Maryland

[TheOneKEA]

Does anyone know which segment of Interstate highway is likely to be the next segment whose posted speed limit is increased to 70mph? The announcement of the increase for I-70 seemed to appear without much fanfare.

[mattpedersen]

Does anyone know which segment of Interstate highway is likely to be the next segment whose posted speed limit is increased to 70mph? The announcement of the increase for I-70 seemed to appear without much fanfare.

My guess is either I-83 or the US 50-US 13 bypass.

[cpzilliacus]

Does anyone know which segment of Interstate highway is likely to be the next segment whose posted speed limit is increased to 70mph? The announcement of the increase for I-70 seemed to appear without much fanfare.

My guess is either I-83 or the US 50-US 13 bypass.

U.S. 50 (John Hanson Highway) from Md. 410 in New Carrollton to Md. 665 should be a candidate.

[epzik8]

I too have many pictures of the new Speed Limit 70 signs on I-70. The easternmost one is located immediately west of the U.S. 29 interchange where I-70 temporarily contracts to two lanes in each direction. I was very surprised to see that because I was only expecting the increase to be west of Frederick, or even west of Hagerstown. Never did I foresee a 70 mph speed limit in Ellicott City, Maryland.

This is that picture:


I think I-83 between Shawan Road and the PA line will be the next to get upped. In fact, with much of the Pennsylvania Turnpike also at 70 mph, I'm not against PA's southernmost ten miles of I-83 (up to Loganville) and also maybe between about exits 24 and 36 (between York and Harrisburg) getting increased to 70 as well. I do about 75 on I-83 north of Hunt Valley anyway.

[CentralPAGal]

I think I-83 between Shawan Road and the PA line will be the next to get upped. In fact, with much of the Pennsylvania Turnpike also at 70 mph, I'm not against PA's southernmost ten miles of I-83 (up to Loganville) and also maybe between about exits 24 and 36 (between York and Harrisburg) getting increased to 70 as well. I do about 75 on I-83 north of Hunt Valley anyway.

I'm with you on the southernmost 10 miles of I-83 in PA being upped to 70 (up to exit 14, actually), but Exits 24-36? Just no. 24-28 is alright, but north of there is too narrow IMO

[noelbotevera]

I think I-83 between Shawan Road and the PA line will be the next to get upped. In fact, with much of the Pennsylvania Turnpike also at 70 mph, I'm not against PA's southernmost ten miles of I-83 (up to Loganville) and also maybe between about exits 24 and 36 (between York and Harrisburg) getting increased to 70 as well. I do about 75 on I-83 north of Hunt Valley anyway.

I'm with you on the southernmost 10 miles of I-83 in PA being upped to 70 (up to exit 14, actually), but Exits 24-36? Just no. 24-28 is alright, but north of there is too narrow IMO

The PA Turnpike has narrow sections that are 70. Some of the roadway east of Somerset is narrow and is 70 mph. East of the Highspire Service Plaza is also narrow. Both are at 70, and there's still some sections that are narrow.

I'd have I-83 have the following 70 stretches:

MD Line to Exit 15 (I-83 Bus)
Exit 22 (PA 181) to Exit 32 (PA 382)
Exit 46 (US 322/I-283) to Exit 51 (I-81)

Fixed the route numbers for you. PA 183 should be PA 181, and PA 392 should be PA 382 (if referring to Exit 32).-Mark

[74/171FAN]

I think I-83 between Shawan Road and the PA line will be the next to get upped. In fact, with much of the Pennsylvania Turnpike also at 70 mph, I'm not against PA's southernmost ten miles of I-83 (up to Loganville) and also maybe between about exits 24 and 36 (between York and Harrisburg) getting increased to 70 as well. I do about 75 on I-83 north of Hunt Valley anyway.

I'm with you on the southernmost 10 miles of I-83 in PA being upped to 70 (up to exit 14, actually), but Exits 24-36? Just no. 24-28 is alright, but north of there is too narrow IMO

The PA Turnpike has narrow sections that are 70. Some of the roadway east of Somerset is narrow and is 70 mph. East of the Highspire Service Plaza is also narrow. Both are at 70, and there's still some sections that are narrow.

I'd have I-83 have the following 70 stretches:
MD Line to Exit 15 (I-83 Bus)
Exit 22 (PA 181) to Exit 32 (PA 382)
Exit 46 (US 322/I-283) to Exit 51 (I-81)

From seeing PA's motives on speed limits, I could only see the portion south of Exit 14 maybe becoming 70 in the future.  North of York has areas that are narrow as mentioned.

Also the portion from the Eisenhower Interchange to I-81 is undergoing a widening project in a few years (ultimately with planned widening to 19th St (Exit 44) throughout the next 15 years).  Considering I-81 is still 55 from west of US 11/US 15 (Exit 65) to Paxtonia/Linglestown (Exit 72), I have a hard time believing that a widened I-83 would have a higher speed limit than 55 unless PA decides to make 60 mph speed limits exist.

[epzik8]

Please don't exceed 70 on I-70 east of Frederick (I mean, it's obviously against state laws to exceed it anywhere on I-70 west of Ellicott City). Just yesterday I hit 80 going eastbound at about MM 66 west of Mount Airy. That stretch between exits 62 and 68 is very curvy. Pretty sure I almost ran off the highway. I was in the left lane flying past a tractor-trailer and suddenly I'm going 80 when I should really be doing about 60. Don't be stupid like me.

[cpzilliacus]

Online chat between Dr. Gridlock of the Washington Post and Maryland's Secretary of Transportation Pete Rahn from a week ago is here.

[cpzilliacus]

Baltimore Sun: Hogan's clash with Democrats over transportation spending reignited

A bitter fight between Gov. Larry Hogan and the Democratic leaders of the General Assembly – over a law governing how billions of state dollars will be spent on transportation projects – is flaring anew.

Hogan vehemently opposes the law, which creates a scoring system that could help determine which projects receive state funding. But the Republican administration had been pushing it into effect more quickly than lawmakers intended.

[cpzilliacus]

Baltimore Sun editorial: Hogan's roadblock

As hundreds of local officials make the trek to Ocean City this week for the annual Maryland Association of Counties conference, they'll have plenty of reason to think about the state's transportation system, and not just because of backups on Route 50. This week brings yet another salvo in the fight between the Hogan administration and the General Assembly over a new law requiring the Department of Transportation to develop a ranking system for highway projects. It's like a messy divorce with local governments playing the role of the children caught in the middle.

[ixnay]

U.S. 113 is closed at the railroad crossing just south of Newark, MD (between Berlin and Snow Hill) per Google Maps.  Are they redoing the crossing?

ixnay

[cpzilliacus]

U.S. 113 is closed at the railroad crossing just south of Newark, MD (between Berlin and Snow Hill) per Google Maps.  Are they redoing the crossing?

This appears to be the only project currently going on in the U.S. 113 Corridor in Maryland.  Apparently this closure is about stormwater management pipes associated with widening and dualizing of U.S. 113, not grade crossing work (and  it  is not clear to me if they will build an overpass at the railroad tracks or not as part of the project).

[cpzilliacus]

And the fun continues.

Washington Post: Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan plans to call for repeal of a transportation-funding law

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) plans to call for the repeal of a new transportation finance law opposed by him and by county officials who are alarmed by the scores their projects have received under a state system for prioritizing funding.

St. Mary's Board of County Commissioners President James Randy Guy (R) said he talked with the governor about the issue at the Maryland Association of Counties summer conference in Ocean City, which is the state's largest annual gathering of elected officials.

"He said we need to repeal the bill,"  Guy said. "What will happen now, who knows?"  

[froggie]

With the Dems controlling the Assembly, and them and Hogan at odds about transportation to begin with, I put the odds at a repeal at basically nil...

[epzik8]

I'm not going to pretend I know exactly what the transportation bill mess is about. I don't know if the bill is "good" or "bad". What I do know is that politics is really ugly.

[epzik8]

I saw some work being done in the median of I-95 in between the Raphel Road overpass and the Gunpowder Falls bridge this morning. There were two concrete barriers on either end of the median. Does anyone think this is preliminary work for the proposed extension of the express toll lanes?

[ixnay]

The impasse continues in front of that hardware/lumber store in Berlin, MD...

http://mdcoastdispatch.com/2016/08/25/no-resolution-in-sight-for-berlin-road-impasse/

ixnay

[jcn]

I'm curious to know if anyone noticed that at Exit 93 on I-95, they are apparently replacing the high mast lights.  Has anyone noticed that?

[cpzilliacus]

I saw some work being done in the median of I-95 in between the Raphel Road overpass and the Gunpowder Falls bridge this morning. There were two concrete barriers on either end of the median. Does anyone think this is preliminary work for the proposed extension of the express toll lanes?

I do not think it is directly related to the extension of the ETLs. As far as I know, no extension has been put in the MDTA construction program (and the replacement of the Harry Nice Bridge should be a higher priority anyway).

[Roadsguy]

According to Historic Aerials, I-195 had a full stub end at MD 166 before the park and ride was built. However, I can't seem to find any information on plans to extend it farther west. Was 195 intended to go anywhere farther, or were those stubs always meant for a park and ride?

[Mergingtraffic]

What's the best place to look for upcoming signing projects details in MD or Baltimore city?

[froggie]

According to Historic Aerials, I-195 had a full stub end at MD 166 before the park and ride was built. However, I can't seem to find any information on plans to extend it farther west. Was 195 intended to go anywhere farther, or were those stubs always meant for a park and ride?

The 1980 Baltimore County Master Plan has a map that suggests what might-have-been.  In short, it looks like it would have followed the east side of the Patapsco River valley up to I-70 about halfway between US 29 and I-695.

[cpzilliacus]

What's the best place to look for upcoming signing projects details in MD or Baltimore city?

Maryland Marketplace is where IFBs for new signing projects to be done by contractors for SHA or MDTA are posted.

Click "open bids."

Bid numbers for SHA projects will start with MDJ02.  MDTA projects will start with  MDJ07.

[cpzilliacus]

Washington Post: Hogan: $5 million study set for new Chesapeake Bay crossing