Route One Meeting Tomorrow
November 14th, 2007 | by Rob Goodspeed | Published in General College Park, Route 1 | 5 Comments
We received this information from the office of County Council member Eric Olson about the meeting we have listed on our calendar regarding Route One growth.
This Thursday, November 15th, Council members Olson, Dernoga and Campos are sponsoring a forum at the College Park City Hall to discuss the underlying plans guiding growth on the Route 1 Corridor (beltway to the DC border) and at nearby metro stations. I wanted to encourage you to take advantage of this rare opportunity to find out more about the major plans guiding growth in our area and meet with area planners, SHA staff, school board members, and school system staff.
Some key details:
* From 6:30pm-7:30pm, you will have the opportunity to talk one-on-one with key planners, highway staff, and school officials. White boards with the underlying plans for the area will be on display.
* Starting at 7:30pm, Planning staff will give a formal 10-15min powerpoint presentation discussing the main plans along and near the corridor. There will then be a chance for questions from the audience. Planners, school officials, and highway staff will be available to answer questions.
* Free parking is available at the College Park City Hall, 4500 Knox Road.
* Desserts provided by Franklin’s.
If you have any additional questions, contact Dannielle Glaros at dmglaros at co.pg.md.us.
November 23rd, 2011 at 6:01 pm (#)
Dear Rethinking CP,
I have been out of the area a lot recently and could not attend the last meeting concerning Rt 1 redevelopment. As a graduate of UMD/CP, I have long been interested in this project.
One thing that has struck me for many years is that a huge eyesore along the stretch of Rt 1 from CP up to the Capital Beltway are the many overhead power and telephone wires. It seems to me that even if there is much new development along this sector, it will continue to look “1940-ish” because of these wires. Can you tell me if there are any plans to finally bury them? I cannot think of another single project that would improve the look of this road any more than this.
Thanks,
Mike Green
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November 24th, 2011 at 11:58 pm (#)
Given the +50 million cost to underground utilities the only even slightly feasible time to underground utilities is when SHA rebuilds the road. At that time all of the poles and wires would have to moved back about 10 feet. SHA can make a contribution to undergrounding that approximates the cost they would incur to relocate. No funds to support undergrounding have been identified other tnan requiring new developements to contribute to an undergrounding fund. Without finding another +20 million it appears that limited ubdergrounding can occur in the next 10-20 years.
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November 26th, 2011 at 7:24 pm (#)
Given that route 1 reconstruction would occur in phases, it doesn’t seem all that unattainable to fund undergrounding between campus drive and 193 on Route 1 in the next 10 years. I’m sure the city can find some way in the next 10 years to come up with the $10 million or so needed for undergrounding in the first phase of SHA’s reconstruction.
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November 27th, 2011 at 6:08 pm (#)
The only City discussion, so far, has been to think about a TIF (tax increment financing) district to finance infastructure improvements such as utility undergrounding. The push by some for a City Police Department (plus expanding City Hall (to allow the redevelopment of the old Friend’s School), plus replacing the very outdated Public Works facility plus a north College Park rec facility plus many other capital projects means that not all projects can be funded in the forseeable future.
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November 27th, 2011 at 10:31 pm (#)
A TIF sounds like a reasonable plan… especially in light of the fact that some of the projects already developed have put money aside (presumably this money disappears after a certain date). Hopefully the city can see this through since there won’t be another opportunity like this for several years.
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