Three teams of companies submitted proposals Friday to develop a plan to add toll lanes to parts of Interstate 270 and Maryland’s portion of the Capital Beltway, state transportation officials said.
The Maryland Department of Transportation plans to announce the winning “predevelopment agreement” in February and seek approval for it from the state’s Board of Public Works this spring, the agency has said.
Under such an agreement, companies would work over the next year with MDOT, the Maryland Transportation Authority, local officials, residents and others to develop a plan to expand the Beltway between the George Washington Memorial Parkway in Northern Virginia and the I-270 spur, as well as I-270 between the Beltway and I-370. The project includes rebuilding and expanding the American Legion Bridge.
The existing lanes would be rebuilt and remain free.
The discussion would seek to “further avoid and minimize impacts” to the environment, communities, surrounding property and utilities, MDOT said.
Possible legal challenges pose risk to Maryland toll lane plan
Under the proposal by Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R), the highway expansions would come at “no net cost” to the state because the companies would finance the toll lanes’ construction, build them and operate them in exchange for keeping most of the revenue over 50 years. The arrangement, valued at $9 billion to $11 billion, would be one of the largest public-private partnerships ever in the nation.
The earliest a full construction and operations contract would be awarded would be summer 2022, after the federally required environmental review is complete, MDOT has said.
The teams that submitted proposals are:
Accelerate Maryland Express Partners
Lead project developer/equity: Itinera Infrastructure & Concessions Inc.
Lead contractors: Halmar International LLC and Itinera S.p.A.
Designers: Atkins North America, Inc. and Gannett Fleming Inc.
Accelerate Maryland Partners LLC
Lead project developer/equity: Transurban (USA) Operations Inc. and Macquarie Infrastructure Developments LLC
Lead contractor: Transurban and Macquarie
Designers: Dewberry Engineers Inc. and Stantec Consulting Services Inc.
Capital Express Mobility Partners
Lead project developer/equity: Cintra Global SE and John Laing Investments Limited
Lead contractor: Ferrovial Agroman US Corp.
Designers: AECOM Technical Services Inc. and HNTB Corporation
A fourth team, led by ACS Infrastructure Development Inc., had been deemed qualified to bid but did not submit a proposal.