Maryland

[davewiecking]

I do hope that one person in every vehicle that crosses the Bay Bridge after July 1 will either buy an extra half beer or small Thrasher's fries because of the enormous savings in the cost of their eastward trip. And if they're staying in Delaware, they still have to go spend an extra $2 in Ocean City.

[TheOneKEA]

Now that Governor Hogan has signed the bill authorizing speeds of 70mph after the completion of a traffic study, where on the SHA website would the public find out when those studies are scheduled to begin? The media reported that these studies cost up to $350K so I doubt the SHA does them on short notice.

[cpzilliacus]

Now that Governor Hogan has signed the bill authorizing speeds of 70mph after the completion of a traffic study, where on the SHA website would the public find out when those studies are scheduled to begin? The media reported that these studies cost up to $350K so I doubt the SHA does them on short notice.

Nothing on the SHA Web site about 70 MPH (just checked the entire site with Google), except a new provision for 70 MPH guardrail end treatments (dated April 2015, before the new 70 MPH maximum speed limit was signed into law).

Maryland laws usually take effect at the end of June or the end of September following the General Assembly session in which it was approved.

[TheOneKEA]

Now that Governor Hogan has signed the bill authorizing speeds of 70mph after the completion of a traffic study, where on the SHA website would the public find out when those studies are scheduled to begin? The media reported that these studies cost up to $350K so I doubt the SHA does them on short notice.

Nothing on the SHA Web site about 70 MPH (just checked the entire site with Google), except a new provision for 70 MPH guardrail end treatments (dated April 2015, before the new 70 MPH maximum speed limit was signed into law).

Maryland laws usually take effect at the end of June or the end of September following the General Assembly session in which it was approved.

I actually found and read a copy of Senate Bill 44 but I don't recall reading anything stating when the law would go into effect once signed.

If I can't find anything I might contact the SHA and ask them when and where they expect to begin the traffic studies.

[1995hoo]

I believe the law allows 70-mph limits beginning on October 1.

[noelbotevera]

hello yall! Over the progress of about four whole years  my family has nearly clinched I-70, and clinched I-81. Only the portion east of Exit 91 is not clinched. Other clinches include I-695 from exit 10 to exit 17 (heading towards MD 10), I-795 and I-895, I-95 from south of exit 43, and the Capital Beltway portion (west of exit 38), and north of exit 55. I-295 hasn't been clinched yet. I-495 has not been clinched from exit 38 to exit 2. I-83 hasn't been clinched yet too, and I-97! My family is nearly done with every mile of interstate highway in Maryland. Now let's see if I can handle five years and pass a driving test. or when the West Coast gets submerged in water

[TheOneKEA]

The former direct turnoffs to Gates Lane and Old Columbia Road from northbound US 29 in Columbia have been closed and blocked. This leaves only the service access to a local neighborhood from northbound US 29 between MD 175 and MD 108 as the only remaining direct turnoff north of Old Columbia Road in Howard County.

It will be interesting to see if the next HLR for Howard County lists that segment of US 29 as fully access controlled; right now the only segment that is fully access controlled is the segment north of MD 108, with the highway south of there being partially access controlled.

[D-Dey65]

The annual cost for the Hatem-only E-ZPass will double to $20 on July 1, the Maryland Transportation Authority announced.

Wait a minute; They actually have those? So does that mean you can buy an E-Z Pass system in one region, and it won't be valid in another?




Just keep giving me more reasons to stick to cash tolls, Feds.

[cpzilliacus]

The annual cost for the Hatem-only E-ZPass will double to $20 on July 1, the Maryland Transportation Authority announced.

Wait a minute; They actually have those? So does that mean you can buy an E-Z Pass system in one region, and it won't be valid in another?




Just keep giving me more reasons to stick to cash tolls, Feds.

Cash tolls are going to go away, in Maryland and probably in every other state.  The Pennsylvania Turnpike is well on its way to eliminating cash toll collection on its entire network, and of course Maryland has all-electronic tolling on the I-95 Express Toll Lanes as well as on Md. 200 (ICC).  Get used to it.

Nothing stops you from getting a Hatem Bridge transponder from MdTA if you want one.  But the intended market is obviously residents of Cecil and Harford Counties that have a need to cross the lower Susquehanna River frequently, and would like to avoid the steep toll ($8 from the Havre de Grace side in Harford County to Perryville in Cecil County on U.S. 40 and I-95). 

[cpzilliacus]

WTOP Radio: Emergency bridge repairs to close lanes on Outer Loop

Beginning this Thursday evening, emergency bridge work on the Capital Beltway outer loop at Connecticut Avenue could mean up to three lanes being closed.

"The bridge repairs involve deck work, or the driving surface,"  says Maryland State Highway Administration spokesman Charlie Gischlar.

"Residents and travelers are advised that the construction equipment that's going to be used is loud and disruptive,"  he adds. "SHA asks for your patience as crews work to complete the project."

[CanesFan27]

Though I will most likely not be able to run this race in 2015.  I think I am gonna try for it in 2016.

10k Run/Walkover the Chesapeake Bay Bridge on November 8th, 2015.

http://bridgerace.com/

[cpzilliacus]

Baltimore Sun: Hogan shifts money to roads, but not everyone's a winner

When Gov. Larry Hogan pulled the plug on Baltimore's Red Line last month, he rolled out $2 billion in spending on road projects, giving the state's toll-free highway system its largest infusion of cash in decades.

In shifting Maryland's transportation priorities from transit projects to roads, the Republican made clear that as long as he is governor, asphalt will flow freely.

But not necessarily evenly.

The list of major new projects that Hogan funded includes big-ticket highway improvements for rural Maryland, from Garrett County in the west to the Eastern Shore. There are projects costing $100 million or more in Prince George's, Montgomery and Frederick counties.

In Baltimore City? Nothing.

In Baltimore County? Less than 1 percent of spending for new projects.

[cpzilliacus]

Though I will most likely not be able to run this race in 2015.  I think I am gonna try for it in 2016.

10k Run/Walkover the Chesapeake Bay Bridge on November 8th, 2015.

http://bridgerace.com/

Wish they would just restore the Bay Bridge Walk.

[CanesFan27]

Why what's wrong with having it as a 10k?

[froggie]

Given precedent elsewhere, I see no reason why they couldn't do both a run and walk.  I've seen plenty of folks at 5K's and 10K's who were walking instead of jogging/running (including myself at the last 5K I did in the area...stupid injury)

[CanesFan27]

I don't see where it says no walking.  In fact it says that it is a run/walk.  Says a run/walk for individuals 10 and older and a kids fun run for those 12 and younger. 

There are going to be people walking they just incorporate everything into the race. It's the same as they do in Charleston with the 10k over the Ravenel Bridge.

[cpzilliacus]

Baltimore Sun: Hogan's top-10 funded road projects in Maryland

[Mr_Northside]

Baltimore Sun: Hogan's top-10 funded road projects in Maryland

9: Anne Arundel: $25 million to reconfigure lanes on Severn River bridge on U.S. 50.

I wonder what exactly that will entail.  There isn't really any space to convert shoulders, cause there are barely any:
https://goo.gl/maps/RBlfC

Unless they actually widen the bridge, I can't see how you could reconfigure anything on that bridge without reducing a direction to just 2 lanes - which sounds kind of ridiculous to me.

[BrianP]

Baltimore Sun: Hogan's top-10 funded road projects in Maryland

9: Anne Arundel: $25 million to reconfigure lanes on Severn River bridge on U.S. 50.

I wonder what exactly that will entail.  There isn't really any space to convert shoulders, cause there are barely any:
https://goo.gl/maps/RBlfC

Unless they actually widen the bridge, I can't see how you could reconfigure anything on that bridge without reducing a direction to just 2 lanes - which sounds kind of ridiculous to me.

I had the same question but the project page has details:

Conceptual Alternatives have been developed to include:
- Reversible lanes with a movable barrier system
- Lane speed control with variable speed limits per section
- Ramp metering with improved signal timing
- CD lane system
- Potential for a new bridge

Given the money amount for the project a new bridge is obviously not in play now. 
http://apps.roads.maryland.gov/WebProjectLifeCycle/ProjectInformation.aspx?projectno=AA221112

[TheOneKEA]

I am very pleased to see that reconstruction of MD 404 made the top of the list. There is ongoing construction on MD 404 right now west of Denton but the rest of the road needs to be reconstructed soonest.

The MD 175/MD 295 interchange needs to be a SPUI already; it will be interesting to see if a SPUI is one of the alternatives.

[cpzilliacus]

The MD 175/MD 295 interchange needs to be a SPUI already; it will be interesting to see if a SPUI is one of the alternatives.

Even though the transition between SHA maintenance and NPS maintenance is south of this interchange, I suspect that (at least) NPS concurrence might be required anyway.

That likely takes some time.

[froggie]

I am very pleased to see that reconstruction of MD 404 made the top of the list.

A "nice to have", but IMO the bigger bottleneck and where they should've put the money instead is building an interchange at 50/404.  THAT'S where the main slowdown is, not on the 2-lane segment to the east...

The MD 175/MD 295 interchange needs to be a SPUI already; it will be interesting to see if a SPUI is one of the alternatives.

According to SHA and the project website, the plan is to remove the northeast and southwest loops and convert it into a 6-ramp Parclo A4.  175 would be widened to a 4-lane divided roadway through the interchange.

I suspect that (at least) NPS concurrence might be required anyway.

As long as they don't go past the transition zone, no.  The Arundel Mills ramps and 6-laning north of 195 didn't require NPS concurrence...this shouldn't be any different, again as long as they don't cross the transition zone.

[noelbotevera]

Baltimore Sun: Hogan's top-10 funded road projects in Maryland

9: Anne Arundel: $25 million to reconfigure lanes on Severn River bridge on U.S. 50.

I wonder what exactly that will entail.  There isn't really any space to convert shoulders, cause there are barely any:
https://goo.gl/maps/RBlfC

Unless they actually widen the bridge, I can't see how you could reconfigure anything on that bridge without reducing a direction to just 2 lanes - which sounds kind of ridiculous to me.

I had the same question but the project page has details:

Conceptual Alternatives have been developed to include:
- Reversible lanes with a movable barrier system
- Lane speed control with variable speed limits per section
- Ramp metering with improved signal timing
- CD lane system
- Potential for a new bridge

Given the money amount for the project a new bridge is obviously not in play now. 
http://apps.roads.maryland.gov/WebProjectLifeCycle/ProjectInformation.aspx?projectno=AA221112

That should really be the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, even though it got twinned in the 70s, it needs another set of lanes, some shoulders, and some other great stuff. I don't really know how this fixes traffic through Annapolis, as you can take MD 450 to the south.

[cpzilliacus]

That should really be the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, even though it got twinned in the 70s, it needs another set of lanes, some shoulders, and some other great stuff.

Improvements at the Bay Bridge crossing (what you describe above can only be achieved with an entirely new bridge span) would almost certainly be toll-financed by the Maryland Transportation Authority, not from the state Transportation Trust Fund.

I don't really know how this fixes traffic through Annapolis, as you can take MD 450 to the south.

Md. 450 through Annapolis is mostly a narrow two-lane undivided arterial. 

It cannot come close to handling the traffic that U.S. 50 does.

[NJRoadfan]

Long term if the Bay Bridge gets another span, they'll have to do something at the Severn and likely Kent Narrows.