FREDERICK, Md. (AP) — Maryland’s transportation department is throwing cold water on the prospect of a new Potomac River Bridge between Montgomery County and northern Virginia.

The Frederick News-Post reported Saturday that an agency spokesman says such a project could infringe on agricultural preservation efforts in Montgomery County.

Spokesman Jack Cahalan says the state’s commitment to environmental protection and smart growth are other impediments to the project.

Cahalan says officials of the two states discussed the topic last month at a meeting initiated by Virginia’s transportation
department.

Proponents say a new bridge could divert traffic from the Capital Beltway and allow drivers to bypass Washington.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)