The primary political obstacle to the expansion of the Beltway is the lack of political support at the local level. Citizens in the two counties that would be affected, Montgomery and Prince George's, are opposed to any expansion of the Capital Beltway as they believe it will lead to increased noise, pollution, traffic congestion on the main beltway lanes and arterial roads, disrupt nearby businesses, and pose dangers to schools and hospitals in the vicinity. Some also argue that the tolling system would unfairly favor wealthy drivers over middle and lower income drivers, the so-called "Lexus Lanes" effect. County officials argue that even with the introduction of toll lanes, the majority of people would still be stuck in the regular lanes.
In January 2006, more than 20 civic and neighborhood groups from Montgomery and Prince George's counties announced a new coalition to fight Governor Ehrlich's proposal to widen the Capital Beltway by adding express toll lanes. The group Citizens Against Beltway Expansion has argued that the project would threaten nearby neighborhoods, fail to provide relief from congestion, and unfairly favor wealthy motorists.
Based on our interviews, it appears that the state of Maryland does not want to challenge the local governments on this issue and transportation agencies will only fund projects that counties recommend. There is no evidence that Maryland will proceed with expansion of the Capital Beltway without local support.