Clear the roadblocks

Clear the roadblocks

Washington Post: Walter Reed Army Medical Center’s move to Bethesda, Md., in 2011 is a boon for wounded soldiers but a burden for already congested roadways. Officials predict that ensnarled roads could smother a facility Pentagon officials describe as the “crown jewel” of military medicine. Ambulances carrying critically injured soldiers will struggle to maneuver through the traffic, experts warn. The Defense Department has so far shirked its responsibility to alleviate the congestion caused by the move. It comes as a relief, then, that the Pentagon has agreed to pay $1 million to work on two turn lanes along Rockville Pike. This commitment is still insufficient but signals that the Pentagon may finally be willing to address the problem.

The National Naval Medical Center will absorb Walter Reed, a move projected to double the number of annual patient visits to 1 million and add 2,500 employees. This will significantly increase traffic, though not enough to qualify for congestion-relief funding because of the unrealistic standards of the Defense Access Road Program. The program provides transportation funding only if a move has a “significant impact” on traffic, generally defined as doubling the number of commuters. It is a standard intended for the rural areas where most bases relocate, not urban Bethesda.

Montgomery County officials sought $71 million for transportation projects; the Pentagon was asked to provide less than half of it. The Pentagon’s share would expand the Medical Center Metro station to include a new entrance with high-speed elevators and a tunnel beneath Rockville Pike. The Navy recommended that the Defense Department approve funding for the project; a decision should come late next month. The remainder of the $71 million will come from a state transportation fund and go to easing traffic at nearby intersections.

The Pentagon is spending close to $1 billion to move Walter Reed and improve the naval center. It shouldn’t let $25 million impede success.