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Post by AquaHolic on Sept 16, 2011 11:08:58 GMT -4
Prayers go out to the Families involved. A QAC High school student lost his precious life today...devastating.
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Post by Auntie~M on Sept 16, 2011 12:37:03 GMT -4
CENTREVILLE - One person reportedly has died and two others have been taken to a trauma center in Baltimore following an accident at 8 a.m.today at Routes 301 and 304, according to Maryland State Police.
That intersection is horrible!!! Praying for all!
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Post by Scooby on Sept 16, 2011 12:59:26 GMT -4
Changes for this intersection have been bandied about for years - from an overpass to a J turn - the trucks turning make it absolutely frightening and I avoid it when possible. So very sorry a young man lost his life - heartbroken for his family and friends.
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Post by smurfette on Sept 16, 2011 13:12:29 GMT -4
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Post by ronnie on Sept 16, 2011 13:18:13 GMT -4
Actually WBOC reported wrong and has since changed the story to read 1 killed and 3 injured. The oringial article said 4 were killed.
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Post by AquaHolic on Sept 16, 2011 13:36:19 GMT -4
Actually WBOC reported wrong and has since changed the story to read 1 killed and 3 injured. The oringial article said 4 were killed. The link that is posted is the correct information. This is not the first time a fatality has happened at this intersection...
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Post by markp on Sept 16, 2011 15:42:14 GMT -4
My grandmother was killed at that intersection about 4 years ago... horrible.
My thoughts go out to the family involved.
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Post by Auntie~M on Sept 16, 2011 15:47:12 GMT -4
Actually WBOC reported wrong and has since changed the story to read 1 killed and 3 injured. The oringial article said 4 were killed. The link that is posted is the correct information. This is not the first time a fatality has happened at this intersection... ..... and unfortunately it probably wont be the last! It will soon be the 2 year anniversary that my nephews life was spared in that intersection with a tractor trailer!! (((Thank God))) For those young drivers that HAVE to cross at that intersection please, please, please PAY ATTENTION and BE CAREFUL... You would think after all of the accidents & fatalities that they would stop procrastinating and get something done!
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Post by Frank on Sept 16, 2011 15:53:22 GMT -4
What is the problem with that intersection? I've driven past it a hundred times, but never really paid attention to any problems there.
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Post by jetskibrat on Sept 16, 2011 15:59:28 GMT -4
I was told this am the boy who died was a son of a vet in Centreville? I was also told over the yrs it is a bad intersection to be careful, my prayers go out to the families
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Post by speedergurl68 on Sept 16, 2011 16:10:12 GMT -4
Mr. SG68 knows an uncle of the boy that got killed and spoke with him briefly this afternoon...what a terrible tragedy for his poor family Our thoughts and prayers are with them all tonight.
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Post by Water Lady on Sept 16, 2011 17:02:03 GMT -4
This is such sad news...just breaks my heart... Can someone please refresh my memory with the "name" of the road that is Route 304?
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Post by AquaHolic on Sept 16, 2011 17:14:19 GMT -4
This is such sad news...just breaks my heart... Can someone please refresh my memory with the "name" of the road that is Route 304? Corsica Neck Road is 304... and apparently Ruthsburg rd...it must change some where in town...
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Post by AquaHolic on Sept 16, 2011 17:16:02 GMT -4
I was told this am the boy who died was a son of a vet in Centreville? I was also told over the yrs it is a bad intersection to be careful, my prayers go out to the families Yes...the boy who died is the son Dr. Rice in Centreville...Town and Country Vet.
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Post by AquaHolic on Sept 16, 2011 17:19:25 GMT -4
There was another accident at 301/305 today where someone was flown out too. Also...the J Turns for 304 are supposed to be started in 4 days...the trailer is already there....They say lights would be to dangerous for that road...I can't really wrap my head around that...but who am I...
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Post by Scooby on Sept 16, 2011 17:20:42 GMT -4
304 is also called Ruthsburg Rd - It runs into Water Street by the Acme in Centreville. The problem with the intersection is often the trucks turning into and out of the truck stop on 304 reduce visibility and you cannot see traffic to cross 301 safely. In fact, anything larger than a compact car turning will block your visibility. Once you get into the center of 301 to continue across - often another vehicle comes along to make a turn and things get pretty dicey. I am not thrilled with J turns - I can't see them doing much good, getting up to speed and getting in the left lane seem to be almost as dangerous as the mad dash across 301. Alterations to the intersection have been on the table for at least 2-3 years.
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Post by AquaHolic on Sept 16, 2011 17:24:25 GMT -4
304 is also called Ruthsburg Rd - It runs into Water Street by the Acme in Centreville. The problem with the intersection is often the trucks turning into and out of the truck stop on 304 reduce visibility and you cannot see traffic to cross 301 safely. In fact, anything larger than a compact car turning will block your visibility. Once you get into the center of 301 to continue across - often another vehicle comes along to make a turn and things get pretty dicey. I am not thrilled with J turns - I can't see them doing much good, getting up to speed and getting in the left lane seem to be almost as dangerous as the mad dash across 301. Alterations to the intersection have been on the table for at least 2-3 years. I so agree with you...are you posting on the Residents of Centreville Face Book Page? Seems studies have been done and SHA says lights would be more dangerous then the J Turns..but I agree with you about the J Turns...
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Post by ljp on Sept 16, 2011 17:35:27 GMT -4
They have been talking about building 'something' there for years. There have been plans to build an overpass there for as long as I can remember, it was finally approved a year or so ago (maybe 2) but then the economy tanked and there was no $$ to build it. Then some of the powers that be realized that they could use the funds generated from the Training Center to build the overpass and so there was preparation to slate funds for it's build. Then county residents fought hard against the training center and it didn't come so there was no $$ to build the over pass.
State support and County funds were then slated to build the J-turn. Construction was due to start earlier this year but for reason plans were pushed by State Hwy. I cannot remember now why that was, there was a good reason I just can't remember what it was. I do know that there was a lot of grumbling that construction for this was pushed to start tomorrow, (9/16) rather then having it completed before the school year began but those plans didn't change.
Very sad that the construction was to start tomorrow... had it been completed before the beginning of the school year this wouldn't have happened. Very sad.
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Post by Scooby on Sept 16, 2011 19:11:23 GMT -4
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Post by RobMoore on Sept 16, 2011 19:11:47 GMT -4
I don't see a problem with this intersection. I negotiate it often. If you can't see, don't pull out. Pull slowly forward until you can see. I used to yell at my wife about this all the time until she got it (trained in MD). You can't stop at the sign or line, look both ways, and go when you fail to see oncoming traffic. Often, you can see far enough down the road where they stick the stopping point. You have to continue forward until you CAN see far enough that no one will run into you if you pull out.
There is nothing wrong with 301/304, only the drivers using it. No posted article that I've read lists who was at fault, but my condolences to all involved. Being involved with a fatal accident is a horrible thing to deal with, even when you share no blame.
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Post by by by by on Sept 16, 2011 19:20:17 GMT -4
Wondered the same thing....e careful and cross cautiously...not an issue...if u can't see, don't pull out. So sorry for those involved .....
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Post by twingoose on Sept 16, 2011 19:29:29 GMT -4
One of my neighbors was killed at that intersection a few years back. He ran into a tractor trailer that was traversing 301 from the west side of 304. This has to be one of the worst intersections in the state of Maryland from an accident perspective.
Perhaps someone should ask Lieutenant D. Boardman, the MSP Centreville Barracks Commander, why his troopers don't focus more specilized enforcement in the area. Of I forgot, they spend their time hiding just off S/B 301 at Cherry Lane waiting for speeders. If O'Malley had not raided the $2 billion dollar Highway Trust Fund reserves, we could have improved the 301/304 intersection several years ago as the State Highway Administration had originally planned.
Now I know Lt. Boardman will probably cry foul at this comment, but I must confess. I was in a command position more than 30 years ago and speak from a position of knowledge and experience. Why not position a marked police cruiser in the area of the 301/304 intersection for an hour in the morning and afternoon on school days. The long-haul truckers who bully their way across that intersection would think twice. The student drivers on their way to Queen Anne's High School would think twice about executing an unsafe manuever to cross the roadway.
We can't bring back the lives of those we have lost, but we certainly can make better use of law enforcement resources to reduce accidents in that area.
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Post by AquaHolic on Sept 16, 2011 21:32:01 GMT -4
I don't see a problem with this intersection. I negotiate it often. If you can't see, don't pull out. Pull slowly forward until you can see. I used to yell at my wife about this all the time until she got it (trained in MD). You can't stop at the sign or line, look both ways, and go when you fail to see oncoming traffic. Often, you can see far enough down the road where they stick the stopping point. You have to continue forward until you CAN see far enough that no one will run into you if you pull out. There is nothing wrong with 301/304, only the drivers using it. No posted article that I've read lists who was at fault, but my condolences to all involved. Being involved with a fatal accident is a horrible thing to deal with, even when you share no blame. The problem with this intersection is there have been multiple deaths...and while you have had no problem negotiating the intersection doesn't mean there isn't an issue with it. The grade of the road..the lack of sight...and the lack of being able to correct if an error has been made...Tractor trailers lining up so you can't see and they can't negotiate around you...I can go on and on. yes there is driver error. But since there has been so many deaths here...it needs to be fixed....There is so much traffic at this intersection it needs something more then stop signs. 80 % of the people do NOT understand that the people in the middle of the road have the right of way...they all want to shoot across the road and not wait for the people in the middle to move. A few times I went to take off..had my left blinker on and the person crossing came right across and almost hit me. I would rather err on the side of safety to the masses...then the few who think there is no problem. No offense to you as I agree with just about everything that you write...
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Post by bchevy on Sept 16, 2011 22:21:23 GMT -4
Wondered the same thing....e careful and cross cautiously...not an issue...if u can't see, don't pull out. So sorry for those involved ..... Ditto that, Or just close off that crossing and send the traffic up or down 301 to the next crossing- adding traffic at that point and making it more dangerous. The state is broke, we hear it everyday. but this is important, that's important, what's more important, and to who? Slow down folks. Sorry to all involved, another senseless wreck and loss.
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Post by bluecrabber on Sept 17, 2011 8:22:06 GMT -4
Hmmm.. statistics (numerous accidents and deaths) have shown all of those cross intersections on 301 are extremely dangerous.
And it does not matter the skill of the drivers..
We all know young drivers in a hurry frequently only take a glance at an intersection and roll through. Science has shown the human mind can fail to register even things as big as tractor trailer trucks when expecting to see something else.
And it is not just the young. Many elderly drivers have been killed at these intersections and I suspect the same human failures, did not see oncoming traffic, or the approaching speed did not register in the mind.
And even those "perfect" drivers like me have had close calls. Just about a year ago I was crossing 301 at Price where the Big Bats restaurant is. I don't know how it happened but I started across the southbound lane and had a Ford pickup zoom about two feet in front of my front bumper at about 80 miles per hour! I never saw that truck in advance. I was shocked that I could not have seen that truck in advance. He must have just been perfectly hidden in the right front corner post of my vehicle.
Anyway, my heart goes out to the families. I went to the QACHS football game last night and there was a somber mood in the whole stadium. The football team won, but they were really flat and the kids showed it.
Sometimes I think the politicians who set public safety projects aside in favor of more political hay need to be held accountable.
Best regards, BC
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