(June 10, 2011) -  The Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) is beginning a series of mitigation and environmental enhancement projects that total more than $3.5 million as part of the Intercounty Connector (ICC) Project.

"These projects demonstrate why the Intercounty Connector is often referred to as one of the nation's greenest highways," said ICC Project Manager Melinda Peters.  “SHA is improving the environment which will have significant positive benefits and ultimately lead to improved water quality and a cleaner Chesapeake Bay.  Additionally, these projects create new work for local companies, which benefits Maryland's economy."

The following is a listing of the projects currently awarded:

Seneca Creek Wetland Creation

This project will create approximately 15 acres of wetlands on Seneca Creek at Brink Road and Huntmaster Road in Montgomery County.  SHA will also enhance 1.4 acres of existing wetlands, create a little less than one-half acres of a vernal pool habitat and stabilize (reduce water velocity and reducing stream bank erosion) approximately 4,000 linear feet of Goshen Branch, a tributary of Great Seneca Creek.  Vernal pools are temporary (seasonal) bodies of water that are habitat for breeding and early development of many amphibian and insect species.  SHA is working in partnership with the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission. 

SHA awarded the $2.6 million Seneca Creek project to Facchina Construction Company of LaPlata.  The project is underway and will be completed in approximately one year.

Rock Creek Fish Passage

At Meadowbrook Local Park in Chevy Chase, SHA is restoring approximately 1,200 linear feet of stream to enable fish passage along Rock Creek and will increase migratory fish species’ access to historic spawning grounds. The project will eliminate migration barriers caused by sharp drops in the stream bed due to erosion and three exposed pipe encasements.  SHA will place boulders as well as native plant vegetation to eliminate future erosion of the stream bed. 

SHA awarded the $656,000 project to Corman Construction.  The project is underway and will be complete in approximately one year, weather permitting.

Reforestation Projects

SHA will plant approximately 15 acres of new trees at Reddy Branch and South Germantown Recreational Park in Montgomery County.  The project was awarded to Poole Landscaping of Frederick for $164,154.  Another reforestation project will create 16 total acres of forest at six sites near the intersection MD 198 (Spencerville Road) at Good Hope Road in Clovery.  SHA awarded this contract to Greenskeeper Landscaping of Brookeville for $188,360.

These reforestation sites have been designed to quickly establish forest habitat for a variety of wildlife and provide other benefits such as soil erosion control, water quality improvement, aesthetics, and recreation.

SHA will remove invasive species prior to tree planting.  Work is taking place and will be completed by mid-summer.  SHA will monitor the trees for two years to ensure that the reforestation effort is thriving.  SHA will survey the survival rate of the planted trees and replace those that do not survive.

Water Quality Enhancement Project in Upper Paint Branch Watershed

A project to improve and enhance water quality entering the Upper Paint Branch Special Protection Area (SPA) Watershed is underway along Paint Branch east of New Hampshire Avenue and west of Old Columbia Pike. The project will upgrade existing roadside ditches with new generation stormwater management systems to enhance the removal of pollutants, improve groundwater recharge, and water quality from surface runoff, as well as reduce the velocity of storm water runoff at different sites within the Upper Paint Branch SPA watershed.  Work will involve replacing of existing roadside ditches (swales) with water filtration and stormwater storage systems under new grass-lined swales.

SHA awarded the $260,000 project to Rustler Construction, Inc.  Work will be completed by late summer, weather permitting.

Construction continues on the mainline of the ICC Project. For regular project updates, log onto www.iccproject.com.

A total of $370 million of the ICC budget is dedicated to mitigation and stewardship projects. This includes enhancing degraded environmental conditions in the study area that are not a result of ICC construction.   For more information about the project, persons may call the ICC Community Outreach staff at 1-866-462-0020 or visit the ICC project web site at www.iccproject.com.

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