Posted on 12/28/2017 1:02:57 AM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
BALTIMORE —
In September, Governor Larry Hogan announced a massive plan to ease congestion on the D.C. Beltway. Tuesday, it was Baltimore's turn.
Hogan and his transportation team unveiled a multipronged approach that could cut commute times for millions of Marylanders.
Maryland has the second longest commuting times in the nation. Six of the 15 most congested spots in our state are on the Baltimore Beltway.
Hogan announced a $461 million traffic-relief plan for Interstates 695 and 95 north.
The plan "will benefit the lives of millions of drivers throughout the Baltimore region," Hogan said.
There are four components to the plan. A combination of new technology and new construction will start at the Interstate 70 interchange.
"To break a notorious bottleneck, we are also investing $100 million for the design and construction of a massive new Interstates 695 and 70 interchange, known as the triple bridges," Hogan said.
To ease backups around the topside of the beltway to Route 43, shoulders will become travel lanes.
The inside shoulders of the inner and outer loop will add two new lanes, one in each direction, for 19 of the Beltway's 51 miles.
"Adding the new capacity, our models are showing at least a 15-minute reduction in travel time in each direction," said Greg Slater, State Highway Administrator.
Sensors on the roadway and on the ramps will work together to manage traffic flow on and off the Interstate.
More new tech to be installed on northbound Interstate 95 includes "express toll lanes" north of Route 43 in Baltimore County up to Route 24 in Harford County.
The new express toll lanes on Interstate 95 are expected to be in service by the end of 2022. Updates to the shoulders and ramp metering are expected to be implemented piece-by-piece over several years.
Maryland “Freak State” PING!
So a Republican governor addresses a basic infrastructure and quality of life issue head on?
This is why you vote Republican. A Democrat would be pushing for mass transit in impractical ways.
I hope the plan works, but I read of other studies (but can’t find where) that adding new lanes only provides temporary relief. People who had been avoiding the bottleneck apparently come out of the woodwork and re-clog the road.
It’s too early I thot I saw Ease Constipation
More coffee,please!
Don’t forget, the Governor has an uphill battle to get something that improves the quality of life through the demoncrat controlled general asylum in Annapolis. Only demoncrats can “promise” such things; they can’t have the befuddled masses thinking otherwise.
Here’s a thought... move closer to where you work! GASP! I know right?
Long overdue.
Even on Saturdays and Sundays that is jammed up (70E to 695 North), I can imagine what its like every weekday rush hours commute.
Yes it is bad.
To ease backups around the topside of the beltway to Route 43, shoulders will become travel lanes.
That sounds like a good idea except for that if there is a breakdown or accident, with no shoulder, were is someone to pull over to?
So move to a new house each and every year to be close to your job. People can have 30 different jobs overall.
Looney tunes.
A Democrat Governor would be subsidizing choo-choo trains and bicycle paths.
Deport all the illegals that are driving would help too.
I thought the plan to ease Baltimore congestion was to let rioters burn all the cars and make people so poor that they couldn’t afford to buy new ones or so disgusted that they leave the city.
How’s about completing I-70 all the way into downtown - as was the original plan?
Decades ago Maryland had a plan to extend 29N to the Baltimore Beltway but Howard county opposed it and one of the HC planners told me that without the county’s cooperation the state would never get the Feds environmental permission to build across the Patapsco park (near Daniels Area) and the river.
The State dropped it a few years ago and another neighborhood was built where a forest was on the North side of Rogers Avenue near 29 where the extension would have been.
When I did have to go from 70E to 695N I would go all the way to the end of 70 (left lane) and loop around the parking area to bypass the twin bridges to take that exit North.
I am guessing that messing with the bridges there is way more expensive than Hogan can get $$$ for and might have even shut down the entire pass-way till it was completed (I am no expert)
If an accident happens as you say traffic can go either South or further East and take a U turn as I have done many times.
Funny guy.
You don’t live around here, do you?
Google “induced demand.”
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