Amazon's Reality Check for MD

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Because there is an enormous amount of commerce and travel between MD and VA every day. It benefits both states to make it easier to move people and goods between them. The demand is there -- look at how busy the current bridge is.

That's an argument for better mobility. It's not an argument for a second bridge.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

There's only one bridge, with 4 lanes each way, between MoCo and VA. That hardly seems like a lot to connect two areas each with over 1 million population.

The ICC (MD-200) opened 7 years ago. I hear few complaints that it's overcrowded and we need to expand it.

In fact, the ICC would be part of an outer beltway and second bridge crossing. VA already has done most of their part -- it's VA-28 near Dulles. We just need less than 10 miles from that end of VA-28 to the start of 370/MD-200 to complete it. However, MoCo will staunchly oppose it because it would enter a tiny sliver of the Agricultural Reserve at one corner of it.

The outer beltway and second bridge crossing are transportation planning from the 1950s. It's 2018. How about some 2018 ideas?

A "tiny sliver of the Agricultural Reserve" -- lol.

As long as the nations capital and every national attraction is on the md side of the bridge then why should md build another bridge?

Md even owns the river.

1/2 of an Amazon field office is not prestigious.

Because there is an enormous amount of commerce and travel between MD and VA every day. It benefits both states to make it easier to move people and goods between them. The demand is there -- look at how busy the current bridge is.

+1 this has nothing to do with amazon, though that will exacerbate things. The traffic going south on 270 is *MISERABLE*, and I say this as someone who grew up in LA and lived in the Bay Area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Because there is an enormous amount of commerce and travel between MD and VA every day. It benefits both states to make it easier to move people and goods between them. The demand is there -- look at how busy the current bridge is.

That's an argument for better mobility. It's not an argument for a second bridge.

again with the "mobility". What does that mean? More public transport. Buses won't help. They'd be stuck on the bridge with everyone else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Because there is an enormous amount of commerce and travel between MD and VA every day. It benefits both states to make it easier to move people and goods between them. The demand is there -- look at how busy the current bridge is.

That's an argument for better mobility. It's not an argument for a second bridge.

Another bridge further west would be great. Gaithersburg to Reston, right through Trump golf course. 28 to 112 --> over the river to Reston. Bypass Tysons, which is where the bottleneck is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Because there is an enormous amount of commerce and travel between MD and VA every day. It benefits both states to make it easier to move people and goods between them. The demand is there -- look at how busy the current bridge is.

That's an argument for better mobility. It's not an argument for a second bridge.

again with the "mobility". What does that mean? More public transport. Buses won't help. They'd be stuck on the bridge with everyone else.

There's a very easy, low-cost solution to that. Convert one lane each way to a bus-only lane.

Mobility means the movement of people or goods.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

There's only one bridge, with 4 lanes each way, between MoCo and VA. That hardly seems like a lot to connect two areas each with over 1 million population.

The ICC (MD-200) opened 7 years ago. I hear few complaints that it's overcrowded and we need to expand it.

In fact, the ICC would be part of an outer beltway and second bridge crossing. VA already has done most of their part -- it's VA-28 near Dulles. We just need less than 10 miles from that end of VA-28 to the start of 370/MD-200 to complete it. However, MoCo will staunchly oppose it because it would enter a tiny sliver of the Agricultural Reserve at one corner of it.

The outer beltway and second bridge crossing are transportation planning from the 1950s. It's 2018. How about some 2018 ideas?

A "tiny sliver of the Agricultural Reserve" -- lol.

As long as the nations capital and every national attraction is on the md side of the bridge then why should md build another bridge?

Md even owns the river.

1/2 of an Amazon field office is not prestigious.

You post about the Capitol being on the Md side of the river a lot. That doesn’t change the fact that Crystal City is much closer to the national mall than anywhere in MD. It’s not really a compelling argument, you should find a new one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

There's only one bridge, with 4 lanes each way, between MoCo and VA. That hardly seems like a lot to connect two areas each with over 1 million population.

The ICC (MD-200) opened 7 years ago. I hear few complaints that it's overcrowded and we need to expand it.

In fact, the ICC would be part of an outer beltway and second bridge crossing. VA already has done most of their part -- it's VA-28 near Dulles. We just need less than 10 miles from that end of VA-28 to the start of 370/MD-200 to complete it. However, MoCo will staunchly oppose it because it would enter a tiny sliver of the Agricultural Reserve at one corner of it.

The outer beltway and second bridge crossing are transportation planning from the 1950s. It's 2018. How about some 2018 ideas?

A "tiny sliver of the Agricultural Reserve" -- lol.

As long as the nations capital and every national attraction is on the md side of the bridge then why should md build another bridge?

Md even owns the river.

1/2 of an Amazon field office is not prestigious.

Yep
To hear Nova folks talking, you would think that Amazon is the great savior, the second coming of Christ.
I guess anything to give them a boost, make them relevant is good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
You're being pedantic. The developers can't build new housing without the county's approval, so yes, the county is *allowing* lots of new housing, and the new development is not all near metro. Have you seen the new builds in Clarksburg and Gaithersburg. They are not near metro stops.

We need either a new bridge or a new train going over 270 down to Nova. There's no point in just adding bus services since those buses would end up sitting in traffic along with the rest of the drivers.

The new housing in Gaithersburg is in Gaithersburg, which is not the county. (You're not going to say that's pedantic, is it?) Are you referring to Crown Farm, which is hypothetically transit-oriented based on the unbuilt Corridor Cities Transitway? Or Parklands at Watkins Mill, which is next to the Metropolitan Grove MARC station?

The new housing in Clarksburg was approved in 1994. Also, if you work in northern Virginia and move to Clarksburg, or you moved to Clarksburg and then take a new job where you work in northern Virginia - well, that's a lousy life, but it's not a good reason to build you a new bridge to drive yourself on.

If you want to spend big money to improve mobility, then the MARC Brunswick Line, BRT in dedicated lanes on MD 355 all the way to Clarksburg, and the Corridor Cities Transitway are better investments.

Crown Farm is in GAITHERSBURG. So I guess that example is useless, since you claim Gaithersburg isn't in the county.

As for the commute from Clarksburg to NOVA, you're absolutely right. Had a friend that did it and was miserable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
You're being pedantic. The developers can't build new housing without the county's approval, so yes, the county is *allowing* lots of new housing, and the new development is not all near metro. Have you seen the new builds in Clarksburg and Gaithersburg. They are not near metro stops.

We need either a new bridge or a new train going over 270 down to Nova. There's no point in just adding bus services since those buses would end up sitting in traffic along with the rest of the drivers.

The new housing in Gaithersburg is in Gaithersburg, which is not the county. (You're not going to say that's pedantic, is it?) Are you referring to Crown Farm, which is hypothetically transit-oriented based on the unbuilt Corridor Cities Transitway? Or Parklands at Watkins Mill, which is next to the Metropolitan Grove MARC station?

The new housing in Clarksburg was approved in 1994. Also, if you work in northern Virginia and move to Clarksburg, or you moved to Clarksburg and then take a new job where you work in northern Virginia - well, that's a lousy life, but it's not a good reason to build you a new bridge to drive yourself on.

If you want to spend big money to improve mobility, then the MARC Brunswick Line, BRT in dedicated lanes on MD 355 all the way to Clarksburg, and the Corridor Cities Transitway are better investments.

Crown Farm is in GAITHERSBURG. So I guess that example is useless, since you claim Gaithersburg isn't in the county.

As for the commute from Clarksburg to NOVA, you're absolutely right. Had a friend that did it and was miserable.

I know a couple of Clarksburg people who work in NOVA but they work from home a couple of times a week and if they commute in, they leave by 6 am.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Crown Farm is in GAITHERSBURG. So I guess that example is useless, since you claim Gaithersburg isn't in the county.

As for the commute from Clarksburg to NOVA, you're absolutely right. Had a friend that did it and was miserable.

The City of Gaithersburg is an incorporated municipality and has its own planning and zoning authority.

https://www.gaithersburgmd.gov/government/departments/planning-and-code-administration

[Anonymous]

OP why do you feel compelled to slam Montco? I regularly travel to NOVA and DC, let’s not pretend the people who live there aren’t dealing with awful traffic seven days a week. Why on earth would I pay a premium to live in NOVA or DC? Overpriced broken metro? Overpriced hot lanes? The privilege of sitting in weekend traffic on 66 and 495 on the weekends? Lack of parking, inefficient public transportation? Yeah I’ll pay 40% more for housing, where do I sign up?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People keep saying this, but in some ways CC was just a better choice in that it had existing empty buildings with a Metro stop. White Flint had a big plot of land miles from the nearest public transit.

Which...great for Crystal City but there was very little MoCo could do about that.

Not miles. There is a metro stop at White Flint.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

There's only one bridge, with 4 lanes each way, between MoCo and VA. That hardly seems like a lot to connect two areas each with over 1 million population.

The ICC (MD-200) opened 7 years ago. I hear few complaints that it's overcrowded and we need to expand it.

In fact, the ICC would be part of an outer beltway and second bridge crossing. VA already has done most of their part -- it's VA-28 near Dulles. We just need less than 10 miles from that end of VA-28 to the start of 370/MD-200 to complete it. However, MoCo will staunchly oppose it because it would enter a tiny sliver of the Agricultural Reserve at one corner of it.

The outer beltway and second bridge crossing are transportation planning from the 1950s. It's 2018. How about some 2018 ideas?

A "tiny sliver of the Agricultural Reserve" -- lol.

As long as the nations capital and every national attraction is on the md side of the bridge then why should md build another bridge?

Md even owns the river.

1/2 of an Amazon field office is not prestigious.

Yep
To hear Nova folks talking, you would think that Amazon is the great savior, the second coming of Christ.
I guess anything to give them a boost, make them relevant is good.

and yet md was willing to give amazon 8bil to be in that position.

[Anonymous]

First of all the 8 B includes infrastructure stuff that would have happened eventually anyway

Second, that was the offer for the full HQ

Third, you are dumb

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

There's only one bridge, with 4 lanes each way, between MoCo and VA. That hardly seems like a lot to connect two areas each with over 1 million population.

The ICC (MD-200) opened 7 years ago. I hear few complaints that it's overcrowded and we need to expand it.

In fact, the ICC would be part of an outer beltway and second bridge crossing. VA already has done most of their part -- it's VA-28 near Dulles. We just need less than 10 miles from that end of VA-28 to the start of 370/MD-200 to complete it. However, MoCo will staunchly oppose it because it would enter a tiny sliver of the Agricultural Reserve at one corner of it.

The outer beltway and second bridge crossing are transportation planning from the 1950s. It's 2018. How about some 2018 ideas?

A "tiny sliver of the Agricultural Reserve" -- lol.

As long as the nations capital and every national attraction is on the md side of the bridge then why should md build another bridge?

Md even owns the river.

1/2 of an Amazon field office is not prestigious.

Yep
To hear Nova folks talking, you would think that Amazon is the great savior, the second coming of Christ.
I guess anything to give them a boost, make them relevant is good.

I'm not the poster you are responding to, but just wanted to add that I think you are missing the point. Who cares if 1/2 of HQ is or is not prestigious. It means 25,000 jobs, most of which will go to gainfully employed young people who can be taxed and don't use county services like schools or subsidized housing. How many restaurants that fail in less than a year have to open up on Rockville Pike to make 25,000 jobs? And those are minimum wage jobs.