Maryland

[D-Dey65]

The MdTA's I-95 Travel Plazas site has renderings of what the Maryland House and Chesapeake House service plazas will look like.  In my opinion, they look pretty nice.

I know it tries to mimic the current structure and blend it with more modern features, but it lacks the genuine second floor used for tourist info. That's what bothers me about it more than anything else.

I went up there before the storm yesterday and snapped some images of the Maryland House just before its closure for reconstruction, which I will post here within a few days.

I'm looking forward to that.

[NE2]

if he really loved Trigger all that much, why didn't he give the horse a decent burial instead of taking his remains to the taxidermist?

Because he doesn't share your superstitions.

[NJRoadfan]

I suppose that the last Triggerburger (on I-95) will have been served when the place closes on the 15th.

There are still plenty of Roy Rogers left on the New Jersey Turnpike. Besides the one remaining stand alone location in Pine Beach, NJ, they are the only remaining locations left in NJ. They used to be a lot more common back in the 80s.

[cpzilliacus]

Washington Post:  As toll cheating increases, Maryland does little to enforce rules

Thousands of vehicles are repeatedly blowing through Maryland E-ZPass lanes without an ­E-ZPass transponder, and the state is doing little to collect the millions of dollars in unpaid tolls.

One car-rental company owes the state nearly $209,000 in unpaid tolls and penalties despite having received nearly 7,000 letters over four years, according to state figures. Eight other rental companies owe between $80,000 and $200,000 each, with some violations dating back eight years.

Individual vehicle owners aren't paying up, either. About 15,000 owe more than $500 each.

More than a few might have caught on to the fact that the letters sent by the state are paper tigers.

[cpzilliacus]

I suppose that the last Triggerburger (on I-95) will have been served when the place closes on the 15th.

There are still plenty of Roy Rogers left on the New Jersey Turnpike. Besides the one remaining stand alone location in Pine Beach, NJ, they are the only remaining locations left in NJ. They used to be a lot more common back in the 80s.

Yes, and I have stopped at some of them.  HMS (and Sunoco) remain the service plaza concessionaire for the New Jersey Turnpike, right?

HMS and Roy Rogers are separate corporate entities now, but they used to belong to Marriott before the Marriott family decided they wanted to concentrate on hotels and not eating establishments.

Is the brand loyalty to Roy Rogers as strong in New Jersey as it seems to be in Maryland and Virginia?  The people that own Roy Rogers are trying to grow the business (at least close to home in Frederick County, Maryland), and appear to be having some success 

[1995hoo]

I'm going to have to remember that Triggerburger line. My wife is a huge fan of Roy Rogers the actor, and there also happens to be a Roy Rogers about two miles from our house and we eat there occasionally. I'm gonna have to use that line next time we go there.....though I might find myself sleeping on the couch that night. 

I never thought Roy Rogers himself was all that lovable of a guy, and if he really loved Trigger all that much, why didn't he give the horse a decent burial instead of taking his remains to the taxidermist?

I will go out of my way to stop for a Triggerburger if I am in the vicinity of a "surviving" Roy Rogers.  I sometimes visit the one near Fort Hunt Road and Belle View Boulevard in the Alexandria section of Fairfax County; or south of there at U.S. 1 (Richmond Highway) and Va. 235 (Mount Vernon Highway) in the Woodlawn section of Fairfax County; or the one on Md. 85 (Buckeystown Pike) north of I-270 in Frederick County.

The brand loyalty to Roy Rogers is pretty impressive.  Their outlets always seem to be busy.

The one we visit most often is the one in the Manchester Lakes shopping center, corner of Manchester Boulevard/Franconia—Springfield Parkway and Beulah Street (Manchester becomes the Parkway when it crosses Beulah). It's interesting, a Boardwalk Burgers and Fries opened up in the same strip mall and the Roy's is usually a lot more crowded. Boardwalk has better fries, Roy's has better burgers and more varied menu items.

[cpzilliacus]

I'm going to have to remember that Triggerburger line. My wife is a huge fan of Roy Rogers the actor, and there also happens to be a Roy Rogers about two miles from our house and we eat there occasionally. I'm gonna have to use that line next time we go there.....though I might find myself sleeping on the couch that night. 

I never thought Roy Rogers himself was all that lovable of a guy, and if he really loved Trigger all that much, why didn't he give the horse a decent burial instead of taking his remains to the taxidermist?

I will go out of my way to stop for a Triggerburger if I am in the vicinity of a "surviving" Roy Rogers.  I sometimes visit the one near Fort Hunt Road and Belle View Boulevard in the Alexandria section of Fairfax County; or south of there at U.S. 1 (Richmond Highway) and Va. 235 (Mount Vernon Highway) in the Woodlawn section of Fairfax County; or the one on Md. 85 (Buckeystown Pike) north of I-270 in Frederick County.

The brand loyalty to Roy Rogers is pretty impressive.  Their outlets always seem to be busy.

The one we visit most often is the one in the Manchester Lakes shopping center, corner of Manchester Boulevard/Franconia—Springfield Parkway and Beulah Street (Manchester becomes the Parkway when it crosses Beulah). It's interesting, a Boardwalk Burgers and Fries opened up in the same strip mall and the Roy's is usually a lot more crowded. Boardwalk has better fries, Roy's has better burgers and more varied menu items.

Roy Rogers has good burgers (I categorize chicken sandwiches, Triggerburgers and sliced roast beef sandwiches as "burgers"), and usually excellent cole slaw.

[ARMOURERERIC]

I went to Roy's frequently for lunch at Rockville's C0ngressional Plaza fromn 1986-1991, was always a big fan of the horseradish.

[1995hoo]

One thing I've always liked at Roy's is that they don't schmeck up the burgers/sandwiches and instead offer the Fixins Bar–in other words, you get a plain sandwich and you can schmeck it up or not schmeck it up as you wish, as opposed to most fast-food places where they put a bunch of slop on the sandwich by default and you have to place a special order if you don't want all that stuff.

[cpzilliacus]

I went to Roy's frequently for lunch at Rockville's C0ngressional Plaza fromn 1986-1991, was always a big fan of the horseradish.

I believe that location was once a Hot Shoppes Jr. location (Marriott's first attempt at fast food, before they "got it right" with the Roy Rogers concept).  Recall the Pappy Parker's fried chicken (not (IMO) as good as KFC)?

[cpzilliacus]

One thing I've always liked at Roy's is that they don't schmeck up the burgers/sandwiches and instead offer the Fixins Bar–in other words, you get a plain sandwich and you can schmeck it up or not schmeck it up as you wish, as opposed to most fast-food places where they put a bunch of slop on the sandwich by default and you have to place a special order if you don't want all that stuff.

Absolutely correct. 

The probability of getting a hot burger at Roy Rogers was usually higher than most other fast food joints.

[Alex]

One thing I've always liked at Roy's is that they don't schmeck up the burgers/sandwiches and instead offer the Fixins Bar–in other words, you get a plain sandwich and you can schmeck it up or not schmeck it up as you wish, as opposed to most fast-food places where they put a bunch of slop on the sandwich by default and you have to place a special order if you don't want all that stuff.

On a trip to the Paw Paw Tunnel in June, we stumbled across a Roy Rogers in Hagerstown and I had to stop. Had been years since I went to one and I had forgotten all about the Fixins Bar. Was very impressed with the quality of the burger I got and was more than happy to load up the fixings myself. The place was very busy but the service was decent.

Besides the usual Roy Rogers at Turnpike Service Areas, I remember eating at the Roy Rogers in Wilmington along Delaware Avenue (DE-52) at Dupont Street many times. It is a Boston Market now...

[cpzilliacus]

I went up there before the storm yesterday and snapped some images of the Maryland House just before its closure for reconstruction, which I will post here within a few days.

I'm looking forward to that.

See this thread for images (may be a little slow to load)!

[cpzilliacus]

Baltimore Sun: City gets nearly $20 million from speed camera tickets, irritating critics - 83 cameras in Baltimore issue $40 fines

[cpzilliacus]

Baltimore Sun: City gets nearly $20 million from speed camera tickets, irritating critics - 83 cameras in Baltimore issue $40 fines

Baltimore City Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake with a quick response, which the Sun promptly published:
Mayor says motorists to blame for high speed camera revenue - Tickets are a 'minor inconvenience' for speeders, Rawlings-Blake says

[cpzilliacus]

Washington Post:  As toll cheating increases, Maryland does little to enforce rules

Maryland tolling agency, lawmakers pledge to go after toll cheaters

Maryland's tolling agency is investigating whether it can publicize the names of the worst toll scofflaws in a "Hall of Shame"  and resume suspending the vehicle registrations of repeat offenders, the state's top tolling official said Wednesday.

The chairman of a Maryland General Assembly transportation panel also said Wednesday that he will push legislation to target the thousands of motorists who are repeatedly blowing through E-ZPass lanes without a transponder and refusing to pay millions of dollars in unpaid tolls.

[algorerhythms]

Saw this article about a proposed change to the Virginia Avenue-Industrial Boulevard (MD 51) intersection in Cumberland. If I understand what they're describing, the proposal is to build something similar to a Michigan Left setup there, with the exception that Virginia Avenue would be one-way northbound, so southbound through traffic on Virginia Avenue would be forced to turn onto Industrial Boulevard, make a U-turn and then make a right turn to continue on Virginia Avenue.

Intersection plans discussed by city

[cpzilliacus]

Maryland House's historic art to be preserved, but won't return

The Maryland House on I-95 near Aberdeen may be known more for its fast food and bevy of bathrooms than for fine artwork, but its murals portraying Maryland history, that have adorned the travel plaza for more than 40 years, have a significant history of their own.

When the Maryland House went into what will be at least a one-year hibernation this past weekend, so did the mural pieces done by artist William A. Smith that depict significant events in Maryland's history and have long hung around the building.

The Maryland Transportation Authority says it is working to ensure the mural panels will survive the plaza's demolition and reconstruction. They will not, however, be a part of the new Maryland House.

[cpzilliacus]

Gazette papers: Montgomery to ask state to consider more HOV on I-270

Expanded High Occupancy Vehicle lanes on Interstate 270 could be a considered as a quick fix to slow Montgomery County traffic's crawl toward total gridlock.

Members of the County Council's Transportation, Infrastructure, Energy and Environment committee asked council and executive staff on Sept. 20 to draft a letter to Maryland's State Highway Administration asking for detailed consideration of HOV and High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lane additions and expansions on I-270 between Clarksburg and the Interstate 370 exit, but also harping for SHA to finally craft a long-term solution to the corridor's congestion.

[cpzilliacus]

Gazette papers: Maryland SHA study steers toward a safer Pennsylvania Avenue

This section of Md. 4 has had more than its fair share of motor vehicle vs. motor vehicle and motor vehicle vs. pedestrian and motor vehicle vs. bike crashes, more than a few deadly.

[cpzilliacus]

Washington Post: Immigrants learn the language of D.C. driving

Every day, just before dawn, you can spot Christian Kuete, a 24-year-old pre-med student and home health aide from Cameroon, sprinting in his beat-up sneakers to catch Metro Bus 20 as it bumps to a stop along University Boulevard in Langley Park. At 8 a.m., two more buses and two hours later, Kuete arrives at work. By dusk, he's back on mass transit, headed to his night classes at Montgomery College.

On this sunny fall afternoon, however, he's trying to seize his piece of the American dream. Seize it by the steering wheel. Kuete is a student at the Riteway Driving School in Hyattsville, and his goal is to take its Toyota Corolla onto the open highway – the ultimate metaphor for American independence.

[cpzilliacus]

Hatem Bridge Decals Expire

The last day to use AVI decals for crossing the Thomas J. Hatem Memorial Bridge into Cecil County is Sept. 30.

Those who still need to switch from the decal to the E-ZPass have two options.

Drivers who do not want to use their E-ZPass account at any other Maryland toll facilities can obtain a transponder with the Hatem Bridge-only plan.

[cpzilliacus]

Baltimore Sun: Three finalists named for Baltimore speed cameras contract - City expects to take in $26M from cameras in next three years

[cpzilliacus]

[Op-Ed regarding transportation funding in Maryland]  Transportation budget process: a tale of backlog and irony

Last month, state transportation officials began their annual series of meetings to explain to elected leaders in Baltimore City and the state's 23 counties what projects for their jurisdictions are included in the newly-drafted six-year capital budget for transportation.

This is a yearly exercise that must be increasingly frustrating for both Maryland Department of Transportation officials and local leaders. It's also a process that produces a compelling irony.

Five meetings have been held so far, with three held this week in St. Mary's, Prince George's and Montgomery counties. In late September, meetings were held with officials in Caroline and Harford counties.

Acting MDOT Secretary Darrell Mobley, who is leading the meetings around the state, is focusing on the transportation funding situation. Both federal and state revenues for transportation remain flat, so system maintenance and preservation is the first priority, he is reporting.

[cpzilliacus]

State to roll out major BWI access improvement – at 4 mph - 'Bridges on wheels' will allow swift replacement at West Nursery Road and Parkway

Over the last two weekends of October, highway crews will replace two bridges over the Baltimore-Washington Parkway that serve the airport and hotel district by rolling the old ones out and rolling the new ones in.

The "bridge on wheels" swap, used in other states but making its debut in Maryland, saves time and money, reduces traffic disruptions and cuts the potential for work-zone accidents, State Highway Administration officials said.