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An ICC would look like NJ Turnpike exit 18W pictured here
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Write your state Senator & County Executive
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With your help, we can stop the ICC and protect our communities. Write a letter to your state Senator and County Executive asking them to oppose the Intercounty Connector (ICC) in favor of investing in transit, improving existing roads, and using balanced land use to bring homes and jobs closer together in livable, walkable communities that take cars off the road.
Your state elected officials' contact info can be found at: http://mdelect.net. Your County Elected officials can be found by calling your county elections office. For a list of contact info, click here.
Why a letter?
An original letter sent to an elected representative's
office is one of the most powerful ways to influence a
decision-maker's position on an issue.
Sample letter - This letter is A GUIDE ONLY.
Use facts from the Web site to write a letter in your
own words. Taking ten minutes to write an original letter
sends a strong message to elected officials that this
issue is important to you.
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Dear Elected Official,
I am a concerned citizen who feels Maryland is on the verge of making a huge mistake. The decision to move forward with the Intercounty Connector (ICC) does not benefit the average Maryland resident. According to the report by the Md. State Highway Administration an ICC would:
- Fail to address severe congestion on the roads that the majority of commuters use and will continue to use: the Beltway, I-95, and I-270.
- Cost at least $3 billion, and possibly more, wasting money that could be better spent on more urgently needed transportation projects, such as improving existing roads and public transportation;
- Increase traffic congestion on many local roads by more than 10% (Connecticut Ave., Georgia Ave., New Hampshire Ave.)
- Increase health hazards for our children and ourselves such as air and noise pollution;
- Destroy our quiet, safe, family-friendly neighborhoods by the increased traffic, noise, development and accompanying ills such as increased crime.
I am tired of hearing we will work on the other projects too. The ICC financing plan uses 15-18% of all federal highway dollars coming to Maryland for 12 years, drains $265 million from the state’s General Fund (taking money way from schools and health care), plus $180 million from the state’s Transportation Trust Fund. In addition, our toll collector the Md. Transportation Authority is quadrupling it’s debt for the ICC from $300 million currently to over $1.2 billion – for a single project. Tell me how this doesn’t threaten other projects. For that kind of money, the next 18 to 20 top transportation projects in Montgomery and Prince George’s County alone could be completed.
Few would even use the ICC. According to the State Highway Administration’s ICC study, in 2030 just 6 of the region’s most heavily traveled roads (the Beltway, I-95, I-270, Georgia Ave., Connecticut Ave., and New Hampshire Ave.) will carry over one million daily drivers. No part of any of these roads would see any traffic congestion relief, and some would see an increase in traffic. Compare that to the 80,000 daily travelers paying a $5 daily round trip toll.
The ICC primarily benefits developers by encouraging development that would not happen without an ICC. It would encourage sprawling overdevelopment putting more and more strain on our schools, sewers and other public services.
I am asking you to stand up for the majority, and help put a stop to the ICC. Maryland deserves transportation choices that benefit everyone, not a select few.
Thank you,
Name
Address
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One of the most powerful ways to shift public
opinion and persuade our leaders to take a position is to make
your voice heard in local papers through Letters To The Editor.
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Prince George's
Papers:
The Washington Post
Prince George's Extra
14402 Old Mill Road, Suite 201
Upper Marlboro, MD 20772
Phone: 301-952-1391
Fax: 301-952-1397
Pgextra@washpost.com
Prince George's Gazette
8201 Corporate Drive, Suite 1200
Landover, MD 20785
Fax: 301-731-2141
Editor@gazette.net
Laurel Leader
615 Main Street
Laurel, MD 20707
Phone: 301-725-2000
Fax 301-317-8736
laurelleadernews@patuxent.com
Prince George's Sentinel
PO Box 1229
Seabrook, MD 20703
Phone: 301-306-9500
Fax: 301-306-9596
Editor-pg@thesentinel.com
Prince George's Post
15207 Marlboro Pike
Marlboro, MD 20772
Phone: 301-627-0900
Fax: 301-627-8147
editor@pgpost.com
Baltimore Sun
501 N. Calvert Street
P.O. Box 1377
Baltimore, MD 21278
Phone: 410-332-6051
letters@baltsun.com
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Montgomery County
Papers:
The Washington Post
Montgomery County Extra
51 Monroe St., Suite 500
Rockville, MD 20850
Letters@washpost.com
Montgomery Gazette
1200 Quince Orchard Blvd.,
Gaithersburg, MD 20878.
Phone: 301-948-3120.
Fax: 301-670-7183.
gmacdonald@gazette.net
The Montgomery Journal
6408 Edsall Road
Alexandria, VA 22312
Phone: 703-560-4000
Fax: 703-846-8366
The Montgomery Sentinel
30 Courthouse Square
Rockville, MD 20850
Phone: 301-838-0788
Fax: 301-838-3458
Editor-mc@thesentinel.com
Greenbelt News Review
15 Crescent Rd., Suite 100
Greenbelt, MD 20770
Phone: 301-474-4131
Fax: 301-474-5880
Newsreview@greenbelt.com
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Sample letter -
To have your letter printed be sure to give your name, address and telephone number, use your own words, and if possible connect your thoughts to a recent article from the paper you are submitting to.
Not from Montgomery or Prince George’s County? -
Click here for letter info at papers other places in Maryland, plus more sample letters appropriate for other counties.
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Dear Editor:
I think it is important to alert readers to a looming threat to transportation funding in our region and across Maryland. The Intercounty Connector (ICC)—a six-lane toll-highway in Montgomery County estimated at $3 billion—is a risk to future transportation funding needed in our area.
I say this because we are not talking about just any toll-highway. The ICC is the 3rd most expensive transportation project in the nation. The funding plan for the road commits 15% of all federal highway dollars to the ICC for 15 years. In addition, it drains $265 million from the state’s General Fund, taking funds from schools, healthcare, etc. Worst of all, it uses tolls collected statewide to run up a $1.2 billion ICC debt, limiting what Maryland’s tolls can be used for many years to come.
According to the State Highway Administration’s study, the ICC would do nothing to relieve congestion on the Capital Beltway, I-270 and I-95. These highways carry the vast majority of traffic in this region, and yet a $3 billion investment does nothing for them. Think of the good those dollars could do across Maryland.
With rising gasoline, energy and construction costs on the rise the ICC’s price tag could go up even more. It’s time to question why the entire state is being asked to sacrifice for a toll-highway with such dubious benefit.
YOUR NAME
YOUR ADDRESS
YOUR PHONE NUMBER
YOUR E-MAIL
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Contact Family and Friends Throughout Maryland
The ICC’s $3 billion price tag would affect the bank accounts of all Maryland residents. The per household cost of the ICC would be over $1,400 – in addition to the projects across the state that could go unfunded. The Metro, Baltimore Rail, and other transit across the state could face serious budget shortages if we saddle Maryland with billions in debt. And we’ll all be breathing dirtier air, and facing worse pollution problems in the Chesapeake Bay if the ICC’s environmental impacts become a reality.
Spread the word, statewide, to family, friends and colleges – the ICC costs too much, and is the wrong priority for Maryland. If we can generate letters statewide, there’s a good chance to beat the ICC, and make wise investments for our transportation future.
Send them this link: “What You Can Do,” (http://www.savecommunities.org/youcando.html)
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