Citizens and civic groups criticized Governor Ehrlich for holding yet another purely ceremonial event to distract from growing public concerns about the Intercounty Connector’s $7-a-day toll and rising construction costs. Even without sharp increases in asphalt, steel, concrete and other road building materials over the past two years, the ICC’s massive cost of more than $3 billion threatens dozens of urgently needed transportation projects in Montgomery County and across the state. Ehrlich held his event next to a stretch of Georgia Avenue, a major commuter route that would be even more congested if the ICC were built.
“This event is a classic political trick to distract the public from the growing number of reasons to reject the $3 billion ICC. Most people don’t support a $7-a-day toll-highway, especially when the State’s own figures show it doesn’t help commuters or relieve congestion on the Beltway, I-270 or I-95,” said Mike Harold, Campaign Director at the Audubon Naturalist Society. “This is just another attempt to portray the ICC as a done deal, but wise leaders have ample time to change course as the ICC’s poor performance and staggering cost raise serious public concerns.”
“This stunt is proof that the Ehrlich administration is worried about the fact that growing awareness of the ICC’s poor performance, and the cost to citizens in taxes, tolls, and cut projects will be a stumbling block leading to the proposal’s demise,” said Chris Carney, a Sierra Club organizer. “Ehrlich wants to pretend the ICC is a done deal, but that is far from decided—today’s event is political theater.”
“This is Governor Ehrlich’s third ICC public relations stunt in four months, all paid for by Maryland taxpayers. It’s seems Mr. Ehrlich wants to avoid talking about the costs of this boondoggle and campaign contributions from Kingdon Gould, a developer who stands to profit directly from the proposed ICC while commuters are stuck in traffic,” said Greg Smith of the Campaign to Stop the ICC. “Does Mr. Ehrlich even realize that he’s holding his PR event near a major commuter route that the ICC would jam with even more traffic?”
A recent Washington Post story revealed that Kingdon Gould through his many corporate accounts has contributed tens of thousands of dollars to Governor Ehrlich’s campaign while advocating for the proposed ICC and an interchange to property he owns in the I-95 corridor. In April, the Washington Post reported cost increases for structural steel were up 40 percent since early 2004, the price of asphalt was up 15 percent, and fuel for construction vehicles is up 26 percent from a year ago.
“The public cannot be expected to believe the $3 billion ICC is miraculously immune when the rest of the economy is seeing massive capital cost increases. Ehrlich wants to pretend the ICC is a done deal, but that is far from decided,” said Laura Olsen, Assistant Director of the Coalition for Smarter Growth. “It’s irresponsible for Governor Ehrlich to try to close the book on the ICC when so many major issues are either unresolved or have been hidden from public review.”
“While Mr. Ehrlich is wasting tax dollars for his ICC photos ops and pretending the State has been working with communities, his own Administration is rushing to seize people’s property and to force families from their homes. That’s just plain wrong,” said Harold.
