Hoyer Delivers Millions in Overdue Transportation Funding for
Four projects were funded at the request of Congressman Hoyer that will benefit Prince George's County and the state of Maryland, including construction of an interchange connecting Branch Avenue (MD 5), MD 373, and Brandywine Road; making upgrades to Indian Head Highway (MD 210); construction and widening of an interchange at MD 4 and Suitland Parkway; and funding for the rehabilitation of South Capitol Street and the Frederick Douglass Bridge.
"This long overdue Conference Report provides $286.5 billion in federal funds for highway, transit and highway safety programs so that those working to improve our transportation infrastructure can better accommodate the long-term planning needs and construction horizons," said Congressman Hoyer. "In our region, this will help to make our roads safer, reduce congestion, improve some of our most dangerous intersections, and ensure that our roads can handle higher volumes of traffic. This Report will also spur our nation's economic growth since for every $1 billion invested in federal highway and transit spending, approximately 47,500 jobs are created or sustained."
"The nearly $40 million in federal funds that I secured in this bill for high-priority transportation projects in our region will address some of Prince George's County's major transportation infrastructure needs and make it easier to travel through our state," Rep. Hoyer added. "Indian Head Highway is in need of critical improvements and these funds will make upgrades to this important corridor. I am also pleased that I was able to secure funds to make significant safety enhancements at some of the most traveled interchanges in Southern Prince George's County, which will help reduce congestion in our entire region.
"Additionally, I have been a long time supporter of the Anacostia Waterfront Initiative and I see the restoration of the South Capitol Gateway as a critical component of this initiative. The nearly $50 million included in this bill builds on the South Capital Gateway Study and the $12.25 million that was appropriated in the past two years. It is another positive step forward in this major project which will improve access to Washington, DC and will increase the safety of residents, commuters and visitors as they travel into the city," Hoyer added.
Congressman Hoyer secured funding for the following projects that will benefit Prince George's County:
New Interchange Connecting Branch Avenue (MD 5), MD 373, and Brandywine Road, $16 million
Severe traffic congestion during peak hours at this intersection affects drivers in Southern Prince George's County, Southern Maryland and commuters from Washington, DC. And, traffic volume is only expected to increase as the area grows.
This funding will provide nearly a third of the funds necessary for the design and construction of an interchange connecting Branch Avenue (MD 5), MD 373, and Brandywine Road and the widening of Branch Avenue between Moore's Road and US 301. It will improve the safety of this dangerous intersection and will help to reduce traffic congestion in the entire region.
Federal funding will ensure that this project occurs since it has been on hold awaiting additional funding, and only thirty percent of the design has been completed. The design is expected take two years to complete and the construction is expected to take three years.
Indian Head Highway, MD 210, $3 million, (A total of $6 million included in the bill for this project.)
Indian Head Highway is a major regional commuting corridor and is one of the major roads connecting the Maryland suburbs with Washington, DC and surrounding counties.
The $6 million approved in the Highway bill will make upgrades to Indian Head Highway to replace intersections from MD 228 to I-95/-495. The planned improvements involve the construction of interchanges at the first six intersections south of the Capital Beltway located at Old Fort Road North, Fort Washington Road, Swan Creek Road/Livingston Road, and Old Fort Road South. Additional "at-grade" improvements will be made at the remaining intersections.
These improvements will ensure that Indian Head Highway can also be expanded in the future if necessary to accommodate greater volumes of traffic as the region expands.
Greenbelt Metro Station Interchange, $1 million
Currently, the I-95/I-495 interchange at the Greenbelt Metro Station is a partial interchange that provides access to and from the north and west only. Access to the Metro station and the Beltway for those traveling to and from the south and east must be made through the local street network.
This funding will be used to install two additional ramps that are needed to make the Greenbelt Metro Station interchange a full access interchange to facilitate transit use at the Metro and MARC stations.
The Greenbelt Metro is a major stop in the Washington Metro System and is an essential component of the regional commuting corridor that provides access from Prince George's County to the Nation's Capital. This project will facilitate the redevelopment of the Greenbelt Metro Station, increase ridership, improve air quality, and reduce travel on the area highways.
New Interchange Connecting MD 4 and Suitland Parkway, $4 million (A total of $15 million included in the bill for this project.)
The Suitland Parkway Interchange project would expand a major corridor from Calvert County in Southern Maryland to Prince George's County and Washington, DC, and improve access to the military bases in Southern Maryland. It is a major connector to numerous federal government facilities and military installations and these funds will ensure that transportation to these facilities remains safe and efficient and will ease pressure on the congested Beltway.
Congressman Hoyer secured the federal funds to design and construct the MD 4 and Suitland Parkway Interchange and has secured more than $42 million to keep Suitland Parkway safe and efficient. The funds included in today's bill will be used to widen the interchange with the addition of one general use lane in each direction.
Rehabilitation of South Capitol Street/Frederick Douglass Bridge, $8 million (A total of $123 million included in the bill for this project.)
Because the freeway system proposed for the District of Columbia was never finished, South Capitol Street and the Southeast-Southwest Freeway are incomplete fragments of that transportation network. In addition, the Frederick Douglass Bridge, like many other of the District's bridges, is in poor shape. It has a sufficiency rating of 50, which means its structural adequacy, safety, serviceability, and function are seriously compromised.
This funding will rehabilitate the existing structure of the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge to ensure the safety of the traveling public until the bridge is replaced. The bridge was built in 1941 and was last rehabilitated in 1976. This funding will be used for structural rehabilitation, environmental studies and safety improvements of South Capitol Street and the Frederick Douglass Bridge.
Congressman Hoyer has secured more than $30 million over the years for projects to improve the water quality of the Anacostia River and to restore the health and natural beauty of the river and the surrounding natural resources. As a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, and a member of the subcommittee that funds the U.S. Transportation Department, Congressman Hoyer also secured $500,000 in federal funds to conduct a study of the South Capitol Street Corridor, and secured $12.25 million in fiscal years 2004 and 2005 for the rehabilitation of South Capitol Street and the Frederick Douglass Bridge.
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