Please see attached PDF file for complete comments.
January 23, 2025
Comments to Montgomery County Planning Board
Position: Support keeping M-83 in the County Master Plan of Highways & Transitway (MPOHT)
Submitted by: Paula Ross, President & CEO, Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce
The Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce (GGCC) represents over 450 businesses along the upper I-270 corridor. I offer the following comments regarding M-83, and the proposal to remove M-83 from the Master Plan of Highways & Transitways (MPOHT), on behalf of our membership.
The GGCC is opposed to removing M-83 from the Master Plan for several reasons, including:
- M-83 is a key element of the county’s planned transportation network; removal of this road would raise significant equity issues for the communities on the east side of I-270.
- M-83 provides direct connection, in Clarksburg, from Snowden Farm Parkway to Shady Grove Metro and ICC – the only viable option to improve mobility and access to jobs.
- M-83 reduces congestion on I-270 between Montgomery Village Avenue and Ridge Road.
- BRT is not an alternative to M-83, it is a complement and needs important adjustments to be successful in serving Upcounty residents and businesses.
- M-83 will be an important connection to the Lakeforest Mall redevelopment project, its new retail centers and community amenities.
- Removal of M-83 from the master plan at the request of a small, but vocal minority is short-sighted and ignores the needs of current and future Upcounty residents and businesses.