Alternatives

Preliminary ARDS Recommendations
Final Approved ARDS

Preliminary ARDS Recommendations

Summary of Impacts for the Preliminary Alternatives

* NOTE: ARDS = Alternative Retained for Detailed Study - These are recommendations .

Final Approved ARDS (February 2011)

After the December 2007 public workshop, the MCDOT continued meeting with agencies, stakeholders and communities to learn their concerns and receive input.  Subsequently, alternatives were modified, additional studies were performed and recommendations for alternatives to be retained were revised.  The following ARDS modifications were proposed:

• Alternative 2 was included into the ARDS.
• Alternatives 4 and 10 were merged into a single alternative called "Alternative 4 Modified."
• Alternative 5 was included into the ARDS.  Because Alternative 5 has numerous driveways and intersections, service roads will be studied to reduce the number of access points, thereby improving safety for this alternative.
• Alternative 8 is a truncated version of Alternative 9 (Master Plan Alignment) that terminates on the south at Watkins Mill Road. Spot intersection improvements will be evaluated within an area bounded by MD 355, Watkins Mill Road, Stedwick Road, and Montgomery Village Avenue to improve the travel time for motorists who want to continue onto the existing Midcounty Highway.
• Alternatives 11 was dropped from the ARDS.
• Master Plan Alignment Northern Terminus Option C was dropped due to the greatest environmental impacts. Options A, B, and D will be studied in detail for Alternatives 8 and 9.

In 2010, MCDOT submitted the  June 2010 ARDS Recommendations and  November 29, 2010 Modified ARDS Recommendations to three federal and state environmental regulatory agencies - US Army Corps of Engineers, US Environmental Protection Agency and Maryland Department of the Environment - for their review and concurrence.  The ARDS recommendations reflect the additional studies, agency input, stakeholder recommendations and public comments received subsequent to the December 12, 2007 public workshop.  MCDOT is pleased to inform you that in January and February 2011, the three environmental regulatory agencies granted concurrence on the ARDS proposed by MCDOT in the  November 29, 2010 Modified ARDS Recommendations.

The approved ARDS includes six (6) alignment alternatives and three (3) M-83 master plan northern terminus options that will be carried forward for detailed study as follows:

• Alternative 1, No Build;
• Alternative 2, Transportation Systems Management/Travel Demand Management;
• Alternative 4 Modified, Brink-Wightman-Goshen-Snouffer School-Muncaster Mill;
• Alternative 5, MD 355 with Service Roads;
• Alternative 8, Master Plan Alignment truncated at Watkins Mill Road;
• Alternative 9, Master Plan Alignment; and
• M-83 Master Plan Alignment Northern Terminus Options A, B, and D.

Please click here to view a map of the  Final ARDS (pdf, 12.3mb)

June 2010 ARDS Recommendations (pdf, 29.5mb)
November 29, 2010 Modified ARDS Recommendations (pdf, 3.3mb)
Corps Concurrence (pdf, 68kb)
EPA Concurrence (pdf, 112kb)
MDE Concurrence (pdf, 57kb)