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Greater Olney Civic Association members were shocked last week to learn that two large signs, similar to those seen on major highways, are planned for Georgia Avenue as part of the Intercounty Connector project.

But an ICC spokeswoman said this week that the State Highway Administration is willing to reconsider the size of the signs and other smaller signs planned for the community.

Odessa Phillip, ICC community outreach director, showed photos to GOCA members of two large electronic "dynamic message signs" that will span northbound lanes of Georgia Avenue near Leisure World in Aspen Hill and the southbound lanes near Silo Inn Drive in Olney.

The ICC will pass under Georgia Avenue between Norbeck Road and Emory Lane.

In addition to those signs, 19 additional signs — some smaller, but others as large as 12 feet by 16 feet — will be installed in the Olney area.

Some of those signs will be placed along Georgia Avenue, while others will be placed on the ICC route. Some will replace existing signs, she said.

GOCA members were unhappy with the size of the signs, questioning why they did not see such signs on Georgia or New Hampshire avenues as those roads approach the Beltway.

"I know we have to have signs, but these signs would be a terrible introduction to our community, and so out of character," GOCA President Sharon Dooley said. "It's so astonishing that they are not even thinking about the character of the community. They have standard signs and they want to put those up, just because someone wrote that in a book somewhere. This just surprised everyone, and we know we have to do something."

GOCA members passed a motion opposing the two largest signs.

Phillips said last week that the large electronic signs are necessary to notify motorists of the ICC as they travel along Georgia Avenue, and the size of the signs is dictated by federal requirements.

"The final locations have not been determined, but they have to be placed a specific distance from the ICC," Phillip said.

ICC spokeswoman Fran Counihan said Monday that although the signs are necessary to communicate such information as tolls and road conditions, the State Highway Administration (SHA) has agreed to re-examine them.

"The State Highway Administration and the Maryland Transportation Authority are open to working with the community to again reexamine the signs' sizes and number in the Olney area," she said. "In fact, the signs displayed at the recent GOCA meeting were a result of citizen's comments made earlier regarding the issue. We are examining the issue this week."

Counihan added the decision to revisit the issue is the result of community members and elected officials expressing their concerns and offering ideas.  

"SHA has throughout the ICC planning and construction process sought public input and it has often impacted the outcome," she said. "In this instance, it is, along with the [Transportation] Authority, attempting to provide the best solution within the parameters of industry guidelines and standards."

In addition to the signs, GOCA members said they are frustrated by the recently announced toll structure for the roadway.

Tolls will be set based on four parameters: a per-mile rate range of 20 cents to 35 cents, peak and off-peak periods, rounding the trip's toll up to the nearest nickel, and the minimum toll distance calculated by the vehicle axle toll rate multiplied by three miles.

The Maryland Transportation Authority is accepting public comments on the four parameters through 5 p.m. Monday.

GOCA members passed a resolution opposing to the toll structure as announced because they strongly feel the proposed rates are too high.

Tolls on the ICC will vary by time of day (peak and off-peak periods) and day of the week to manage congestion.

Dooley said the theory is that 5,000 cars will used the road each hour during rush hour, but if 6,000 cars use the road, it will be considered overcrowded and they will raise the tolls to discourage the additional traffic.

"The tolls seem excessive and we believe they are not serving the needs of the community," she said. "They are building the road to facilitate transportation across the county, but raising tolls to decrease traffic — that seems contradictory."

The ICC is an 18-mile toll road that will eventually connect Interstate 370 in Gaithersburg to Interstate 95 in Laurel at a cost of $2.6 billion.

The first segment, expected to open in 2010, will stretch from I-370 to Georgia Avenue in Olney.

Northbound traffic is expected to shift onto the new bridge on Georgia Avenue this weekend. In case of inclement weather, the shift will be delayed until the weekend of Dec. 5. The shift had originally been scheduled to take place last weekend, but weather conditions postponed the move.

Southbound traffic will continue to use Georgia Avenue until a shift in early December, after which construction will begin on a new bridge in the southbound lanes.

The bridge, located between Norbeck Road and Emory Lane, was built to carry Georgia Avenue traffic over the Intercounty Connector, the 18-mile toll road that will eventually connect Interstate 370 to Interstate 95 in Laurel.

The first segment, expected to open in late 2010, will stretch from I-370 to Georgia Avenue in Olney.

For more, visit www.iccproject.com