By Amy K. Rowland

Staff Writer

They still oppose the Inter County Connector and they will not go gentle into that good night.

Tuesday night the cafeteria at Shady Grove Middle School was filled with adults and some children to hear what the latest plans for the ICC will do to their Derwood area neighborhoods.

When Rona Hauptman of Derwood asked what the purpose of the ICC was and how it was going to benefit the neighborhood, Transportation Planning Alan H. Straus said, "To improve community mobility and safety, to provide a connection to the economic centers of 270 to 95..." before groans and shouts from the crowd stopped him. After the crowd quieted, Straus said, "We obviously know where certain communities and individuals stand on the overall issue of the Intercounty Connector and it's none of our jobs to overall, much less tonight, try to convince you to try to change your mind about the ICC-"

"I won't," said Hauptman.

Hers was just one of the many voices who tried to shout down the government representatives in a meeting that took place in the heart of the opposition to the ICC.

The Shady Grove Civic Alliance as well as PTAs and other civic groups have long fought the planned expansion of the proposed toll road and have accused the local, state and even federal officials who've pushed the plan as being "tools used by developers."

The State Highway Administration has been conducting a series of meetings in neighborhoods affected by the ICC. "Our obligation is to tell these people what is going on," said URS Corporation's Group Manager of Environmental and Transportation Planning Alan H. Straus, one of the presenters Tuesday night. "We want to have a lively debate on the ICC."

The Greater Shady Grove Civic Alliance established this meeting with the State Highway Administration to discuss specific community issues with the ICC in the area between the Shady Grove Metro Access Road and Redland Road. The presentation included a detailed discussion of the ICC in the Shady Grove area, noise issues, right-of-way acquisition and other community issues, and the presentation was open to questions and answers throughout.

"There is certainly a lot of change that is being contemplated for our neighborhood," Kay Guinane, Co-President of the GSGCA said at the start of the meeting, "so I encourage you to make your voice heard on all these issues."

The ICC is being planned as a six-lane toll highway that will run east-west across Montgomery County into Prince George's County. It is anticipated that tolling will begin at the Shady Grove Metro Access Road and continue east to U.S. Route 1.

The current construction plan follows the Corridor One Alternative and includes the controversial Rock Creek Option C instead of Option A. Option C limits the area of Rock Creek the ICC will run through and will allegedly minimize the environmental impact, but it will also require the state to condemn more houses.

"We want people to understand their rights as property owners in Maryland," said Straus. The process of acquiring homes and compensation was discussed throughout the meeting. However, this route is still in the planning stages. "It's important that you understand that this decision is not final."

Other issues discussed during the meeting were noise concerns, animal passages and the finalization of the Final Environmental Impact Statement.

Concrete barriers surrounding residential areas are being proposed to minimize noise pollution. Plans for these barriers show that they would be effective in limiting noise. However, some of the barriers might be required to be 20 feet high which would not only block views of traffic, but, as some residents pointed out, would also block views of open spaces and trees.

Some small mammal passages are being considered in this area along with deer passages. These passages would also allegedly limit the environmental impact of the ICC.

Asked when the FEIS is expected to be released, Straus said that he anticipates that it will be out by the end of the year, but since it is still being finalized he cannot be more specific than that. He added that more than 8,000 public comments were received on the DEIS and all of those comments will be answered in the FEIS.

Both Straus and Guinane encouraged a lively debate during the meeting and many people did participate in the discussion.

More information on the ICC can be found on the project Web site at http://www.iccstudy.org or can be obtained from the ICC Project Team at 1-866-462-0020. Right-of-way/relocation assistance information can be gathered at 301-513-7450.

To request a neighborhood meeting in another area, community presidents should contact the State Highway Administration.

There will be a Town Hall Meeting on the proposed Shady Grove Master Plan on Nov. 9 from 8-9:30 p.m. at Mill Creek Towne Elementary School. County Councilmembers Phil Andrews, who attended Tuesday's meeting, Nancy Floreen, Mike Knapp and George Leventhal will all attend the meeting. More information can be received through the Greater Shady Grove Civic Alliance.

Photos by Barb Bent

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