Ingrid Mezo

(8/31) Dennis Superczynski, a Frederick County planner and Thurmont resident, presented town officials Tuesday with reasons why they should place the design for an ‘‘industrial parkway" in the town’s master plan.

He argued that since the town and county are updating their respective long-term growth plans, the time is right to place such a project on the books to ask for county money later.

An industrial parkway is essentially a bypass around town so truck traffic does not have to drive through downtown.

During the summer, county planning staff prepares a report for county commissioners, who then discuss and debate the results, and make a final decision sometime in the late fall, he said.

After the final decision is made, the county submits the report to Maryland Transportation Secretary Robert L. Flanagan, who has influence over whether the state will fund the project.

The state invests around $100 million a year in Frederick County, Superczynski said.

‘‘This Thurmont bypass would be a fairly expensive project," Superczynski said.

Mayor Martin Burns said that he knows Middletown has been working on getting a bypass for decades, but towns have to start somewhere.

‘‘Even if it’s not this particular project, let’s look at the problem of industrial [traffic]," Superczynski said.

Commissioner Bill Blakeslee, who is liaison to the town’s business and economic development committee, said he agreed that ‘‘it’s time to get started," and would pursue the project in his role as liaison to the committee.