Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Crews are also doing some landscaping and other maintenance along the interstate.
Wonder what the State Highway Administration is up to on Interstate 95 in Elkridge? Crews are not building a new ramp at Montgomery Road, as several readers have hypothesized. They are, however, extending the Timberview-area sound barrier about 2,000 feet along I-95, one mile north of MD 100 to Montgomery Road. Construction will take place from 7 a.m. – 3 p.m. on weekdays and some weekends, according to SHA. The southbound shoulder of I-95 will be closed during construction and a concrete barrier will close workers off from traffic. The work is not expected to affect traffic, according to SHA. If the weather permits, the extension should be complete by September. It will result in a noise reduction of at least seven decibels for 18 …
Monday, April 8, 2013
The state will be removing trees, shrubs and vines along major corridors in the area.
Spring is here and it’s beginning to show as flowers start to bloom on shrubs and trees. Some of those colorful plants are on their way out, however, as the State Highway Administration (SHA) embarks on a spring cleaning project to rid roadsides, medians and wetland sites of invasive species. Many of the invasive plants do have colorful flowers, according to SHA, but they create problems as they can block views of the road, strangle native plants and interfere with drainage and wetlands ecology. “Unfortunately, many of the unwanted trees and plants look pretty and when we remove them, the areas will be stark,” SHA Administrator Melinda B. Peters said in a statement. “The before and after photos of previous projects show the benefit, we …
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Three lanes will be closed in Howard County for emergency road repairs.
Three lanes of Interstate 95 will be closed overnight Saturday for emergency road repairs, according to the State Highway Administration (SHA). The lane closures will affect the northbound side of the interstate between MD Route 216 (Scaggsville Road) and MD 32 in Howard County late Saturday, Jan. 19 and early Sunday, Jan. 20. SHA crews will be repairing a joint in the Middle Patuxent River Bridge, according a statement. PDI Sheetz, of Linthicum Heights, will be doing the repairs. Although one lane will remain open, the SHA suggests US Route 1 (Washington Boulevard); US Route 29 (Columbia Pike); or MD Route 295 (Baltimore-Washington Parkway) as alternate northbound routes. To stay safe on the roads, SHA reminds drivers to stay alert …
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
A windy wintry weather pattern leads state officials and BGE to urge caution, preparedness.
The State Highway Administration (SHA) and Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. (BGE) are warning residents that high winds, cold temperatures and icy roads may cause troubles Thursday. The National Weather Service is forecasting freezing rain overnight into Thursday morning as well as fog and temperatures in the mid- to high-30s. Winds are expected to pick up speed into Thursday, when gusts could approach 50 mph. "When you step out and see ice on your doorstep, you can assume that roads will be icy as well," SHA Administrator Melinda Peters said in a statement. Those icy conditions could make rush hour roads dangerous, according to the SHA, so crews will be hitting the streets early. “Stay off the roads early tomorrow morning, so that SHA …
The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a winter weather advisory for Howard County until 1 p.m. Wednesday as a mix of freezing rain, sleet and snow moves through Maryland. According to NWS, the wintry mix will continue through early Wednesday afternoon. With temperatures hovering in the upper 20s and lower 30s Wednesday morning and winds gusting up to 35 mph, the roads remain slick and travel conditions “treacherous.” The wintry mix should turn into all rain by this afternoon, according to NWS, as temperatures rise above freezing. NWS expects precipitation to move off the coast early Thursday morning, leaving behind a dry, cold, windy day, which will “help to dry the region but do little to warm it up.” Wind speeds of 30 – 40 mph …
Thursday, October 4, 2012
A man cutting the grass on I-95 between the beltway and I-195 has non-life-threatening injuries after being struck by vehicle.
A contractor mowing the grass on the median of I-95 between the Baltimore beltway and I-195 was struck by a vehicle at around 11:40 a.m. The victim, a man who works for Holmes Lawn Care in Hanover, sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to the R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center at University of Maryland Medical Center, according to State Highway Administration spokesman Dave Buck. A woman at Holmes Lawn Care confirmed that one of their employees was struck by a vehicle, but declined to identify the worker and was unable to provide an update on his injuries.
Friday, September 14, 2012
Free gambling Wednesday caused highways around Arundel Mills to turn into parking lots, according to drivers.
Drivers on Routes 100 and 295 were slowed to a crawl by Arundel Mills Wednesday around lunchtime, if they were lucky. Maryland Live! casino, located in Hanover, rang in the announcement of more than 1,000 additional slot machines by offering $100 in free gambling money to subscribers on its email list. More than 20,000 visitors came to the casino on Wednesday, according to Carmen Gonzales, Maryland Live! spokeswoman, who did not specify how many visitors the casino averaged daily. On opening night, the casino attracted more than 10,000 visitors. Route 100 near 295 was "an absolute nightmare," posted one user to Twitter on Sept. 12. The Baltimore-Washington Parkway "was a parking lot around noon," commented Patch user Brian C. that same day…
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Citizen comments were the impetus, according to State Highway Administration.
In a response to citizen comments, plans to tweak a sign on I-95 south are underway, according to an official from the State Highway Administration (SHA). "We are making a slight alteration," said David Buck, spokesman for SHA, referencing the exit sign for Route 100 east. The sign bears the words "Elkridge" and "Maryland Live Casino" with the exit number 43A. Elkridge Patch users said that in its current form, the sign on I-95 south was "misleading" and "confusing," sending traffic to Elkridge when the casino is in Hanover. In an unscientific Patch poll about the sign, 76 percent of people said they disliked the sign. Stating that "citizen comments" were behind the change, Buck told Patch the SHA plans to make minor modifications. "The …
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
"It makes sense," said David Buck, spokesman for State Highway Administration.
A new southbound I-95 sign placed prior to Route 100 that juxtaposes "Elkridge" and "Maryland Live Casino" has been attracting attention among Elkridge Patch readers. Some bemoaned the listing of a private business on a State Highway Administration sign. "The state should not be advertising private businesses on highway signs," one user wrote. "If the casino gets the state to make them a sign, then I say Cindy's Soft Serve should get equal treatment." Another user added, "Cindy's is Elkridge...the casino is not." Some said the sign should identify the casino as being in Hanover, where it is located, in Anne Arundel County. David Buck, the State Highway Administration's spokesman, told Patch that the current signage "makes sense," and here…
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Drivers heading into or out of Arundel Mills from the Baltimore-Washington Parkway will experience a new "diverging diamond" configuration.
The State Highway Administration (SHA) is starting work this week on a new traffic pattern designed to accommodate drivers into and out of Arundel Mills. The SHA plans to install a “diverging diamond” pattern at the interchange of the Baltimore-Washington Parkway and Arundel Mills Boulevard, replacing the current traffic circles. Work on the new pattern will result in temporary detours for drivers coming southbound on the parkway into Arundel Mills. The new pattern—which will be the first of its kind in Maryland—could be at least partially completed in time for when the Maryland Live! casino opens at Arundel Mills on June 6. The project is being funded with $5 million from The Cordish Cos., the casino developer. But officials said the …
djp952
1:55 am on Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Thanks Elaine, and I too wish you the best. It will be a while until we can make our way out of Maryland, but at least the wheels are finally in motion (I'm from NY, and believe me if people are happier there, that says quite a bit in and of itself!). I agree that the 55+ communities were nothing more than revenue streams for the county, based on their desire to not need new schools (ship = … more ›