Intercounty Connector More Popular Than Expected

GAITHERSBURG, Md. (AP) -- The Intercounty Connector between Montgomery and Prince George's counties is proving more popular than anticipated.

The Washington Examiner reports the new highway attracted approximately 21,000 vehicles per day during the first two weeks tolls were in place along its newest section.

The new section opened Nov. 22 and runs from Georgia Avenue to just east of Interstate-95. The first seven miles of the $2.55 billion roadway opened in February.

Officials didn't enforce tolls along the entire roadway from the second section's opening until early December. They believed the highway would see about 20,000 cards a day after tolls kicked in on the roadway and wouldn't see 30,000 cars until June.

The remaining one mile of the six-lane highway connecting Gaithersburg and Laurel is expected to be finished in 2014.

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