participation. A list of companies that hold a San Leandro business license is located on the City webpage under the finance department, here: https://www.sanleandro.org/340/Business-License
SAN LEANDRO COMMUNITY WORKFORCE AGREEMENT: The work performed under this contract is subject to the Community Workforce Agreement adopted by City Council Resolution 2015-104. Contractors attention is directed to Section 10.