Maryland

[cpzilliacus]

^ While congestion mitigation (i.e. "relief") was one driving factor (pun intended) behind Virginia's SmartScale (itself originally labeled HB2 as I recall), it is by far not the only factor.  There are also two important things to note here:

* Congestion mitigation is evenly split between PERSON (not vehicle) throughput and person hours of delay.

I have no problem with that.  I do know that building more train lines does not lead to much (if any) reduction in either, in spite of assertions to the contrary.  Something that 1,000 Friends of Maryland and its allies do not seem to grasp.  Pricing highway lanes properly and providing a discount (or free passage) for buses of all kinds and HOV-3 traffic (note: not HOV-2) tends to do both.

I was (personally) in favor of the Baltimore Red Line (the cancellation of which appears to have led directly to HB1013 as a form of blowback against Gov. Larry Hogan and his Secretary of Transportation, Pete Rahn) for other reasons (not congestion relief, since much of the proposed corridor was not severely  congested) - but I liked the improved transit access to a pair of large employment centers at the Social Security Administration in Woodlawn and at Johns Hopkins Bayview Hospital complex in East Baltimore.

* The percentage that congestion mitigation factors into the overall SmartScale score is dependent on location.  For Hampton Roads, Northern Virginia, and the Fredericksburg area (but not all of the Hampton Roads or Fredericksburg VDOT districts), it's 45%.  For Richmond, most of the remaining larger urban areas (like Lynchburg, Roanoke, and all of VDOT's Culpeper District, but not including Bristol, Danville, or Martinsville), it's 15%.  Everywhere else, congestion mitigation is only 10% of the overall score.

Funny how that is.  Those are the parts of the Commonwealth that suffer (to varying degrees) from severe transportation system  congestion.  I had the misfortune of being on VA-3 west of I-95, and that road is rather badly congested much of the way to its junction with VA-20 at Wilderness.

I doubt that Martinsville has much in the way  of congestion except on NASCAR race days.

[Bitmapped]

I was on I-68 yesterday and noticed that SHA is in the process of replacing some of the full-width overhead side gantries near Cumberland. There isn't anything obviously wrong with the existing gantries (no visible rust or damage) but I did see the new gantries have beefier supports. Is this a normal thing for SHA to do or might this be a prelude to additional VMS?

[vdeane]

I recall NYSDOT Region 4 doing something similar about 10 years ago.  It was just ordinary sign replacement, probably for reflectivity and to meet modern wind loading standards.  Now the original supports look small to me, even though the newer supports originally looked enormous.

[noelbotevera]

I was on I-81 a week ago, and I've noticed construction SB between exits 6 and 7. Obviously it's the progress to six laning I-81, and it's laid dormant because of winter. Hopefully progress picks up soon.

Rant: Why does Maryland take so long to complete construction projects? Seriously, they're widening only 12 miles of road, with enough space to build two extra lanes each way, but at the rate this is going, my children will have children! (END RANT)

[cpzilliacus]

I was on I-81 a week ago, and I've noticed construction SB between exits 6 and 7. Obviously it's the progress to six laning I-81, and it's laid dormant because of winter. Hopefully progress picks up soon.

Rant: Why does Maryland take so long to complete construction projects? Seriously, they're widening only 12 miles of road, with enough space to build two extra lanes each way, but at the rate this is going, my children will have children! (END RANT)

Maryland does things faster than its neighbors to the north.

MD-200 (18 miles of toll road) was built and open to traffic in far less time than it is taking the  Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and PennDOT to at least partially complete a junction between I-95 (Delaware Expressway) and I-276 (E-W Mainline of the Pennsylvania Turnpike) in Bristol.

And the New Jersey Turnpike Authority built and opened to traffic a wider Turnpike (from 6 total lanes in 2 roadways to 12 total lanes in 4 roadways) from Exit 6 to 9 in far less time than the Bristol project is taking.

[cpzilliacus]

Baltimore Sun: Maryland Senate committee crafts compromise on transportation scoring law

A Maryland Senate committee has advanced a compromise measure that would delay implementation of a transportation project scoring law that Gov. Larry Hogan consistently pans as the "Road Kill Bill."

The law, passed over Hogan's veto last year, requires officials to study local transportation projects, rank them and offer an explanation if any project receives state funding over one that is ranked higher.

[TheOneKEA]

How long does the SHA normally take to issue the HLR? It's 2017 now and the 2015 HLR is the latest version available for download from the SHA website?

[BrianP]

They usually come out around August. 

[cpzilliacus]

Maryland Reporter: Relief for toll road penalties put on hold, Senate chairman says

A Senate bill to address "predatory"  toll penalties, technical problems with transponders and poor customer service at E-ZPass will die in the Senate Finance Committee this session, its chairman said Tuesday, along with a watered down House version that delegates supported unanimously on Monday.

Instead, Senate Finance Committee Chair Thomas "Mac"  Middleton said he is holding off legislation for a year to give the Maryland Transportation Authority time to improve customer service and pursue new contracts with vendors to operate Maryland's toll system.

[cpzilliacus]

Washington  Post: Maryland governor lists transportation priorities, meets top Trump administration officials

[The Ghostbuster]

So Maryland has supplied its transportation wish-list. Now if they can just come up with enough funding to construct that wish-list.

[epzik8]

The only real reason I like Governor Hogan's consideration of transportation projects as a top priority is due to my status as a roadgeek.

[ARMOURERERIC]

Is there still an injunction against the Blue Line.  If so why place it on a wish list.

[cpzilliacus]

Is there still an injunction against the Blue Line.  If so why place it on a wish list.

Purple Line perhaps?  Yes, at least for now, it is still in place.

[cpzilliacus]

Washington Post: Maryland considers cracking down on drivers who linger in the left lane

[cpzilliacus]

WTOP Radio: Md. plans to ease I-270 congestion aren't bold enough

Traffic lights on ramps, variable speed limits and new technology to replace truck scales are some of the ideas floated in a proposal to ease congestion and save drivers time on Interstate 270.

The Maryland Department of Transportation sent the I-270 plans to a regional planning board last week. But Montgomery County Council's president criticized the plan for not being bold enough.

"It doesn't strike me as particularly innovative,"  Council President Roger Berliner said during a briefing with reporters on Monday.

The documents submitted to the Metropolitan Washington Council of Government's Transportation Planning Board show that the state Department of Transportation is proposing changes to the 35-mile corridor that include the following:

• Extending acceleration and deceleration lanes at some exits along I-270;
• Adding travel lanes between Montrose Road and Democracy Boulevard;
• Adding weigh stations that don't require trucks to pull off the roadway;
• Use of active traffic management to smooth speeds and driver expectations;
• Installing traffic lights at some on-ramps in order to smooth the flow of traffic onto the heavily-traveled commuter corridor.

[BrianP]

This article gives a table of proposals and what was submitted:
http://www.bethesdamagazine.com/Bethesda-Beat/2017/State-Puts-Forth-Plan-To-Add-Lanes-on-I-270-To-Reduce-Traffic-Congestion/

I just used the Shady Grove Road Loop ramp they want to close.  I assume the northbound through lanes will shift to the right where the current exit lane is to make room for the left turn lanes.

The southbound exit to I-370 with the new optional exit lane I assume will likely use arrow per lane signage. It's a simple change that I think will help.  So I like it.

[The Ghostbuster]

Would it be possible to add toll lanes to the 270 corridor?

[1995hoo]

For those of you in the DC/Baltimore area, MPT (Maryland's PBS affiliate) is airing a special tonight about the history of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. As I type this at 10:00 Tuesday it's on now and I only just discovered it after it had already started, so I'm not watching it. It's re-airing at 2:00 AM tomorrow (April 25) and I set my DVR for that showing. Knowing how PBS repeats stuff, I'm sure it will be on again, but I thought I'd pass it on because I didn't look for other showings. 

[mrsman]

With regard to I-270, it is too bad that there seems to be no project to fix the problem with the start of the HOV lane.  Just before you reach I-370, the left lane becomes HOV only during morning rush and non-HOV must merge out.  It would be better if a new lane for HOVs forms to the left as opposed to the current setup.  This should be possible because at the moment that the HOV lane starts an extra lane forms to the right for the 370 exit and then soon afterward another right lane forms for the exit to the local I-270 lanes.

[jcn]

I know that the JFK Highway part of I-95 was the probably the last section of Interstate in Maryland to have mercury vapor conventional luminaires, but they were all replaced by sodium vapor when the service plazas were rebuilt.

The old high mast lights that were at exits 93, 89, and 74 were lit a blueish white color until they were taken down and replaced with new HPS high mast lights at exit 93 and LED low level lights at exits 89 and 74.  Therefore, they had to be mercury vapor.

[cpzilliacus]

SHA has advertised a contract on EMaryland Marketplace to modify U.S. 50/U.S. 301/MD-2 crossing the Severn River Bridge (officially known as the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge) in Anne Arundel County to add one extra lane in the eastbound (only) direction.  During construction, the bridge will have narrowed (11') lanes. 

The contract number is AA2215170 and the bid number is MDJ0231032376.

Link to the documents is here (may not work after bids are opened on 1 June 2017).

From the advertisement:

Description: Median barrier replacement and lane reconfiguration of US 50 over Severn River from MD 70 (Rowe Blvd) to MD 2 / MD 450 (Governor Ritchie Hwy). Project will include partial replacement of bridge deck, median barrier replacement and reconfiguration, repairs to the bridge superstructure, approach roadway work, one noise wall, drainage and stormwater management facilities, signing, pavement striping, and landscaping. All traffic lanes will be maintained during construction.

[cpzilliacus]

With regard to I-270, it is too bad that there seems to be no project to fix the problem with the start of the HOV lane.  Just before you reach I-370, the left lane becomes HOV only during morning rush and non-HOV must merge out.  It would be better if a new lane for HOVs forms to the left as opposed to the current setup.  This should be possible because at the moment that the HOV lane starts an extra lane forms to the right for the 370 exit and then soon afterward another right lane forms for the exit to the local I-270 lanes.

IMO this symptomatic of a larger problem - the inadequacy of the Montgomery County  highway  network.  I (personally) would love to see managed lanes along the entire length of I-270.

[BrianP]

IMO the beltway from the Legion bridge to I-270 should be a higher priority.  This stretch of highway gets congested outside of rush hour and in both directions.  That shows how under capacity that stretch is currently.  You don't really see those problems on I-270 except maybe the four lane section.  In the morning rush the largest contributor that I could see to morning I-270 south congestion is the merge from I-270 onto the outer loop of the beltway. That merge may improve when they change the striping so that the beltway drops a lane instead of the entering I-270 traffic.  The other leg of I-270 towards the inner loop is less problematic.

The afternoon rush on I-270 can be improved just by continuing a fifth lane to Middlebrook Road which they say they will do.  Second just expanding the four lane section to six lanes is good enough IMO.  Then I-270 can wait until after the beltway to do a more expansive improvement. 

[cpzilliacus]

IMO the beltway from the Legion bridge to I-270 should be a higher priority.  This stretch of highway gets congested outside of rush hour and in both directions.  That shows how under capacity that stretch is currently.  You don't really see those problems on I-270 except maybe the four lane section.  In the morning rush the largest contributor that I could see to morning I-270 south congestion is the merge from I-270 onto the outer loop of the beltway. That merge may improve when they change the striping so that the beltway drops a lane instead of the entering I-270 traffic.  The other leg of I-270 towards the inner loop is less problematic.

No disagreement there.  It would be great to extend the Transurban managed lanes in Virginia up to the Virginia end of the span, then (ideally) have MDTA take them from the bridge as far north as possible (I do not think the Maryland General Assembly is interested in making a deal with Transurban for private operation of public highways in Maryland).

The afternoon rush on I-270 can be improved just by continuing a fifth lane to Middlebrook Road which they say they will do.  Second just expanding the four lane section to six lanes is good enough IMO.  Then I-270 can wait until after the beltway to do a more expansive improvement.

The one place on I-270 that has gotten much, much worse since the completion of MD-200 are the LOCAL (or C-D) lanes from Shady Grove Road to the exit ramp for I-370/Sam Eig Highway. Not clear to me if the plans call for any changes there or not.