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Post by AquaHolic on Dec 22, 2011 13:20:12 GMT -4
www.stardem.com/news/local_news/article_07c24185-61c8-520a-b6a7-657e385e04bb.htmlPosted: Thursday, December 22, 2011 12:00 am | Updated: 6:51 am, Thu Dec 22, 2011. By M.J. NEUBERGER Staff Writer | 0 comments ANNAPOLIS Comptroller Peter Franchot asked the governor and state legislators on Wednesday to support the design of an overpass at the intersection of U.S. Route 301 and state Route 304 and said State Highway Administration funds should be set aside for the project. Speaking at a Dec. 21 Maryland Board of Public Works meeting, Franchot praised SHA's quick construction of a J-turn, but said an overpass should be a priority at the deadly intersection and advocated for $5 million to be included in next year's budget to complete design work on the interchange. "This has everything to do with saving lives," said Franchot, citing five deaths at the intersection in the last six years, including the "gruesome accident" that claimed the life of Queen Anne's County High School student Connor Rice in September. Referencing a Dec. 14 visit he made to the intersection, Franchot said he was "impressed" with SHA's efforts to complete a J-turn within the last two months, but he added, "Let's face it. The J-turn is a short-term solution ... and frankly creates some hazards of its own. "The only viable, long-term solution is a grade-separated intersection" with an overpass, Franchot said. Franchot said $60 million, which is SHA's estimated total cost of construction and land acquisition for the project, "isn't cheap." "I know there are other priorities around the state," said Franchot "but this project and others like it must be moved to the front of the line ... so that nobody has to live with what Connor Rice's parents have had to go through this season." The design phase of the overpass could be completed for $5 million, Franchot said. SHA put design on hold in 2008 because of lack of funds. The money, Franchot said, should be included in the capital budget for fiscal year 2013. According to SHA community liaison Gee Williams, once the design phase is complete, $1.7 million would be required to acquire property and then $50 million would be needed for construction, which he said would take three years.
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Post by lainey on Dec 22, 2011 13:39:31 GMT -4
Fantastic News Aqua! This is very encouraging - dont let up though - we must stay on them to see it through.
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Post by moose on Dec 27, 2011 9:39:36 GMT -4
Sorry to be the downer here, but I feel its a political move. Yes he stood there and listened to everyone concerns. But I dont see how the state is going to put out the money for a overpass when they just put out the money for the J turn intersection. There hasnt been any studys done there yet to see if the J turn intersection made it better.
I'm sorry people have died there, but are we going to put a overpass at every intersection on 301 that people have died at? Because there are a lot more intersection north that people have died at also.
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Post by AquaHolic on Dec 27, 2011 17:27:29 GMT -4
Sorry to be the downer here, but I feel its a political move. Yes he stood there and listened to everyone concerns. But I dont see how the state is going to put out the money for a overpass when they just put out the money for the J turn intersection. There hasnt been any studys done there yet to see if the J turn intersection made it better. I'm sorry people have died there, but are we going to put a overpass at every intersection on 301 that people have died at? Because there are a lot more intersection north that people have died at also. Moose, Obviously you do not know this intersection. The J Turns are Part of the process of putting an overpass there. In 2005 when Ehrlich okay'd an over pass as he saw how dangerous it was...the JTurns were included in the plan. There was money to start the process but it was transferred out of the Transportation fund and put into the General fund....to just disappear. When they start the overpass they have to give those who need to cross 301 a way to do it without being in the way so the JTurns are Part of this Process...NOT something extra. This intersection is a Direct route to 4 Of our County schools...so School Buses and kids driving to and from school and parents dropping off their kids use this route. 301 is NOT a state highway...it is a Federal highway...it is US301 not MD301. There is a truck stop on the corner which sets this intersection apart from ALL other intersections on 301. There have been deaths in the double digits at this intersection...one a year for the past 5 years..and numerous injuries and property damage...(which by the way OUR taxes pay to clean up.)As for Peter Franchot...it is Way to far away from election time for his voicing his concern about this intersection to benefit him in any way. He is doing a lot more then just listening and nodding his head... And personally I really wouldn't care if it were politically motivated if it gets us our overpass. I have a 12 year old son. When he rides the bus to High school he WILL have to go through this intersection. So I am not going to stop until the overpass is funded. So far I think we are doing a great job at making it an important issue to those who have the power to make it happen. Almost 6000 people have signed my petition for an overpass...5100 online and 800 on hard copies. I would say its important to them also.
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Post by honeybee on Dec 27, 2011 18:14:25 GMT -4
....and might I ask, since it is US301 (a federal highway) where has Andy Harris been on this issue??
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Post by AquaHolic on Dec 27, 2011 18:39:05 GMT -4
....and might I ask, since it is US301 (a federal highway) where has Andy Harris been on this issue?? We are working on him too ....
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Post by falgar25 on Dec 27, 2011 19:14:58 GMT -4
Aquaholic: You do realize your 12 year old son will be out of school before the overpass is open?
We'll see what happens. $60M is a lot money when we can't pay the bills we already have. As moose points out, there hasn't been a study to determine if the J-turns were sufficient to mitigate the problem, and we know how this state LOVES studies.
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Post by moose on Dec 27, 2011 19:37:40 GMT -4
Aquaholic: You do realize your 12 year old son will be out of school before the overpass is open? We'll see what happens. $60M is a lot money when we can't pay the bills we already have. As moose points out, there hasn't been a study to determine if the J-turns were sufficient to mitigate the problem, and we know how this state LOVES studies. that was my point.. And I drive that part of the road everyday. Why not put a light up? Cant tell me its because its a federal highway. Last time I looked us50 has a light at 404. I'm shocked that a light wasnt discussed. I feel with the J turns they are just as dangerous. Espically when I watched the high school kid in his pickup pass the tractor trailer on the shoulder to cut across the two lanes to get to the J turn. The dover bridge needs to be replaced badly. I'd rather see the 60 million go there before it gets stuck again or falls into the river. As for the accidents. Really sorry that the boy died. Was the driver that caused the accident charged by the way? I wasnt here when the accident took place, we were out of town. I know the intersections very well. I drive 301 Every morning. IMO the trucks crossing are not the problem. Its the impatient drivers trying to cross.
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Post by RobMoore on Dec 27, 2011 19:51:38 GMT -4
I've had more close calls since the J turns went in than I ever had with the old setup.
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Post by bchevy on Dec 27, 2011 20:15:14 GMT -4
Just block it off. done. and cheaper.
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Post by AquaHolic on Dec 27, 2011 20:18:12 GMT -4
Aquaholic: You do realize your 12 year old son will be out of school before the overpass is open? We'll see what happens. $60M is a lot money when we can't pay the bills we already have. As moose points out, there hasn't been a study to determine if the J-turns were sufficient to mitigate the problem, and we know how this state LOVES studies. He might be....but the point is...other kids will be still in those buses trying to cross that road. The JTurns are NOT the fix....they are in the Interim until the overpass is built...."state of Marylands verbage".
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Post by AquaHolic on Dec 27, 2011 20:30:24 GMT -4
Aquaholic: You do realize your 12 year old son will be out of school before the overpass is open? We'll see what happens. $60M is a lot money when we can't pay the bills we already have. As moose points out, there hasn't been a study to determine if the J-turns were sufficient to mitigate the problem, and we know how this state LOVES studies. that was my point.. And I drive that part of the road everyday. Why not put a light up? Cant tell me its because its a federal highway. Last time I looked us50 has a light at 404. I'm shocked that a light wasnt discussed. I feel with the J turns they are just as dangerous. Espically when I watched the high school kid in his pickup pass the tractor trailer on the shoulder to cut across the two lanes to get to the J turn. The dover bridge needs to be replaced badly. I'd rather see the 60 million go there before it gets stuck again or falls into the river. As for the accidents. Really sorry that the boy died. Was the driver that caused the accident charged by the way? I wasnt here when the accident took place, we were out of town. I know the intersections very well. I drive 301 Every morning. IMO the trucks crossing are not the problem. Its the impatient drivers trying to cross. The state ruled out a light as there are NO lights on 301 from DE to DC. They say the light would cause more accidents. There was a light at 213...after a few horrific accidents...they built an overpass. Now there are even more neighborhoods on the other side of 301 that have to cross over to get the kids to school. The boy that died was being driven by his brother. A tractor trailer was sitting to his right...he poked his jeep out to try and see past the tractor trailer...the Driver of the truck waved him on (which was not what he was doing...he was just telling the boy he could go first) Boy pulls out...truck hits jeep. The intersection was setup to make you fail. There was NO room for error. The boy driving the jeep was not in a hurry...neither were the other 5 people who were killed at that intersection in the last 5 years. The boys father was a few cars back...saw the it all happen and was first on the scene...this should Never happen again. As for the dover bridge...if you want the money to go there..then do what we are doing...fight for it. Because I can guarantee you...we will be getting an over pass because of what we are doing. Our overpass was given the go ahead years ago...part of the studies have Already been done. I have a copy of the drawings of the "overpass" sitting in front of me...The JTurns are not safe...just today someone saw 4 tractor trailers coming straight across the middle of the closed intersection to make a left onto 301..they just rode over the concrete. The problem is there is too much at that intersection....The light at the northbound Jturn has been knocked down 2x...and let me tell you...if a truck misjudges that bump out...he will flip off the side down an embankment...its not big enough. There is much the general public does not know...and in time it will be made public. As for the 60 mil price tag....there are ways to creatively pay for it...so it won't cost that much...AND some of it has already been funded. So...you help me get my overpass...I will help you with all my resources get your Dover Bridge...hows that...than we can get an overpass at the 50/213 intersection. I for one am sick and tired of paying high taxes and watching other counties get the benefit of them...Its time for a change...
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Post by AquaHolic on Dec 27, 2011 20:46:01 GMT -4
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Post by RobMoore on Dec 28, 2011 7:54:56 GMT -4
I'll see if I can get around to it next time I'm on facebook.
The basic answer is that people coming off the j turn do the same thing they did turning onto 301 from the original crossover: Pull out into an occupied lane of traffic, causing the vehicle they pull in front of to rapidly scrub off speed. Some pull into the left lane, some cross it to get to the right lane. Some pull out with plenty of time to not be a hazard, but neglect to accelerate up to highway speed in time.
The other main hazard is people turning onto 301 from 304 wishing to utilize the j turn. They don't honor the right of way of other drivers. They need to get over, and they will get over in front of you. Most of them don't realize that their vehicles are capable of accelerating up to 55mph, holding it for a reasonable amount of time to allow them to merge twice, and then decelerate beginning at the j-turn pull off down from 55 to 0mph. They lazily get onto 301, merge into the slow lane, merge into the fast lane, then brake on the approach to the j-turn, never having reached 45mph during the whole affair, and being an unpredictable hazard the entire time.
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Post by msnlinks on Dec 28, 2011 10:58:21 GMT -4
Since they installed the J-turns I avoid the intersection at all costs. I feel they are much more hazardous than the original intersection. At night, you can't see or judge how far away oncoming traffic is; you have to cross two lanes of traffic in a short amount of time to access the turn and then you have to cross two more lanes of traffic to get to the road you were trying to get to in the first place. I live in Ridgely and commute to Lanham on a daily basis. Instead of using 301 via 304, I go to Rolling Bridge which I think is a much safer intersection. Oncoming traffic is easier to see. I realize I could take 50 to 404 but that's a whole different set of problems. I can't wait for the overpass!
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Post by moose on Dec 28, 2011 11:01:30 GMT -4
I signed the petition a long time ago. I'm not against it, just wish they would look for cheaper, less impact on the surrending business and land owners. Do you know if the overpass will go right where the interscection is now? or will be moved a little north or south?
As for the dover bridge, I do not live there, or travel that way much. The money for the replacement was set aside I think by governor Ehrlch many years ago, but our fearless people that run the state decided to spend it on other things. So, the money is now gone.
I'm not fighting you on the overpass, but maybe a few lights at some of the bad intersections might been a better idea then "no lights from dc to De"
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Post by AquaHolic on Dec 28, 2011 14:44:26 GMT -4
I signed the petition a long time ago. I'm not against it, just wish they would look for cheaper, less impact on the surrending business and land owners. Do you know if the overpass will go right where the interscection is now? or will be moved a little north or south? As for the dover bridge, I do not live there, or travel that way much. The money for the replacement was set aside I think by governor Ehrlch many years ago, but our fearless people that run the state decided to spend it on other things. So, the money is now gone. I'm not fighting you on the overpass, but maybe a few lights at some of the bad intersections might been a better idea then "no lights from dc to De" As a matter of fact they do have alternative placement ideas for the overpass....so no it does not need to be put where the original intersection is. And I do have to agree with you on the light issue... So the Dover Bridge money went bye bye with our overpass money...speaks volumes doesn't it....
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Post by moose on Dec 28, 2011 19:53:33 GMT -4
So the Dover Bridge money went bye bye with our overpass money...speaks volumes doesn't it.... This is what i should have said from the beginning. Its a real shame that politicans take money from the transportation fund to spend in other places. I'm still ticked that I'm paying more tolls so the ICC road could be funded. I'm not 100% but the dover bridge money was ear marked 6 years ago. Then puff, they said it could wait when a new governor came in. I'm not into politics, but the stuff that goes on now a days is just wrong.
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Post by lainey on Jan 13, 2012 14:18:56 GMT -4
....and might I ask, since it is US301 (a federal highway) where has Andy Harris been on this issue?? I asked that question of thingy Sossi that day when Franchot was there. Sossi says "he supports it". Period. So then I asked what that meant, what was he "doing" to support it. thingy asked what did I want him to do. Umm, his job, maybe! I reminded thingy that Andy sits on the Transportation and Infastructure committee and this is a federal road we are talking about. We got the typical political BS. He supports it - politically, but not really going to do a thing at all for it. Remember Andy was all about replacing that Dover bridge until he got into office. I dont know what I was thinking, Andy going to do something.... Ha! He hasnt done ONE thing since elected.
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Post by lainey on Jan 13, 2012 16:44:43 GMT -4
Hey, I was "edited" by Kent island online. in the above post I typed a man's name - short for Richard - starts with a D ends in -ick, and it changed to "Thingy" when posted. I was not insulting the man. Insulting Harris, yes, Mr. Sossi, no.
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Post by bchevy on Jan 13, 2012 18:33:06 GMT -4
Hey, I was "edited" by Kent island online. in the above post I typed a man's name - short for Richard - starts with a D ends in -ick, and it changed to "Thingy" when posted. I was not insulting the man. Insulting Harris, yes, Mr. Sossi, no. no edit, it's an automated filter.
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Post by AquaHolic on Jan 13, 2012 19:40:28 GMT -4
Hey, I was "edited" by Kent island online. in the above post I typed a man's name - short for Richard - starts with a D ends in -ick, and it changed to "Thingy" when posted. I was not insulting the man. Insulting Harris, yes, Mr. Sossi, no. It really is an automatic filter..but let me tell you...no offense to anyone..but reading that just made me smile...thingy...I say that all the time...
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Post by RobMoore on Jan 13, 2012 22:31:57 GMT -4
You can't say D ick around here
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Post by Water Lady on Jan 13, 2012 23:53:15 GMT -4
LOL!
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Post by honeybee on Jan 14, 2012 9:03:53 GMT -4
Not sure that's 100% true - he does seem to know how to spend money on mailing pieces and use his (excuse me, taxpayer money) on franking privileges. I get lots of them and have not seen even one that mentions this highway overpass.
And for those who say he doesn't get involved in "local" issues - this is a federal highway - and he is on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Oh and by the way - my most recent mailing from Mr. Harris is all about the MD General Assembly and talks about flush tax and toll increases in MD. I say phony bull-loney on that guy.
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