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Why Is MD Governor Hogan NOT Expanding I-95?

Started by bluecountry, March 22, 2018, 03:26:33 PM

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bluecountry

I've wondered why in MD, they are expanding I-495, I-270, and the BW Parkway, but leaving the most important road (I-95) untouched.
95 between 495 and 695 NEEDS to be expanded.
It suffers from the 'funneling' effect that the NJTP does in Central NJ and I-95 by Fredericksburg; whereby a major thoroughway cutting through a somewhat less dense area actually gets more congested because all of the regional roadways dump into it, leaving just one main road.

This is why on I-95 it is so crowded from Laurel through Columbia as you have the ICC, MD-32, MD-100, I-895, and I-195 emptying on.
Yet when you get closer to Baltimore, the urban core, you actualyl lose traffic.

So why is this road NOT being widened especially when there is amply ROW?


froggie

A) The part of 95 concurrent with 495 is included in the Governor's proposal.

B) The Beltway, 270, and the BW Pkwy have far worse problems than 95.

C) The roads you cited are not emptying all their traffic onto 95...they're also going onto the BW Pkwy and 29.

To answer your last question, it's because 95 really does not have a significant issue unless there's a crash.  In my experience, this holds true even during evening rush hour.  And much of 95's problems during the morning rush hour are the result of spillover from the Beltway's Outer Loop.


bluecountry

Quote from: froggie on March 22, 2018, 03:47:51 PM
A) The part of 95 concurrent with 495 is included in the Governor's proposal.

B) The Beltway, 270, and the BW Pkwy have far worse problems than 95.

C) The roads you cited are not emptying all their traffic onto 95...they're also going onto the BW Pkwy and 29.

To answer your last question, it's because 95 really does not have a significant issue unless there's a crash.  In my experience, this holds true even during evening rush hour.  And much of 95's problems during the morning rush hour are the result of spillover from the Beltway's Outer Loop.
Disagree.
95 is HORRIBLE until MD-100 during rush hour.

seicer

I-95 was flowing fine during rush hour last Thursday and Friday when I was in D.C. and staying near BWI.

I do agree with Adam's comment in that the BWI should receive more attention versus adding yet another lane to I-95. Continuing three lanes for the entire distance should be considered.

But the question arises: how many lanes is enough? There are two freeways (I-95, B-W), one expressway and freeway (US 29), and another parallel arterial (US 1). A better ROI would be along Marc's Camden and Penn lines to increase the frequency of service and the construction of fully enclosed and modern stations - and add transit-oriented developments around them. (Some of these stations are just strange - like Jessup, which has a ridership of... 1.)

Jmiles32

#4
Quote from: froggie on March 22, 2018, 03:47:51 PM
To answer your last question, it's because 95 really does not have a significant issue unless there's a crash.  In my experience, this holds true even during evening rush hour.  And much of 95's problems during the morning rush hour are the result of spillover from the Beltway's Outer Loop.

^Agreed. While I'd be all for Maryland expanding I-95 between the beltways(likely via HOT lanes), I just don't think that overall it would be worth the massive cost(or profitable). IMO Maryland should continue to get rid of lights on US-29, widen both US-29 and the BW Pkwy to at least six free lanes, and rebuild the BW Pkwy/Beltway interchange.
Aspiring Transportation Planner at Virginia Tech. Go Hokies!

froggie

Quote95 is HORRIBLE until MD-100 during rush hour.

What's your specific definition of "horrible"?

cpzilliacus

Quote from: froggie on March 22, 2018, 03:47:51 PM
To answer your last question, it's because 95 really does not have a significant issue unless there's a crash.  In my experience, this holds true even during evening rush hour.  And much of 95's problems during the morning rush hour are the result of spillover from the Beltway's Outer Loop.

I-95 from MD-198 in the south to MD-100 in the north has gotten significantly worse in the past several years.  Some of this may be due to increased traffic to BWI from Prince George's County and Montgomery County.  Background traffic seems to have increased too.

Opinions expressed here on AAROADS are strictly personal and mine alone, and do not reflect policies or positions of MWCOG, NCRTPB or their member federal, state, county and municipal governments or any other agency.

jeffandnicole

At least North of Baltimore, I'd like to see them do something approaching Belair, which would most likely be an expansion of the 4 lane section north.  That area seems to get bad quite often during normal rush hours and on the weekends.

Quote from: seicer on March 22, 2018, 08:06:46 PM
I-95 was flowing fine during rush hour last Thursday and Friday when I was in D.C. and staying near BWI.

Did last week's Wednesday snowstorm have any affect on traffic?  I know here in New Jersey traffic on Thursday was some of the fastest, lightest rush hour traffic I've seen in a long while.


cpzilliacus

#8
Quote from: seicer on March 22, 2018, 08:06:46 PM
But the question arises: how many lanes is enough? There are two freeways (I-95, B-W), one expressway and freeway (US 29), and another parallel arterial (US 1). A better ROI would be along Marc's Camden and Penn lines to increase the frequency of service and the construction of fully enclosed and modern stations - and add transit-oriented developments around them. (Some of these stations are just strange - like Jessup, which has a ridership of... 1.)

Improving the frequency of service might be possible on the Amtrak Northeast Corridor (Penn Line) tracks (owned and controlled by  Amtrak), but probably not on the CSX Capital Subdivision (Camden Line, owned and controlled by CSX) which carries a high volume of CSX freight trains.
Opinions expressed here on AAROADS are strictly personal and mine alone, and do not reflect policies or positions of MWCOG, NCRTPB or their member federal, state, county and municipal governments or any other agency.

cl94

Quote from: cpzilliacus on March 27, 2018, 11:06:46 AM
Quote from: froggie on March 22, 2018, 03:47:51 PM
To answer your last question, it's because 95 really does not have a significant issue unless there's a crash.  In my experience, this holds true even during evening rush hour.  And much of 95's problems during the morning rush hour are the result of spillover from the Beltway's Outer Loop.

I-95 from MD-198 in the south to MD-100 in the north has gotten significantly worse in the past several years.  Some of this may be due to increased traffic to BWI from Prince George's County and Montgomery County.  Background traffic seems to have increased too.

Agreed. I-95 was very heavy when I was on it the Saturday before TRB. A few slow spots between the beltways, too. While the beltways and BW Parkway are more pressing, I-95 should get some attention, though counts may decrease if they widen the BW Parkway to siphon off some more local traffic.
Please note: All posts represent my personal opinions and do not represent those of my employer or any of its partner agencies.

Travel Mapping (updated weekly)

TheOneKEA

From what I've observed, the major problems with I-95 between MD 198 and MD 100 are caused by poor merging behaviors at MD 198, MD 32, and  MD 175 going north, and MD 100 and MD 32 going south. My observation is that the acceleration lanes are either too short or drivers are too inattentive and unwilling to merge at speeds high enough to avoid congestion.

One obvious improvement is to widen the I-95 southbound overpass at MD 103 so that the ramps from both directions of MD 100 have more room to merge together and then merge into traffic.

jcn

Here's my take on this.  95 between the beltways has some issues, but the BW Parkway is far worse in my opinion.

What I don't get is why Waze has you go on the BW Parkway (and 895) instead of 95 when driving through the DC area.  To make matters worse it even has you drive through downtown DC as well via 695 and 395.

Beltway

Quote from: jcn on April 15, 2018, 09:53:48 PM
Here's my take on this.  95 between the beltways has some issues, but the BW Parkway is far worse in my opinion.

There have been proposals in the past to reconstruct the B-W Parkway to as much as an 8-lane highway built to Interstate standards.  The National Park Service of course has opposed that.
http://www.roadstothefuture.com
http://www.capital-beltway.com

Baloney is a reserved word on the Internet
    (Robert Coté, 2002)

odditude

Quote from: jcn on April 15, 2018, 09:53:48 PM
Here's my take on this.  95 between the beltways has some issues, but the BW Parkway is far worse in my opinion.

What I don't get is why Waze has you go on the BW Parkway (and 895) instead of 95 when driving through the DC area.  To make matters worse it even has you drive through downtown DC as well via 695 and 395.

going from where to where? the only time Waze has directed me to go through downtown was when the Beltway was a total dumpster fire.

MASTERNC

The only question I have is why they aren't adding ETLs going southbound between Bel Air and White Marsh.  I get the backups NB when the road loses a lane, but you would think they'd at least make it symmetrical.

1995hoo

Quote from: jcn on April 15, 2018, 09:53:48 PM
Here's my take on this.  95 between the beltways has some issues, but the BW Parkway is far worse in my opinion.

What I don't get is why Waze has you go on the BW Parkway (and 895) instead of 95 when driving through the DC area.  To make matters worse it even has you drive through downtown DC as well via 695 and 395.

I don't use Waze, so this is just a guess, but might it be basing the recommendation in part on distance? I've seen navigation software do some odd things in that respect–the built-in sat-nav in my 2004 TL will tell me to exit from I-270's express lanes to its local lanes and then change back a short distance later, for example, and the only reason that makes any sense is because the road curves there and the distance via the local lanes would be shorter. I've had online mapping sites, including Google from time to time, tell me to go north via the Beltway to I-295/DC-295 and up the BW Parkway. I usually ignore that sort of routing advice, but the fact that it's not unique to one source makes me suspect apps like Waze have trouble overcoming the difference in distances even if the traffic makes a practical impact.
"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
—Olaf Kolzig, as quoted in the Washington Times on March 28, 2003,
commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.

Beltway

Quote from: 1995hoo on April 27, 2018, 08:44:25 AM
Quote from: jcn on April 15, 2018, 09:53:48 PM
Here's my take on this.  95 between the beltways has some issues, but the BW Parkway is far worse in my opinion.

What I don't get is why Waze has you go on the BW Parkway (and 895) instead of 95 when driving through the DC area.  To make matters worse it even has you drive through downtown DC as well via 695 and 395.

I don't use Waze, so this is just a guess, but might it be basing the recommendation in part on distance? I've seen navigation software do some odd things in that respect–the built-in sat-nav in my 2004 TL will tell me to exit from I-270's express lanes to its local lanes and then change back a short distance later, for example, and the only reason that makes any sense is because the road curves there and the distance via the local lanes would be shorter. I've had online mapping sites, including Google from time to time, tell me to go north via the Beltway to I-295/DC-295 and up the BW Parkway. I usually ignore that sort of routing advice, but the fact that it's not unique to one source makes me suspect apps like Waze have trouble overcoming the difference in distances even if the traffic makes a practical impact.

My 2016 Lacrosse has OnStar and it told me to take the local lanes on I-270 on a thru trip.
http://www.roadstothefuture.com
http://www.capital-beltway.com

Baloney is a reserved word on the Internet
    (Robert Coté, 2002)

mrsman

Quote from: 1995hoo on April 27, 2018, 08:44:25 AM
Quote from: jcn on April 15, 2018, 09:53:48 PM
Here's my take on this.  95 between the beltways has some issues, but the BW Parkway is far worse in my opinion.

What I don't get is why Waze has you go on the BW Parkway (and 895) instead of 95 when driving through the DC area.  To make matters worse it even has you drive through downtown DC as well via 695 and 395.

I don't use Waze, so this is just a guess, but might it be basing the recommendation in part on distance? I've seen navigation software do some odd things in that respect–the built-in sat-nav in my 2004 TL will tell me to exit from I-270's express lanes to its local lanes and then change back a short distance later, for example, and the only reason that makes any sense is because the road curves there and the distance via the local lanes would be shorter. I've had online mapping sites, including Google from time to time, tell me to go north via the Beltway to I-295/DC-295 and up the BW Parkway. I usually ignore that sort of routing advice, but the fact that it's not unique to one source makes me suspect apps like Waze have trouble overcoming the difference in distances even if the traffic makes a practical impact.

If both ways are free of congestion, the shortest distance will theoretically be faster.  Of course, sometimes the longer way is actually better because the road is of better quality (and no speed cameras) so traffic can in fact travel at a higher speed.

Waze is good about routing you around congestion.  But if there is no congestion present, they likely route you on the shortest routing, even though for all practical purposes you can get there faster on the Beltway (becasue of speeding and the ability to use more lanes to go around a slow moving vehicle).

jcn

Quote from: mrsman on April 27, 2018, 06:39:17 PM
Quote from: 1995hoo on April 27, 2018, 08:44:25 AM
Quote from: jcn on April 15, 2018, 09:53:48 PM
Here's my take on this.  95 between the beltways has some issues, but the BW Parkway is far worse in my opinion.

What I don't get is why Waze has you go on the BW Parkway (and 895) instead of 95 when driving through the DC area.  To make matters worse it even has you drive through downtown DC as well via 695 and 395.

I don't use Waze, so this is just a guess, but might it be basing the recommendation in part on distance? I've seen navigation software do some odd things in that respect–the built-in sat-nav in my 2004 TL will tell me to exit from I-270's express lanes to its local lanes and then change back a short distance later, for example, and the only reason that makes any sense is because the road curves there and the distance via the local lanes would be shorter. I've had online mapping sites, including Google from time to time, tell me to go north via the Beltway to I-295/DC-295 and up the BW Parkway. I usually ignore that sort of routing advice, but the fact that it's not unique to one source makes me suspect apps like Waze have trouble overcoming the difference in distances even if the traffic makes a practical impact.

If both ways are free of congestion, the shortest distance will theoretically be faster.  Of course, sometimes the longer way is actually better because the road is of better quality (and no speed cameras) so traffic can in fact travel at a higher speed.

Waze is good about routing you around congestion.  But if there is no congestion present, they likely route you on the shortest routing, even though for all practical purposes you can get there faster on the Beltway (becasue of speeding and the ability to use more lanes to go around a slow moving vehicle).

Sorry for the late response on this, but here's the craziest thing about all of this.  Even when the downtown DC highways (395, 695, and the Kenilworth portion of 295) are backed up, Waze still has you go that way which makes no sense given how it's supposed to help you avoid traffic.

MASTERNC

Quote from: jcn on September 29, 2018, 08:34:34 PM
Quote from: mrsman on April 27, 2018, 06:39:17 PM
Quote from: 1995hoo on April 27, 2018, 08:44:25 AM
Quote from: jcn on April 15, 2018, 09:53:48 PM
Here's my take on this.  95 between the beltways has some issues, but the BW Parkway is far worse in my opinion.

What I don't get is why Waze has you go on the BW Parkway (and 895) instead of 95 when driving through the DC area.  To make matters worse it even has you drive through downtown DC as well via 695 and 395.

I don't use Waze, so this is just a guess, but might it be basing the recommendation in part on distance? I've seen navigation software do some odd things in that respect–the built-in sat-nav in my 2004 TL will tell me to exit from I-270's express lanes to its local lanes and then change back a short distance later, for example, and the only reason that makes any sense is because the road curves there and the distance via the local lanes would be shorter. I've had online mapping sites, including Google from time to time, tell me to go north via the Beltway to I-295/DC-295 and up the BW Parkway. I usually ignore that sort of routing advice, but the fact that it's not unique to one source makes me suspect apps like Waze have trouble overcoming the difference in distances even if the traffic makes a practical impact.

If both ways are free of congestion, the shortest distance will theoretically be faster.  Of course, sometimes the longer way is actually better because the road is of better quality (and no speed cameras) so traffic can in fact travel at a higher speed.

Waze is good about routing you around congestion.  But if there is no congestion present, they likely route you on the shortest routing, even though for all practical purposes you can get there faster on the Beltway (becasue of speeding and the ability to use more lanes to go around a slow moving vehicle).

Sorry for the late response on this, but here's the craziest thing about all of this.  Even when the downtown DC highways (395, 695, and the Kenilworth portion of 295) are backed up, Waze still has you go that way which makes no sense given how it's supposed to help you avoid traffic.

I went down to DC from Philly in August and Waze took me away from I-95 between Baltimore and DC both ways.  Instead, it took me down I-97 to US 50 West.  I wasn't aware of any major incidents on I-95 either day.

Beltway

#20
Quote from: MASTERNC on September 29, 2018, 08:40:07 PM
Quote from: jcn on September 29, 2018, 08:34:34 PM
Sorry for the late response on this, but here's the craziest thing about all of this.  Even when the downtown DC highways (395, 695, and the Kenilworth portion of 295) are backed up, Waze still has you go that way which makes no sense given how it's supposed to help you avoid traffic.
I went down to DC from Philly in August and Waze took me away from I-95 between Baltimore and DC both ways.  Instead, it took me down I-97 to US 50 West.  I wasn't aware of any major incidents on I-95 either day.

I've noticed that with OnStar, with a variety of routings in different places.  The algorithm probably finds that it is 1 or 2 minutes less on those routes (295, Kenilworth, BW Parkway) so they route you that way rather than stay on the Beltway.  Maybe that is true in free-flowing traffic, but the probability of things not deteriorating quickly are a lot higher on the Beltway than on the D.C. routing.  Same with taking 395/695/Kenilworth/BW Parkway rather than the eastern half of the Beltway.

It is interesting taking the route thru the city once in awhile, but unless there is a major traffic problem reported on the Beltway I find that a much superior route in terms of drivability.
http://www.roadstothefuture.com
http://www.capital-beltway.com

Baloney is a reserved word on the Internet
    (Robert Coté, 2002)

jeffandnicole

Quote from: jcn on September 29, 2018, 08:34:34 PM
Sorry for the late response on this, but here's the craziest thing about all of this.  Even when the downtown DC highways (395, 695, and the Kenilworth portion of 295) are backed up, Waze still has you go that way which makes no sense given how it's supposed to help you avoid traffic.

No. It's supposed to get you from one place to another via the quickest route possible. If one route takes you into congestion and adds 10 minutes to the normal drive, or another route that involves 25 mph roads going 50 miles out of the way cause there's no congestion but takes you 3 hours longer, what would you prefer?

1995hoo

Quote from: mrsman on April 27, 2018, 06:39:17 PM

....

If both ways are free of congestion, the shortest distance will theoretically be faster.  ....

....

Of course, that's assuming all things are equal. In this case, the BW Parkway has two lanes to a side for most (not all) of its length between the beltways and it has a 55-mph speed limit, whereas I-95 has four lanes to a side and a 65-mph speed limit. I usually find I-95 to be a considerably faster route, not so much because of the higher speed limit but because having more lanes makes it easier to get past slower drivers.

Regarding the all-295 route through DC, there are multiple speed cameras on that route.
"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
—Olaf Kolzig, as quoted in the Washington Times on March 28, 2003,
commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.

tckma

Quote from: jcn on April 15, 2018, 09:53:48 PM
Here's my take on this.  95 between the beltways has some issues, but the BW Parkway is far worse in my opinion.

What I don't get is why Waze has you go on the BW Parkway (and 895) instead of 95 when driving through the DC area.  To make matters worse it even has you drive through downtown DC as well via 695 and 395.

My guess is that 95 through Baltimore was a dumpster fire that day.  Most locals don't bother with 895 on the south side because there are no exits from 95 all the way to the toll booth for the Harbor Tunnel.  It's usually a much more pleasant ride than 95.

In 2009, I got laid off from a job in Tyson's Corner, and started a new job in Columbia.  For the first 7-8 months, I was finishing up my lease in Falls Church to avoid paying breaklease fees.  29, 95, and the BW Parkway between the beltways all suck, with the BW Parkway being the worst of the three -- but 495 and 270 have even worse traffic problems.  If I didn't leave my apartment by 6:45a I could forget about being at work before 10.  I can't imagine how much worse the traffic has gotten in the ensuing 10 years.

I thought that Gov. Hogan floated a proposal for Lexus Lanes along the BW Parkway.  In fact, I remember there being an uproar about it in the news because the State of Maryland would first have to buy the BW Parkway from the National Park Service, which people thought was wasteful and that the NPS would likely not sell due to the environmental effects of the planned construction.  Am I remembering this wrong?

Plutonic Panda

Though I still have yet to venture to the north east, reading this article about the chronic congestion this stretch of freeway suffers leads me to believe this is a major lost opportunity that they aren't significantly expanding this section as they plan to reconstruct it.

https://amp.delawareonline.com/amp/1382703002



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