The Gov. Thomas Johnson Bridge continues to be the number one transportation priority for Southern Maryland. That message was transmitted from the Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland in their annual letter to the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) announcing the priorities.
The letter to Acting MDOT Secretary Darrell Mobley, dated April 8, was signed by council chair and Charles County Commissioner President Candice Quinn Kelly. The letter said: “Our Top Regional Highway Project continues to be the Thomas Johnson Bridge replacement accompanied by improvements of the Route 2/4 corridor and MD 235 intersection. The project will relieve commuter congestion, improve safety, help position the Patuxent River Naval Air Station for future Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) expansions, improve emergency evacuations, and provide bicycle tourism opportunities between the Three Notch Trail and Solomon’s Island.”
The letter points out that the project has been in the Consolidates Transportation Plan (CTP) since 2007, millions of dollars have been expended in project planning, yet the project has no funding after the upcoming FY 2014 Fiscal Year.
According to the letter, the region’s number one Regional Transit priority is the Southern Maryland Transit Project. That would provide a “fixed-route, high capacity transit service in the MD 5/US 301 corridor from Branch Avenue Metro Station to Waldorf.”
The letter also lists three Regionally Significant Projects:
· Construction of a controlled access highway option for US 301 in Waldorf.
· Enhancement of commuter bus services along with development of Park and Ride lots in the three counties.
· Upgrade in Prince Frederick of MD Route 2/4 from the
