As Virginia finds consensus on expanding highways, Marylanders are at each other’s throats

Virginia is forging ahead to complete an ambitious express lane network in the Washington suburbs that holds the promise of ensuring that highway capacity will keep pace with population growth. The project — dozens of miles of high-occupancy toll lanes developed and financed by a private consortium in partnership with the state — faces undeniable risks, not least the uncertainty of post-pandemic commuting patterns. But perhaps the biggest question mark hanging over the ultimate success of Virginia’s multibillion-dollar venture is its neighbor, Maryland.