This project provides the County contribution to a project to extend Watkins Mill Road 1700 feet from MD 355 to the northeast-side ramps of the State Highway Administration's planned I-270/Watkins Mill Road Extended interchange, and 2300 feet from the southwest-side ramps of the interchange to the northeast side of the CSX Metropolitan Branch right-of-way. The road in these segments will be a six-lane divided closed section arterial with three lanes in each direction. It will include a five-foot sidewalk on the north side and an eight-foot bike path on the south side, street trees and streetlights within a 150 fee wide right-of-way approximately. Appropriate auxiliary lanes and traffic signals will be provided.

This road, together with the State Highway Administration's interchange, will provide congestion relief to the I-270/MD 124 interchange, and the Frederick Road/Montgomery Village Avenue and Quince Orchard Road/Clopper Road intersections. It will also provide direct access to the Metropolitan Branch MARC Station and, ultimately, to the Metropolitan Grove station and interim terminus for the Corridor Cities Transitway, as well as to master-planned development in the vicinity of the road. The Gaithersburg and Vicinity Master Plan (1985) includes this road. The project study and preliminary planning was funded under the Facility Planning: Transportation project.

This project will be constructed by BP Realty Investments, LLC. As a condition of development approval BP Realty is required by the City of Gaithersburg to extend existing Watkins Mill Road on a bridge over the CSX Metropolitan Branch to the southwest ramps of the I-270 interchange as a four lane divided closed section arterial, and from MD 355 to the northeast ramps of the interchange as a two-lane road. The County's contribution will allow this road to be built in one stage to its full master-planned width from east of CSX to the interchange, and from MD 355 to the interchange.

A Memorandum of Agreement among BP Realty, the City of Gaithersburg, and the County outlines the shared fiscal responsibility for the design, construction, and maintenance of this project. The intergovernmental revenue represents the City of Gaithersburg's monetary share of construction. The City is also providing the permitting and inspection services for the project. The County will assume ownership and maintenance of the road, except that the City will be responsible for snow removal for a period of ten years or until such time as the road is turned over to SHA, whichever is less. BP Realty and the City will dedicate properties to the County for the road and for the Sixth District Police Station (CIP #470301) and to SHA for the I-270 interchange. Impact tax funds are assumed for this project. In FY14, $350,000 was transferred from this project to Dale Drive Sidewalk (CIP #500904). In FY15, $592,000 in GO Bonds was transferred to project #509974. In FY17, $655,000 in GO Bonds was transferred to project #509974.

A pedestrian impact analysis has been completed for this project.

Facility Planning: Transportation, Sixth District Police Station, Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, State Highway Administration, BP Realty Investments, LLC, City of Gaithersburg, Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, PEPCO