ICC Opening Delayed 24 Hours

The long-anticipated opening of MD 200—popularly known as the Intercounty Connector, or ICC—is going to have to wait another day.

The possibility for bad weather tonight made officials push back the opening of the toll road from 6 a.m. tomorrow to 6 a.m. Wednesday, a spokeswoman from the Maryland Transit Authority said.

"For safety and logistical reasons, we need to push the opening of the ICC about 24 hours," said Acting MDTA Executive Secretary Harold M. Bartlett. "There is transition work that must take place overnight before we can open the ICC and that work cannot take place in wet or icy conditions. This is certainly an anticipated day and we appreciate motorists' understanding that we also need Mother Nature's cooperation in this."

A ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for today at 11 a.m., and set to be attended by Gov. Martin O'Malley, Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown and US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, will go on as planned.

The first 5.5-mile segment of the ICC, known as Contract A, will connect Gaithersburg via I-370 to Olney at Georgia Ave. (MD 97). A planned completion date of late 2010 was also pushed back because of bad weather.

The MDTA expects the road to decrease travel time by as much as 70 percent for drivers going from Shady Grove Road to Georgia Avenue compared to traveling on local roads.

Drivers will be able to use their E-ZPass to pay the tolls, which will be collected electronically so drivers won't have to slow down to pay. There won't be toll booths or cash collection.

If you don't have an E-ZPass and drive on the ICC anyway, starting April 6, a notice will be mailed to your home with a bill for the amount of the toll plus a $3 processing fee.

Toll rates for cars and light trucks on the first segment of the road, according to the release, will be as follows:

• $1.45 during Peak hours (Mon. – Fri., 6 – 9 a.m. and 4 – 7 p.m.)
• $1.15 during Off-peak times (Mon. – Fri., 5 – 6 a.m., 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. and 7 – 11 p.m.; and Sat. & Sun. 5 a.m. – 11 p.m.) and
• $0.60 Overnight (11 p.m. – 5 a.m. Daily)

The next segment of the road scheduled to open will connect MD-97 (Georgia Ave.) to I-95 in Laurel, and is scheduled to open late this year or early next year.

Here is a time-line of ICC openings and milestones:

• Wednesday, Feb. 23, 6:00 a.m.: ICC opens to traffic, weather permitting
• Wednesday, Feb. 23 – Sunday, March 6 at 12 midnight: Test-drive period; no tolls or service charges collected
• Monday, March 7, 12:01 a.m.: Toll collection begins
• Monday, March 7, 12:01 a.m. – Tuesday, April 5, 12 midnight: Waiver of $3 Notice of Toll Due service charge
• Tuesday, April 6, 12:01 a.m.: Full tolling operations, including collection of service charges

For more information, visit www.iccproject.com.