Should the County Council amend several Master Plans, including the Master Plan of Highways and the Potomac Master Plan, to allow the construction of HOV, or carpool lanes, on the Beltway?
That topic will be discussed at a public hearing on Sept. 11 at 7:30 p.m. at the County Council Building in Rockville.
The proposal calls for allowing the addition of two new lanes on the beltway for carpools and buses along the highway’s median. The lane would be added to the lanes which currently exist.
The amendment to the Potomac Master Plan would consist of adding the word “Plus 2 HOV” to the section describing different roads in the subregion.
The plan does not specify how the lanes would be added, through construction of more lanes, narrowing the current lanes to make room for another lane or some other method.
When the proposal worked its way through the Park and Planning Commission this winter, major issues included installing soundwalls along the newly expanded section, and preservation of an historic church on Seven Locks Road which is just a few feet from the beltway’s right-of-way.
Language was added to the proposal which calls for studying the noise issue and making efforts to minimize impact on the church. In both cases, the language encourages mitigating the impact, but does not require it.