Along Highways
Along the I-270 artery between Frederick and Bethesda there are discussions underway to widen the highway that currently ranges from 4 to 12 lanes.
The Foundation has studied an alternative: a Monorail running alongside I-270, connecting these same municipalities. Preliminary civil engineering studies have shown a monorail could be achieved along I-270 without any further land acquisition and without limiting future road expansion.
Built within the existing right of way, the project could commence swiftly and with far fewer traffic disruptions than road expansion. And by dramatically limiting the amount of new impervious surface, the environmental impact would be negligible in comparison.
For more information about the benefits of designing a monorail system within existing right of ways, please watch the short film below.
Watch VideoAlong Watersheds
Historically, the transportation corridors of our past were waterways and their corresponding valleys. The history of human travel adjacent to our rivers and streams was logical. The water and the shorelines afforded contiguous clear paths at a gentle slope for canoes, horse drawn carts and eventually railroads and highways.Over time, local governments have acquired these waterways.
Monorail has the lowest carbon foot print, as well as the smallest storm water profile of any transportation mode. Utilizing Monorail along our locally owned watersheds provides a transportation right of way at no cost. At the same time, Monorail budgets could include the cost to restore our streams as required by the MS4 program, part of the Clean Water Act.
Our video below illustrates how this could work in an example local to Montgomery County, MD.
Watch Video
