BRAC AND ROAD IMPROVEMENTS

In these difficult economic  times, Maryland is fortunate  to have 7,500 BRAC related jobs coming to Fort Meade,  job growth at NSA,  and additional jobs for Cyber Command for a total estimated 60,000 new jobs to  our state.   While it is great news to talk about tens of thousands of high paying jobs moving to Maryland through military base reorganization and Cyber Command, we must also work to protect the quality of life for our existing citizens.

Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) has designed and engineered improved intersections on Route 175 and designed the widening and new alignment for Route 175. There was a great deal of caution during the design stages as SHA attempted to protect the Odenton Town Center Plan and the private property along Route 175.

At a press conference that I attended on Wednesday, October 13,   Lt. Governor  Brown announced the Memorandum of Understanding between Fort Meade and SHA was signed on Wednesday morning.  This agreement allows State Highway to widen Route 175 predominately onto Fort Meade Property using between 50 and 65 acres.  In return SHA will provide $10 million for construction of improvements to Fort Meade’s gate at Rockenbach Road.  This new Access Control Point with improve traffic flow on a major BRAC commuter route.

An additional part of the widening of Route 175 will be completed by BRS/Eggerl LLC as part of the development of “Blobs Park” now referred to as “Parkside.”  This developer will widen 175 to five lanes from the Route 295 exit to Rockenbach/Ridge Roads. 
Four intersections will be improved; details of the cost of these improvements and the source of funds are attached.  The four intersections are:

• MD 175 and MD 713,
• MD 175 and Disney Road
• MD 175 and MD 174,(Reese Road)
• MD 175 at Mapes Road

Total funding for this intersection work is $46.2 million; $5.9 million is State Funding. The remainder is from various sources of Federal Funding. 

With the establishment of Cyber Command, additional substantial traffic will come to NSA via MD Route 32.  $1 million dollars in new federal funds will begin a MD 32 Cyber Command Regional Network Analysis.

The State of Maryland is working diligently to design, engineer and complete the road improvements that will assist in traffic flow and reduce congestion as the defense jobs continue to arrive to Maryland. The personnel of SHA have done a great job of listening to the citizens and designing the roads and intersections with their concerns at the forefront.  New bike lanes will be included with the widening of MD 175 and SHA has worked to mitigate the impact on private property and honor the plan for the Odenton Town Center.  Good planning takes time!