How frequently do you use the ICC? Do you agree with Councilman Andrews?

Councilman Andrews has never been a fan of the ICC.
From The Gazette in 2003:
http://ww2.gazette.net/gazette_archive/2003/200345/montgomerycty/state/185803-1.html
"It is totally unbelievable that they would argue that by building the ICC they can improve the environment," said County Councilman Philip M. Andrews (D-Dist. 3) of Gaithersburg, one of three council members who oppose the ICC. "Their own studies said it's not going to change congestion levels that we see on 270 and 495. How can we justify spending $2 billion on a road that does so little and costs so much?"

I thinks the Councilman's idea has merit. It would be worth a 4-6 months trial period. If it does increase traffic on the ICC that only means less traffic on lower 270 and the beltway. We really need to find ways ways to get more drivers on the ICC. It obviously can be a useful tool in helping to manage traffic, but with the fairly meager usage it has had little effect. Bureaurcrats must look for creative ideas to solve problems.

People would use the ICC more if it took them where they needed to go, not because of a lower price. So it makes no sense to try and induce demand. You could drop the tolls to $0 and the increased usage would be minimal.

I recommend closing the ICC, letting it go back to seed, and turning this in to an unforgettable reminder of the kind of poor planning that we should avoid in the future. If we must keep it open, only permit buses, bicycles, and pedestrians.

If my mother still lived in Leisure World, I would use it regularly at present rates.

Oh, I forgot and I will only go 55mph ;)

What a novel (sarcasm) idea... reduce rates to increase revenues! Just like taxes, it has worked every time it has been tried. Phil, have you been reading about Ronald Reagan? Tell your fellow Dems, especially on the state and federal level.

Newsflash: the ICC was stupid, but we need the?MCC????? Huh? Both these roads were stupid ideas but until the MontCo Dep. of Trans. uses cost benefit analyisi (they don't believe in it) the bad projectsvgo on wasting taxpayer funds.

I use the ICC every time I go to Rockville/Germantown area from Baltimore/Havre de Grace. REALLY cuts down time of travel BUT MoCo needs to INCREASE SPEED limit! It's just crazy having such a large, straight road posted at 55mph. (I set cruise control because there are so many hidden police just waiting to pass out tickets.)

I work in Elkridge, and need to head to upper Rockville/Gaithersburg at least a couple times a month and use the ICC. My boss uses it daily since he lives near it, and works out here obviously. Another guy used to make that same commute, and refused to use it because it was too damn expensive. It's handy when I need to make that commute, and would have been much better 12 years ago when I commuted from G'burg to Beltsville.

That said. . . I agree with raising the speed limits. 55 is ridiculous for what amounts to an express freeway. The price is pretty ridiculous too. . . It probably wouldn't get a ton more usage if the rates went down, as it's just not the most traveled commute to begin with, but any extra usage would help at this point.

On a side note, I wish the $$$$$$ was dumped into WMATA instead to make metro not suck (i.e. purple line) or into any other number of transit initiatives. I like the ICC when I need it, but I could live without it.

We only used it when it first opened and it was free. Otherwise only occasionally would it be a good route for us. We don't use it then because of the rediculous "account maintenance" fee for the EZ pass. Go back to the way it use to be and get rid of that fee! It is a huge penality for the occasionally user. I also agree with others about raising the speed limit.

I drive it everyday Mon-Fri at $8/day. It has taken 15 minutes off my commute to Baltimore from Rockville. I wish it were cheaper, but I will drive it no matter what.

Yes, I have used it on occasions. I agree that the speed limit is way to low and that it is nothing but a speed trap. The cost is too high for most users. If the state wants to increase it's use, they must make it more cost effective for drivers. The maximum rate should be no more than $2.00 each way. Let's get with it Maryland!

looks like the solution is to raise the speed limit & lower the toll. More people would use it & they would save more time off their commute.

I attended several meetings before the road was built. The ICC team was very coy about the cost of tolls - or if it would even be a toll road. When I asked why the road was terminating so close to the beltway rather than in, say, Ellicott City, I was told that it had to be in Montgomery County, where development was needed. This road wasn't about congestion, it was about money - of course.

The tolls should be lowered. The speed limit should be raised. I love the road simply because it's empty. But it should be available to everyone - not just people who can afford the most expensive toll road in the country.

I use the ICC, and find it expensive, but worth the cost. I favor lowering the toll, raising the speed limit, and doing away with the maintenance fee for the EZ Pass.

I drive over the ICC often, and it is always practically empty. It costs TOO MUCH-I cannot afford $8.00 a day to save 15 minutes. And why is there a toll at all on the weekends?? Montgomery County is TOO expensive for many of us-sad that I've lived here all my life and will have to move to be able to survive.

The ICC was and is a necessary road expansion. To all the haters, you must not need a shortcut and avoid beltway traffic. We needed 270 a long time ago too. Should we listen to all the haters then too? Every road ever built is necessary to keep up with population growth. The toll is keeping some percentage of drivers from taking advantage of the shortest route. A toll free year would be a good baseline. And absolutely the speed limit should be 65 and police should not be allowed to travel at 80 while we have to be at 55.

This road should have never been built. When it was first proposed, there was no tolls associated with the roads. Then, mysteriously, near completion, it is a toll road. The state squandered away the transportation funds which neccessitated the toll. The road should be toll free forever.

I was very much against building this road and petitioned and demonstrated against it. However, now that it's there, I have used it occasionally to get to Gaithersburg or Germantown, and it does definitely save time. As for the tolls, because they are keyed to how far you go on it, it isn't a flat $8. As for Chuck's comment, I was always aware since the most recent campaign at least to build the ICC that it would be a fabulously expensive road with a high toll, although I recall $6. (not 8) was the full amount.

It would be nice if the ICC could be extended to Route 50.