A Sierra Club Mapping Project Shows $1.1 Billion ICC Will Not Solve Future Traffic Woes. Sierra Club calls for study of transit and land use alternatives! mapping project prepared by the Sierra Club ICC Task Force provides visual proof that even after expending $1.1 billion to construct the Inter County Connector, traffic at most area intersections will be much worse than today's already intolerable conditions. "A picture is worth a thousand words, and when you see this one, it's clear the ICC isn't worth a billion dollars," said Baird Straughan, Sierra ICC Task Force spokesperson. The Sierra Club used the State Highway Administration's computerized maps and traffic projection data, developed by the State's ICC Study Team, to produce regional maps with intersection impacts superimposed. The maps show selected intersections across the ICC study area based on their current load-to-capacity ratio (load = number of cars trying to pass through the intersection, compared to the capacity = number of cars an hour the intersection was designed to handle) ratio and for various highway build scenarios for the year 2020. Each intersection was assigned one of six graphics based on the ratio: 1) acceptable 2) marginal 3) failing, 1 mile or more back-up (one mile radius circle); 4) worse than failing, 2 or more mile back-up (two mile radius circle); 5) not present in particular scenario; 6) important intersection not included by the State's ICC Study Team. Each of the ICC construction route alternatives fails to pass the common sense test of real improvement for the average commuter. Incorporating the State's own data, the maps show that for all of the "build" alternatives many of the region's intersections would back-up one, two or more miles during either morning or afternoon rush hours. Back-ups will be so long, that they will actually overlap each other, further adding to the overall regional gridlock. "It just does not give the kind of relief that $1.1 billion should provide," said Larry Bohlen, Sierra Club Conservation Chair. "It's time for the State Highway Administration to evaluate additional non-road alternatives which other communities have shown to be more cost effective." The Draft Environmental Impact Statement shows that none of the road based "build" alternatives will solve the increasing congestion brought about by continued growth and sprawl development. All of the "build" alternatives, including the new hybrid route, cause serious damage to the environment. "We are experiencing the truth of Biologist, Paul Ehrlich's statement that 'Continuous growth is the philosophy of a cancer cell.' We are killing our environment and our quality of life with continued growth and sprawl development," said Jon Robinson, member at large of the Sierra Club's Maryland Executive Committee. The Sierra Club calls for the Washington metro area governments to bring growth under control and take steps toward implementing those aspects of a "Network of Livable Communities" (a report prepared by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and the Environmental Defense Fund) that will focus growth into areas that are already developed and in need of renovation. According to Robinson,?rather than spend a billion dollars for a road that will do little to solve the region's congestion problems that we use this money to buy up development rights and build a Transitway/Trail connecting Bethesda and Silver Spring, Montgomery County's two largest employment centers.? Further, we should use a portion of the money to give the Maryland suburbs first- class local and regional bus service to match our first class Metro rail system, where one fare card works for all transit in the region. Finally, sufficient funds should be devoted to implementing "Bike Ped 2000," legislation passed two years ago that requires local and county governments to make walking and bicycling equivalent to driving as a means of transportation.

Projected Intersection Impacts Middle 198 Alternative,
from ICC Study Team