(October 23, 2014) – A frequently overflowing Park and Ride lot along I-70 in Frederick County will soon have some much-needed extra capacity. The Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) began a project this month that will double the number of parking spaces in the popular commuter lot at the MD 75 (Green Valley Road) exit near Monrovia.

“Overflowing ride-sharing lots mean that commuters are interested in helping to get cars off the road, which helps with congestion and is better for the environment – it’s a win for everyone,” said Mark Crampton, SHA District Engineer for Carroll, Frederick and Howard counties. “Projects like these to expand our Park and Rides are an easy way to support and encourage carpooling.”

Construction began earlier this month and will be complete by this winter, weather permitting, with additional landscaping work to follow in the spring. The $800,000 project will add 50 additional parking spaces for a total of 100. SHA will also upgrade the light fixtures to energy-efficient LED lighting, add a bike storage rack, create stormwater management facilities, and pave and re-stripe the entire lot, including the existing spaces.

The existing Park and Ride spaces will remain open during construction. At the end of the project, SHA will need to close the lot for a weekend for paving and will provide advance notice of the closure dates using variable message signs and flyers. SHA’s contractor for the project is L.W. Wolfe Enterprises, Inc. of Myersville.

The project is SHA’s second Park and Ride expansion project in Frederick County this year. An expansion of the I-70/MD 17 (Myersville Road) Park and Ride on Ventrie Court near Myersville from 63 spaces to 154 spaces was completed in September. The $1 million Myersville-area project also added a bus stop pad and shelter to serve the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) commuter bus service that stops at the Park and Ride.

 

 

Before: All 50 spaces are full in this September 2014 photo of the I-70/MD 75 Park and Ride.

 

 

Before: Overflow vehicles from the I-70/MD 75 Park and Ride line the shoulder of Baldwin Road in this September 2014 photo.

 

# # #
​