SHA TO REMOVE ICC ACCESS AT NORBECK ROAD

On or about Friday morning, November 11, 2011 at 5 a.m., the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) will restrict access from the Intercounty Connector (ICC) to Norbeck Road/MD 28.  Both the temporary ramp from eastbound MD 200/ICC and the traffic signal will be removed to allow for construction of permanent sidewalk and a new bike path along Norbeck Road and over the newly constructed Norbeck Road bridge.

In preparation for the temporary ramp closure, crews will establish a flagging operation on Norbeck Road between Bailey's Lane and Wintergate Drive on Thursday, November 10 from 7 p.m. until Friday, November 11 at 5 a.m.  All work is weather permitting. Motorists should prepare and plan for extended travel time in this area after the traffic shift takes place.

When completed Friday morning, traffic will be shifted to the permanent lane configuration.  Eastbound and westbound Norbeck Road will revert back to a single-lane operation between Baileys Lane and Wintergate Drive. All traffic on the ICC will exit at Georgia Avenue/MD 97. Westbound Norbeck Road traffic will continue to be directed to use the Georgia Avenue/ICC interchange for access to westbound ICC/MD 200.

During the phase beginning Nov. 11, the eastbound ICC will terminate at the Georgia Avenue/MD 97 interchange until SHA opens the 11-mile segment of the ICC between MD 97 and I-95 by 6 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2011.  With this opening, the ICC will connect Montgomery and Prince George's counties from I-270/I-370 at Shady Grove to I-95 south of Laurel.

For more information about the project, please call the ICC Community Outreach Staff at 1-866-462-0020, or visit the ICC project web site at iccproject.com.

Plan NOW for New Montgomery County Carryout Bag Law Effective January 1, 2012

Under the new carryout bag law, all retail establishments in the County that sell goods and provide their customers with a bag (either paper or plastic) to carry out purchases will be required to charge 5-cents per bag beginning January 1, 2012.

Both residents and retailers can help prepare and inform themselves about the law by visiting www.montgomerycountymd.gov/bag. There are fact sheets and FAQs for retailers and residents, a schedule for upcoming free webinars for retailers that will be held through late January, and a copy of the law.