Montgomery County Council:  Remove Proposed M83/Midcounty Highway Extended and Increase Support for Transit!

We are citizens of Montgomery County Maryland, from all corners of the County, who rely upon our forests, streams, and parks for recreation, clean air and clean water, and who want to protect these precious resources for all to enjoy, now and for future residents.  Proposed M83 highway would fragment and degrade six public parks, and destroy over 100 acres of interior forest along its five-mile length; its pavement would intensify heat emergencies and pollute our clean streams. 

$1.3 Billion Proposed Mid-county Highway Extended (M-83)

Removing proposed M83 highway from our master plans is urgent, because as long as it’s kept in our master plans, it can be funded and built at any time. It would destroy forested parks in Germantown, Gaithersburg, and Montgomery Village used by thousands of residents. We need our forests now more than ever for climate resilience and public health protection.

The time is now – 2024 – for the Montgomery County Council to remove proposed M83 from the Master Plan of Highways and Transitways. This action will clear the path forward for sound transportation alternatives, including: Bus Rapid Transit (BRT); expanded MARC train service; and full dedicated funding for WMATA (Washington Metro Area Transit Authority).

Proposed M83 highway does not exist, but its presence in our Master Plans blocks progress - because it keeps keeps elected officials from fully funding Bus and Rail transit systems.

If built, proposed M83 highway would intensify summer heat emergencies, and worsen air and water pollution in the Upcounty.

We urge the Montgomery County Council to fully cancel proposed M83 highway by removing it from the Master Plan of Highways and Transitways.

tamecoalition.org