Intercounty Connector Policy Advisory Services
Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties, Maryland

Background

The Intercounty Connector (ICC) project lies within the Washington metropolitan area, which has experienced considerable growth in households and employment in recent years.  The new east-west highway would link I-270 with I-95, a distance of approximately 18 miles.  For over four decades, local plans have anticipated the construction of the ICC project, but two environmental impact statements (EIS), one in the 1980’s and one in the 1990’s, did not reach final records of decision.  Maryland’s current governor has made building the ICC his administration’s transportation priority. 

The study area is rich in natural and social resources: an extensive north-south oriented stream valley park system, developed communities, agricultural areas, open space, historic sites, recreational resources, wooded regions, and wetlands.  This mix of sensitive resources coupled with the project’s history of controversy among state and federal agencies, makes the ICC one of the most complex projects in the nation.  The ICC project team initiated a new EIS process in June 2003, based on a two year schedule to reach a Record of Decision in 2005.

PB Consult Services

The Maryland DOT retained PB Consult’s Megan Stanley as Policy Advisor shortly after US DOT named the ICC as a federal priority project in accordance with Executive Order 13274, Environmental Stewardship and Transportation Infrastructure Project Reviews, in early 2003. 

As policy advisor, Ms. Stanley worked very closely with Maryland’s Secretary of Transportation, State Highway Administrator, top FHWA officials, and the ICC project team to develop a strategy for initiating the project and setting the course for a streamlined environmental review process.  She played a significant role in drafting the project’s new purpose and need statement and provided guidance on associated legal and policy issues. 

Ms. Stanley guided the project team in planning for and conducting an interagency workshop held in June 2003, as the first step in implementing the project’s streamlined environmental review process.  The workshop included remarks from Maryland’s Governor and top state and federal transportation officials and engaged over 100 representatives of federal, state and local agencies in discussions of how to address various process and substantive issues.  PB Consult’s contribution to the Workshop also included preparing the agenda, advising discussion group facilitators on process and content, and preparing the Workshop summary document.

PB Consult’s policy and process streamlining services throughout the ICC project environmental review phase will be applied to all aspects of the project, including:

• Interagency consultations and correspondence
• Streamlined dispute resolution process
• Project monitoring and policy guidance by the Executive Order Federal Interagency Task Force
• Project progress and schedule
• Agency decision-making