Northwood News ♦ April 2004

InterCounty Connector Forum to be Held 12 May 2004

By Charles G. Pritchard

It was formally resolved by the NFCCA at its February 2004 meeting that it carry out a special forum that would present “both sides” of the proposed InterCounty Connector (ICC) before considering whether or not the Association would take a position on this controversial project.  Other than recognizing the controversy from articles in the media and positions taken by county and state politicians and a number of private organizations, many of us are somewhat in the dark about the project which has produced a welter of strident claims and counter claims by adherents for and against it.

In pursuance of forum participants, I was directed to Sam Rader of the State Highway Administration (SHA), which is responsible for planning and constructing the ICC.  After several years of considering various alternative routes, the SHA has settled on two potential east-west alignments that would connect I-270 near Gaithersburg with the town of Laurel in Prince Georges County.  Rader will provide an update on SHA plans for the project and Richard Parsons, representing the Montgomery County Board of Trade, will offer arguments in favor of the ICC.  Arguments against funding and construction of the ICC will be made by two members of the Sierra Club, Montgomery Group.

Because of the limited time before our summer break, the forum will be held on Wednesday, 12 May 2004, at 7:30 p.m. at the Rec Center.  The association can then vote following on the presentations whether to support the ICC, not to support it, or simply to remain neutral without taking a position.  Alternatively, the Association can defer voting until 9 June 2004 to allow time for members to absorb the data presented.  A special make-up board of our directors will be held after 12 May before the summer hiatus.  In so far as I know, no forum has been presented to the public, although the issue has been widely debated by the two opposing sides.   ■