Maryland

[D-Dey65]

Images on Facebook (you should be able to access even if you don't do Facebook) from the reconstructed Maryland House, and featuring a few AAROADS friends.

This is the replacement for the Travelers Information floor?:
https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/1536502_10202202013163910_1013675012_n.jpg
I think I'm going to vomit.

At least they kept at least one of the historical markers.

[cpzilliacus]

Images on Facebook (you should be able to access even if you don't do Facebook) from the reconstructed Maryland House, and featuring a few AAROADS friends.

This is the replacement for the Travelers Information floor?:
https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/1536502_10202202013163910_1013675012_n.jpg
I think I'm going to vomit.

At least they kept at least one of the historical markers.

There is an actual information counter to the left of this image, which I did not photograph because the lighting was not great and there was an employee behind the counter (and I could have blurred the face as I did with other images).

[cpzilliacus]

WTOP Radio: Beltway's danger corridor averages 260 crashes

It's one of the busiest highways in the Washington metro area. And it's also one of the most likely places to encounter a wreck.

Newly released numbers from the Maryland State Highway Administration show that the section of the Capital Beltway between Georgia Avenue and Rockville Pike sees an average of 260 documented crashes per year.

The figure is based on a five-year count between 2008 and 2013. The actual number of crashes is likely much higher, since many fender-benders and spin-outs often go unreported to police.

There have been five fatal crashes over the last five years.

The frequency of wrecks is linked to the route's high demand. This 4-mile stretch of the Beltway carries almost a quarter of a million vehicles per day - that adds up to almost 80 million drivers every single year.

[froggie]

Someone I know elsewhere made a good point:  WTOP should have been looking at crash RATES, not the number of crashes.

[cpzilliacus]

Someone I know elsewhere made a good point:  WTOP should have been looking at crash RATES, not the number of crashes.

Certainly a crashes as a function of VMT are a good metric, but IMO, absolute crash rates, as compared to other sections of the Capital Beltway is also a reasonable way to discuss this.

Driving the Outer Loop between Md. 185 (Connecticut Avenue, Exit 33) and Md. 355 (Rockville Pike, Exit 34) and I-270 (Exit 35), there's a metric that needs no analysis of crash reports or VMT that can be seen by just driving it - the large number of skidmarks in several of the 4+ lanes.

[froggie]

Saying that stretch has the most crashes on the Beltway, without using another metric, is like saying the sky is blue.  It has the highest volumes on the Beltway...of course it stands to reason that it has the most crashes.  That's why using crash RATES is important in a story like this.

[cpzilliacus]

Saying that stretch has the most crashes on the Beltway, without using another metric, is like saying the sky is blue.  It has the highest volumes on the Beltway...of course it stands to reason that it has the most crashes.  That's why using crash RATES is important in a story like this.

I disagree - because many people not "in the business" are going to have a tough time with crashes per millions of VMT. 

They can relate to the number of crashes on the Beltway between I-270/Md. 355 and Md. 97, and regular drivers know that traffic along that segment is usually very busy, even if they don't have any idea of what AADT or AAWDT mean.

[agentsteel53]

Saying that stretch has the most crashes on the Beltway, without using another metric, is like saying the sky is blue.  It has the highest volumes on the Beltway...of course it stands to reason that it has the most crashes.  That's why using crash RATES is important in a story like this.

I disagree - because many people not "in the business" are going to have a tough time with crashes per millions of VMT. 

They can relate to the number of crashes on the Beltway between I-270/Md. 355 and Md. 97, and regular drivers know that traffic along that segment is usually very busy, even if they don't have any idea of what AADT or AAWDT mean.

what.  this actually seems like a failure on those doing the explaining.  it would take me approximately 30 seconds to explain to a newcomer "you have to measure per driving rate.  total accidents make no sense compared to accidents per miles driven."

"not in the business" is a copout.  everyone who has a stake in a more reasonable approach to safe driving (i.e. anyone who has been pulled over in a 25mph speed trap) has the responsibility to be "in the business" of explaining, to the uninformed masses, the basic facts which are the rationale behind more correct design. 

do you want "reasonable and prudent"?

then let's go get it.

[cpzilliacus]

what.  this actually seems like a failure on those doing the explaining.  it would take me approximately 30 seconds to explain to a newcomer "you have to measure per driving rate.  total accidents make no sense compared to accidents per miles driven."

I think most AAROADS participants probably have that understanding.  But remember that this story was written for on-air use on WTOP Radio, a commercial-supported all-news radio station, where the entire report might get 30 seconds of airtime.

"not in the business" is a copout.  everyone who has a stake in a more reasonable approach to safe driving (i.e. anyone who has been pulled over in a 25mph speed trap) has the responsibility to be "in the business" of explaining, to the uninformed masses, the basic facts which are the rationale behind more correct design.

There is seldom any speed limit enforcement at all on this section of the Capital Beltway.  The Maryland State Police are severely overworked in this county, and usually spend all of their time running from one call to the next.

do you want "reasonable and prudent"?

That is effectively what we have on the Capital Beltway in Montgomery County - though it has periods of severe congestion 7 days per week.

then let's go get it.

I do not dispute anything you say above.

[NE2]

tldr: talk radio listeners are dumbfucks.

[mrsman]

Someone I know elsewhere made a good point:  WTOP should have been looking at crash RATES, not the number of crashes.

Certainly a crashes as a function of VMT are a good metric, but IMO, absolute crash rates, as compared to other sections of the Capital Beltway is also a reasonable way to discuss this.

Driving the Outer Loop between Md. 185 (Connecticut Avenue, Exit 33) and Md. 355 (Rockville Pike, Exit 34) and I-270 (Exit 35), there's a metric that needs no analysis of crash reports or VMT that can be seen by just driving it - the large number of skidmarks in several of the 4+ lanes.

I generally believe it too.  This is the section of Beltway that I most frequently drive.  Part of the problem is that this is a very curvy stretch of roadway.  Another issue is the weaving on the Inner Loop at the Georgia Ave exit.  I have no idea why they never converted this exit to a parclo (like they did on the outer loop side), there's even a traffic light on the exit to southbound Georgia that was placed a couple years ago.  All they have to do is allow left turns from that traffic light and get rid of the ramp from the inner loop to northbound Georgia.

The other general problem with this stretch, especially on the inner loop, is that drivers have to change lanes to get where they're going.  If you are coming in from 270 and want to exit at Georgia, you have to make a minimum of 2 lane changes.  There's generally enough time to do it, but because the road is so curvy this is a difficult maneuver.  It's even worse if you come on the Inner Loop from southbound Rockville Pike.  You are placed in a left hand exit where you have to merge into the fast lane and then make 3 lane changes.  If I'm coming that way, I usually avoid this merge by continue south on Rockville Pike and making a u-turn at Alta Vista and then using the northbound Rockville Pike ramp that joins the Beltway from the right side.  But most people probably don't do that, so that contributes to the relative danger of this section of Beltway.

[1995hoo]

Any idea which agency is responsible for this bridge on Maryland Route 2 entering Baltimore from the south?

[1995hoo]

Never mind. I sent the Maryland State Highway Administration a tweet and they responded.

[Alps]

Never mind. I sent the Maryland State Highway Administration a tweet and they responded.

Is it theirs?

[1995hoo]

Never mind. I sent the Maryland State Highway Administration a tweet and they responded.

Is it theirs?

I don't know. They sent two replies:

@MDSHA: Pls fill this out and we will get the request to the right agency. Thanks. -Jp http://t.co/Y8C2NI5CpN

I filled in the form and they replied:

@MDSHA: We will work on those ASAP. The crews who fix them also plow the roads & we're getting more snow in the a.m. Jp

[cpzilliacus]

Any idea which agency is responsible for this bridge on Maryland Route 2 entering Baltimore from the south?

Baltimore City is an independent city (in the style of every city in the Commonwealth of Virginia), and as such, maintains nearly all street and highway infrastructure within city limits, except MdTA-maintained Interstates (all of I-95, I-395, I-695 and I-895 within the corporate limits of Baltimore).  The State Highway Administration maintains nothing in the city, even though SHA's main office is at 707 North Calvert Street.

You crossed the South Hanover Street Bridge, which is indeed signed as Md. 2 (but is still Baltimore City municipal maintenance).  I took a look at GSV to see what the bridge deck looked like when they came by, and amusingly, the GSV camera caught the City's maintenance forces patching the bridge deck.

[kj3400]

They've been working on it for a while. I live very close to it, and the city was patching it up a couple of months ago. But I think this winter has been rough on our streets. Quite a few potholes have opened up, me and my cousin nearly drove into one on Patapsco Avenue.

[1995hoo]

I just got an e-mail saying they transferred the issue to Baltimore City. That works for me. It was a situation where as someone who isn't a resident of that area I wasn't sure where the city limits are and I didn't know if they have a system like in Virginia where the state still maintains certain roads even in the independent cities.

[cpzilliacus]

I just got an e-mail saying they transferred the issue to Baltimore City. That works for me. It was a situation where as someone who isn't a resident of that area I wasn't sure where the city limits are and I didn't know if they have a system like in Virginia where the state still maintains certain roads even in the independent cities.

SHA is pretty good about that, and you did the right thing contacting them.

To add to the fun, in nearly every other municipality in Maryland, the SHA maintains all roads with a state, U.S. or Interstate route number, even within the corporate limits of a city, town or village (but no boroughs or townships, since those do not exist in Maryland).

[cpzilliacus]

They've been working on it for a while. I live very close to it, and the city was patching it up a couple of months ago.

IMO, a complete deck replacement looks to be in order.  When I've crossed it, it seems that traffic volumes are usually low enough that such a project could take two lanes at a time for a demolition and cast-in-place job (but there attractive architectural features of this span that need to be respected).

But I think this winter has been rough on our streets. Quite a few potholes have opened up, me and my cousin nearly drove into one on Patapsco Avenue.

A lot of Baltimore City streets and roads have that beat-to-hell look about them.  But on the other hand, the city does seem to eventually get around to doing bridge deck replacements when needed.

[cpzilliacus]

WTOP Radio: House passes measure to allow 70-mph speed limits

[TheOneKEA]

WTOP Radio: House passes measure to allow 70-mph speed limits

That's a great development. Hopefully the Bill passes the state Senate that easily as well and gets signed into law without any delays. I would be curious to know which highways SHA or MdTA would increase limits on first.

[1995hoo]

WTOP Radio: House passes measure to allow 70-mph speed limits

That's a great development. Hopefully the Bill passes the state Senate that easily as well and gets signed into law without any delays. I would be curious to know which highways SHA or MdTA would increase limits on first.

An SHA spokesman already noted the bill doesn't require them to increase any speed limits. Hopefully it wouldn't turn into an eastern version of Oregon!

The two places that instantly come to mind as appropriate are I-68 west of Cumberland (probably with a lower limit coming down the mountain into the city) and US-50 between the Capital Beltway and the Annapolis area (which could be 75 if hey allowed it). I'm not saying there aren't other places where higher limits would be appropriate, just that these two seem by far the most obvious.

[cpzilliacus]

WTOP Radio: House passes measure to allow 70-mph speed limits

That's a great development. Hopefully the Bill passes the state Senate that easily as well and gets signed into law without any delays. I would be curious to know which highways SHA or MdTA would increase limits on first.

An SHA spokesman already noted the bill doesn't require them to increase any speed limits. Hopefully it wouldn't turn into an eastern version of Oregon!

The two places that instantly come to mind as appropriate are I-68 west of Cumberland (probably with a lower limit coming down the mountain into the city) and US-50 between the Capital Beltway and the Annapolis area (which could be 75 if hey allowed it). I'm not saying there aren't other places where higher limits would be appropriate, just that these two seem by far the most obvious.

IMO, all or very nearly all of the JFK Highway between I-695 and the Delaware Line could and should be posted 70 MPH.  Only exception is approaching and crossing the Millard Tydings Bridge over the Susquehanna River, where a permanent (or variable) lower limit might be appropriate because of the cross winds on that structure - and because northbound traffic must slow for the toll barrier at Perryville prior to Md. 222.

I-70 between Frederick (Exit 56) and U.S. 29 (Exit 87) could be 70 - as well as I-70 between Hancock (Exit 3) and Md. 55 (Exit 35).
 
EDIT:  While we are at it, most of the Capital Beltway in both states should be 65.  Exception for the "roller coaster" section between Exit 31 (Md. 97) and Exit 35 and Exit 36 (Md. 355 and I-270).

[1995hoo]

I don't know whether the bill would allow higher speed limits on roads with at-grade intersections, and I suspect it wouldn't matter because they wouldn't post them anyway. But I think US-15 from north of Frederick up to the Pennsylvania state line could certainly be posted higher than it is (last Saturday I had my cruise control set at 65 on there just to prevent myself from going faster). It's been a few years since I've been on US-301 on the Eastern Shore and I don't know what the speed limit is there, but I seem to recall that being another road that should be posted at 65, at least once you get past Queenstown.

Regarding the JFK Highway, I agree there, at least once the construction is complete near White Marsh (I'm assuming it's still ongoing).

I-83 north of Timonium might be appropriate as well, although last Saturday I was going 70 on there and I found I was the fastest guy on the road until we got north of York. So maybe the current 65 is appropriate based on traffic flow.

My wife commented on how annoying it is coming south on I-270 that the speed limit drops from 65 to 55 right before the road widens out to three lanes. I can't foresee them posting 70 on that current 65-mph segment just because it's relatively short and because it's got a fair number of curves and hills that slow down the trucks.