May CJCA Meeting Notes – Legislative Update from Delegate Marc Korman
The May 24 CJCA meeting (the last before summer break) featured a visit from our Maryland Legislative District 16 Delegate Marc Korman. Marc is the Maryland House of Delegates Majority Leader, he sits on the Appropriations Committee, the Capital Budget Subcommittee, and is Chair of the Transportation and Environment Subcommittee. Marc provided CJCA meeting attendees with copies of his recent letter to District 16 residents, which is also posted on the CJCA website: https://cabinjohn.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Marc-Korman-Letter.pdf
Marc shared that the General Assembly made progress on several bills to improve transportation funding, including passing a bill that allows Maryland to issue transportation bonds based on future federal highway aid, which is up right now thanks to the bipartisan infrastructure bill. Although former Governor Hogan’s plans to widen I-495 and I-270 are not legislative undertakings, meeting attendees were keen to tap Marc’s line of sight into current developments and hear his thoughts on what Governor Moore’s administration may be doing.
Marc stated that the Moore administration, which includes Secretary of Transportation Paul Wiedefeld, who most recently ran WMATA, is expected to make an announcement in June to provide information on their approach to the I-495 and I-270 corridors, and how the process will work for the public to participate. He expects the administration to pursue a different type of contracting process than the public-private for-profit model of the previous administration. He also expects a multi-modal plan that includes buses and other transit options.
Meeting attendees including CJCA VP Charlotte Troup Leighton, and Friends of Cabin John Creek board member (and former CJCA president) Burr Gray shared with Delegate Korman concerns regarding any new interchange at River Road. As can be seen on the Virginia side of the American Legion bridge, a very large footprint is necessary to accommodate the complicated interchanges that feed traffic from connecting roads onto both regular and express toll lanes of highways. Marc shared that one idea that has been floated is not to have new access points onto the toll lanes at River Road. There could be a mid-road access point to allow drivers to enter the toll lanes from the regular lanes once they were on the highway.
There was discussion on:
-
- The state of the American Legion Bridge—old though still very safe, probably will be replaced by new bridge with the toll lanes project but that is not the only way to extend the useful life of the bridge
-
- The Purple Line—construction has restarted but still probably four to four and a half years before completion
-
- The Capital Crescent Trail—will be accessible along the Purple Line route, but there probably will not be a tunnel under Wisconsin Ave. So, disappointingly, users may have to cross Wisconsin Ave. at street level, though a bridge over Connecticut Ave. has been built.
New Community Outreach Directors
Courtney Krutoy and Kathleen Leverenz were introduced as the new Community Outreach Directors, responsible for recruiting and managing block captains, welcoming newcomers, gathering neighborly news, and promoting awareness of CJCA resources and events. Courtney described the team’s plans and shared a little about what drew her family to Cabin John more than a decade ago. Everyone is encouraged to contact Courtney and Kathleen at CJCAcommunityoutreach@gmail.com to tell them of new neighbors so Courtney and Kathleen can arrange to deliver a welcome bag.
CJCA Officer Elections
Attendees at the May meeting voted unanimously to elect the following officers to another one-year term:
Co-Presidents – Scott and Heidi Lewis
Co-Vice Presidents – Charlotte Troup Leighton and Marcy Harrison
Secretary – Kelly Banuls
Treasurer–- Robert Walsh
CJCA Volunteer Recognition
The following volunteers were recognized for their amazing, enthusiastic, tireless, year-round service to all Cabin Johners:
-
- Karen Melchar, Justin Webster – Blood Drives
-
- Loretta Devery Ingalls, Joan Roskosh, Marcy Harrison – The Village News
-
- Robin Sidel – CabinJohn.org website
-
- Allison and Patrick DeGravelles, Carl McCabe – Crab Feast
-
- Susan Roberts – MacArthur Beautification
-
- Judith Bell – Neighbor 2 Neighbor
-
- Judith Welles, Rachel Donnan – History
-
- Burr Gray, Susan Shipp – Past Presidents and volunteers for everything
By Heidi Lewis
CJCA Co-President