Accelerate Maryland Partners cleared to launch project design and community engagement as part of collaborative predevelopment work

“We commend Maryland leaders for advancing this historic project – one that will deliver a smart, integrated transportation system that puts moving more people first,” said Pierce Coffee, president Transurban North America. “By delivering more travel options, like free and faster trips for buses and carpoolers, travelers across Montgomery and Frederick Counties will spend less time in traffic and more time doing what matters most to them, all while opening up Maryland’s economy for long-term growth.”

Phase 1 South of the New American Legion Bridge I-270 Traffic Relief Plan proposes to add two high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes from the George Washington Memorial Parkway in Virginia, across the American Legion Bridge, and along I-270 to I-70 in Maryland. When completed, the new Express Lanes are expected to reduce system wide delays by up to 34% during peak travel periods and reduce congestion-related delays on local roads by seven percent. Phase 1 South is also expected to create an estimated 7,500 new jobs and deliver $3 billion in economic impact for Maryland.

“AM Partners will employ innovative technologies and leverage decades of experience in transportation infrastructure to deliver the future of transportation in Maryland,” said Mark Bradshaw, head of Infrastructure Investment and Development at Macquarie Capital. “Our team’s strategy is centered on collaboration and inclusion – forming deep community partnerships with small businesses, and minority, women and veteran-owned businesses to ensure opportunity is accessed across the project corridor.”

Through an international competitive process, AM Partners was selected by Maryland for the team’s demonstrated experience delivering complex, billion-dollar transportation solutions along some of the Greater Washington Area’s most congested corridors. AM Partners’ proposal features extensive commitments to local communities, including expanded transit services worth $300 million, $50 million in community grants over a 50-year agreement, an estimated $5 million for Vision Zero improvements during construction and enhanced water quality protections. The proposal also includes a comprehensive approach to local workforce development including partnerships with small businesses and minority-, women- and veteran-owned businesses; union, non-union and local contractor involvement and engagement with local community organizations and educational institutions.

Approvals of AM Partner’s Phase P3 Agreement enables a predevelopment work phase to begin, alongside Maryland’s transportation agencies including MDOT, State Highway Administration and MDTA, to engage stakeholders and communities in the design of the project, ensuring impacts are minimized for residents, drivers and the environment. Predevelopment work will progress in coordination with the ongoing National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review process expected to be completed in the second half of 2022.

AM Partners is also progressing a competitive solicitation for a design and construction partner and released a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) in late July to the design and construction industry. The proposal includes a commitment to incorporate local workforce development encouraging partnerships with small, minority, women and veteran-owned businesses. Upcoming outreach events to engage interested small businesses, and minority, women and veteran-owned businesses or individuals on project opportunities will be announced shortly.

MDOT will seek approval by Maryland’s BPW for a Section P3 Agreement for Phase 1 South, the first segment of the project to be constructed between the American Legion Bridge and I-370, in late 2022, followed by construction. The Final Environmental Impact Statement and Record of Decision under NEPA from the Federal Highway Administration will be completed prior to final BPW approvals of the Section P3 Agreement.

About AM Partners

The AM Partners consortium is led by Transurban and Macquarie Capital, whose collective experience spans more than 90 successful P3 projects globally, including Virginia’s 495, 95 and 395 Express Lanes network – the largest urban P3 toll network in the U.S. with all segments delivered on time and on budget. The consortium seeks to extend the benefits of Virginia’s neighboring Express Lanes network that has saved more than seven million drivers a total of 17 million hours of time, while generating an estimated $7 billion in economic impact and 46,000 jobs in the Greater Washington Area through its development and construction since 2012. AM Partners was selected in February 2021 as Maryland’s preferred Developer for the American Legion Bridge I-270 to I-70 Relief Plan. AccelerateMarylandPartners.com

About Transurban

North America Transurban is one of the world’s largest toll-road operators and developers, working to get people where they want to go, as quickly and safely as possible. By embracing collaboration with government, our public-private partnerships are delivering transformative infrastructure solutions across five markets. In fiscal year 2021, our global customers saved 376,000 hours on average each workday across two million trips on our roads with faster, more reliable travel options. With a leading market share of transportation P3 investment in North America, we are pioneering travel solutions like dynamically tolled Express Lanes and are partnering with government to think about the policies, technology and infrastructure that will get you home today and ten years from now. Learn more about Transurban North America at: Transurban.com | Expresslanes.com | A25.com

About Macquarie Capital

Macquarie Capital is the corporate advisory, capital markets and principal investment arm of Macquarie Group. Macquarie Capital has been a pioneer and global market leader in the infrastructure sector for over three decades. Its extensive global expertise includes raising debt capital for and investing in a broad range of infrastructure projects covering traditional core sectors such as transport and accommodation as well as emerging sectors such as digital infrastructure. Macquarie Capital currently has over $25 billion of infrastructure projects currently under construction or development. Learn more about Macquarie at: Macquarie.com