Intercounty Connector To Open Feb. 22

I go out to Olney a lot, so this was especially good news to me: The first stretch of the Intercounty Connector, running from I-370 to Georgia Avenue, is set to open on February 22!

Here’s the full press release:

Governor Martin O’Malley . . . announced [Monday] that the State will open the first seven-mile segment of Maryland’s Intercounty Connector (ICC)/MD 200 on Tuesday, February 22, 2011, at 6 a.m., weather permitting. The initial section of the State’s first all-electronic toll road connects I-370 at Shady Grove and MD 97 (Georgia Avenue) in Rockville/Olney. In addition, motorists may ‘test drive’ the ICC at no charge between its opening on Feb. 22 through March 6. The test-drive period will give customers an opportunity to become familiar with the highway’s all-electronic tolling and variable pricing, while allowing the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA), which will own and operate the ICC as its eighth toll facility, to test the tolling equipment under actual traffic conditions.

Drivers can gain immediate benefits and time savings by using the first ICC segment. In fact, it is projected that trip times can be reduced by up to 70% when using the ICC between Shady Grove and Georgia Avenue compared to traveling congested local roads. The ICC is a variably priced toll facility in order to manage congestion and deliver reliable travel times. Higher tolls are charged during peak-travel times and reduced tolls are charged when traffic volumes are lower.

ICC tolls will be collected electronically at highway speeds using E-ZPass® technology. There will be no toll booths or cash toll collection on the ICC. Traveling the ICC without a valid E-ZPass account will result in a Notice of Toll Due being sent to the registered owner of the vehicle for the cost of the toll. Effective April 6, the notice will include a $3 service charge per trip, as is the policy at Maryland’s other toll facilities.

To sign up for E-ZPass, visit www.ezpassmd.com to enroll online or get a list of E-ZPass “On the Go” retail locations. E-ZPass Stop-in Centers are located at local Motor Vehicle Administration offices in Gaithersburg and Beltsville and at most Maryland toll facilities.

Beginning Monday, March 7, drivers of passenger vehicles and light trucks will pay the following to travel the ICC’s first 5.5-mile tolled segment:

• $1.45 during Peak hours (Mon. – Fri., 6 – 9 a.m. and 4 – 7 p.m.)
• $1.15 during Off-peak times (Mon. – Fri., 5 – 6 a.m., 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. and 7 – 11 p.m.; and Sat. & Sun. 5 a.m. – 11 p.m.) and
• $0.60 Overnight (11 p.m. – 5 a.m. Daily)

These toll rates are at the low end of the tolling ranges approved by the MDTA Board in December 2009.

The next segment of the ICC, under construction by the State Highway Administration (SHA) between Georgia Avenue and I-95 in Laurel, is scheduled to be completed in late 2011/early 2012.

Dateline for the ICC Opening

• Tuesday, Feb. 22, 6:00 a.m.: ICC opens to traffic, weather permitting
• Tuesday, Feb. 22 – Sunday, March 6 at 12 midnight: Test-drive period; no tolls or service charges collected
• Monday, March 7, 12:01 a.m.: Toll collection begins
• Monday, March 7, 12:01 a.m. – Tuesday, April 5, 12 midnight: Waiver of $3 Notice of Toll Due service charge
• Tuesday, April 6, 12:01 a.m.: Full tolling operations, including collection of service charges

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