Negative Impacts of Building the ICC
The 1997 Draft Environmental Impact Statement released by the state and federal highway administrations found that the InterCounty Connector would cause severe community and environmental damage without providing significant relief to area traffic congestion. The DEIS demonstrates that the ICC would serve a very small percentage of area commuters, would not shorten the average commute and would worsen congestion along certain north-south commuter routes

• The ICC won't relieve traffic congestion...it will make traffic worse!
  The Maryland Department of Transportation's analysis shows that the ICC will provide no significant traffic relief. The Environmental Impact Study found, "None of the ICC alternatives will have a substantial impact on the levels of service [congestion] experienced by motorists on the Capital Beltway, I-270 or I-95 within the Study Area" (DEIS on the InterCounty Connector, Volume 3, VI-23). The Environmental Impact Study found that traffic on almost every local north-south road crossing the ICC would increase substantially and the proposed highway would only save the average commuter less than one minute on a 33-minute east-west trip.

• The ICC will intensify regional divides
  The ICC would hurt important parts of Maryland's economy by concentrating even more development in the I-270 corridor at the expense of Prince George's County and Baltimore, areas that are in need of economic opportunity and revitalization. Read more about the "Region Divided". 

• The ICC costs too much
  The ICC would cost more than $1.5 billion to build. Scare transportation funding would be monopolized by a single, new road project instead of funding transit and improving existing roads. Six million dollars has already been spent studying the ICC, and Maryland's Office of Park and Planning estimates the new Draft Environmental Impact Statement will cost another $3 million to complete. In these tight budget times, a $1.5 billion project that is environmentally unsound, has been rejected by 4 federal agencies and has not demonstrated any significant traffic relief would be economically irresponsible.

• The ICC would promote sprawl development at the expense of existing communities
  As part of the Outer Beltway, the ICC would bring sprawl development to rural areas of Prince George's, Montgomery, Howard and Frederick counties. This highway would also drain resources away from existing communities, destroy dozens of homes and devalue thousands of others in both Montgomery and Prince George's County.
  

• The ICC would harm the environment
  The ICC would destroy some of the region's last wetlands and clear-cut forests within three of the county's major watersheds. One hundred forty four acres of parkland would be destroyed. This highway would intrude on sensitive wildlife habitat where threatened and endangered plant species and hardwood trees grow. Toxic runoff would increase into the Chesapeake Bay and the Anacostia River--bodies of water already threatened with pollution.
  

• The ICC would jeopardize efforts to improve regional air quality
  The D.C. region is among the nation's worst for ground level smog and is in severe violation of the EPA's air quality standards. The Transportation Policy Report criteria for air quality improvement includes a reduction in vehicle miles traveled. Based on previous studies, the ICC would increase the number of auto trips and overall miles driven, thus creating an unhealthy environment for children, seniors, people with asthma and all residents in the region.

For more information, visit Save Our Communities Campaign or www.iccfacts.com