Press Release

November 22, 2011
CARDIN, MIKULSKI APPLAUD NEW FUNDING TO BRING JOBS, HIGH-TECH INDUSTRY TO WESTERN MD

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-MD) today applauded an additional $800,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) to Washington County for construction of an access road to the Mt. Aetna Farm Technology Park.  In June, Washington County received $600,000 in ARC funding to help fund construction of the access road. 

Construction of the road will open approximately 173-acres of the Technology Park for development and attract emerging technology businesses to Washington County.  County officials expect the project to create approximately 2,000 new jobs over the next 15 years. 

“This ARC grant is the next step in bringing Maryland’s thriving biotechnology, cyber security and other high-tech industries to Washington County,” said Senator Cardin.  “Advances in technology will continue to grow our nation’s economy and create jobs of the future.  Development of the Mt. Aetna Farm Technology Park will bring new, 21st Century jobs to Washington County residents.”

“This grant is about jobs in Western Maryland,” said Senator Mikulski. “These federal funds will help Washington County build the infrastructure it needs to attract new high-tech businesses, jobs and economic development to the region.”

The ARC funding announced today is the second phase in the ongoing project to construct the access road to the park.  The ARC grant will be used to widen .61 miles of a two-lane roadway to a four-lane road, extending Yale Drive from its current terminus point to Scholar Drive on the campus of Hagerstown Community College.  Constructing Yale Drive as a four-lane road will provide for better traffic flow between the Meritus Medical Center and Hagerstown Community College during commercial development of the 173-acre Mt. Aetna Technology Park.  The road will bring new economic development and commercial development opportunities to the area.

The technology park is strategically located between Hagerstown Community College (HCC) and the new Meritus Regional Medical Center. The road will also connect to Scholar Drive on the campus of HCC, giving the community college a much-needed additional access point.  This

The Maryland State Highway Administration will administer the project and the Federal Highway Administration will serve as the basic federal agency for the project.  In addition to ARC funds, Washington County will provide $5,674,350 to the project with an estimated total project cost of $6,274,350.

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