[markomalley]

As long as they add lanes, I’ve got no problem with this idea. I would love them to add two lanes in each direction (including as HOT lanes) for the entire length of the B-W parkway.

But I’d still love them to do an “Outer Beltway”, extending the ICC in both directions. If they wanted to toll that the same way they toll the ICC, I’d say it’s well worth it.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

I would also have them add a free lane in each direction to stretches of highway that are currently four lanes, since just crawling along in two lanes one-way while people speed past you in the two parallel “Lexus Lanes” will drive people mad.

[Freee-dame]

The ICC could have been an outer beltway with the eastern end farther north. Since it goes from a northwest end near Gaithersburg to a southeast end at route 1, it is not useful for many travelers. Apparently this eastern end was pushed by a single entity (person?, corporation?) who wanted it to end near a huge tract of land owned with plans for developement.

This coupled with a second Potomac River bridge from Gaithersburg would have taken a lot of traffic going to/from BWI or Dulles airport off the Washington Beltway. It is ridiculous that people going from Baltimore to Dulles have to go all the way to the DC beltway and then out to Dulles.

In both cases, powerful/wealthy people prevent things that would benefit ordinary people.