The Government of Maryland in the US is planning to improve its traffic infrastructure with the addition of four new lanes to the I-270, the Capital Beltway (I-495), and the Baltimore-Washington Parkway (MD 295).

The works will be part of the $9bn Traffic Relief Plan, which has been designed to reduce traffic congestion on some of Maryland’s most travelled roads and highways.

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan said: “These three massive, unprecedented projects to widen I-495, I-270, and MD 295 will be absolutely transformative, and they will help Maryland citizens go about their daily lives in a more efficient and safer manner.

“Today, we are turning Maryland’s celebrated innovation into real action. These projects will substantially and dramatically improve our state highway system and traffic in the region.”

As part of its new initiative, the government has officially started the process to seek inputs and solutions from the public-private partnership (P3) industry in order to provide major traffic congestion relief to these key transportation routes.

"These projects will substantially and dramatically improve our state highway system and traffic in the region."

The P3 will allow private developers to design, build, finance, operate and maintain new lanes.

Upon completion of the project, the Traffic Relief Plan will deliver new express toll lanes.

The process to build these express toll lanes on MD 295 is set to begin with the transfer of MD 295 from the US Department of the Interior to the Maryland Transportation Authority.

The Maryland Government anticipates that the Traffic Relief Plan will provide a new platform for increased economic development.