BALTIMORE, MD—The Maryland Transportation Authority Board this week approved toll rate ranges for the I-95 Express Toll Lanes Northbound Extension and I-695 ramps. The decision follows an extensive public comment process that began in January and concluded with Thursday’s vote by the Board during its livestreamed meeting to approve the toll rate ranges.
At the meeting, agency staff presented their final tolling recommendation prior to the Board vote. The approved toll rate ranges can be viewed online here. The toll structure for the existing I-95 Express Toll Lanes is not changing as part of this process, and the approved toll rate ranges for the I-95 Express Toll Lanes Northbound Extension and I-695 ramps are identical to the existing tolling plan.
Prior to the vote on the final toll rate ranges, the Board opened the floor for in-person public comments. There were no additional comments from members of the public. Today’s meeting was the third comment period for the public. After the Maryland Transportation Authority Board approved a public hearing plan in December, the agency opened the first public comment period in January and held one virtual and two-in-person toll hearings in February and March. A second public comment period was held from April 27 to May 11.
The I-95 Express Toll Lanes Northbound Extension project will add nearly 12 miles of express toll lanes to northbound I-95 from the existing Express Toll Lanes at the MD 43 interchange in Baltimore County to north of MD 24 in Harford County, as well as two ramps that connect I-695 to the northbound ETL.
This safety and congestion relief project includes work to replace or reconstruct bridges and overpasses, provide multi-modal connections such as transit service at new park and ride lots, reconfigure interchanges at MD 152 and MD 24, construct new noise walls, provide environmental enhancements and system preservation, and various additional work. The project also will address congestion on MD 24 northbound, resolving a request that’s been a key priority for Harford County for several years.
