Apparently a few of you have found the column and have taken the leap of faith to write in. Thank you. Your comments, questions and concerns are what will drive this column. Finding out what?s important to you will help me target the things I talk about.
Paul writes with what might be a rhetorical question but one that raises a very serious concern. He asks: “Why is it that when there?s an accident, you?re forced to drive by slowly and see that the police are standing around and not bothering to direct the traffic to get people moving?”
This is an ongoing source of frustration, Paul. In fact, it seems like the longer we have to sit in stop-and-go traffic because of a wreck of something like it, the longer we take a look as we pass by ? it?s almost like we?ve paid our dues and now we want to see what we?ve paid for in terms of our time.
Rubbernecking, by whatever name you want to call it, is a major source of congestion on the roads around Baltimore. The problem, as Paul notes, is that the police on the scene don?t always (if ever) do what they can to get traffic moving. Yes, every once in a while some cop will jump out there, whistle clenched firmly between teeth, and flail his or her arms in an effort to keep traffic moving, to keep people from slowing down to take a look. I?ve been on enough of these scenes to know that they usually only do this in the case of a really horrific crash where there are things that you really don?t want to see. The state of Maryland has set in place a number of programs for motorists to keep traffic moving in the event of a crash, but it would be nice if the police officers themselves took some interest in the traffic flow as well.
Ramp closure
Beginning Wednesday, the ramp from eastbound Md. Route 100 to northbound Md. Route 2 will be closed for about three months. This ramp has needed some attention for some time. It?s too sharp a curve and there have been problems, especially with trucks unable to handle it. This work will involve changing the slope of the ramp, which should reduce the curve and make things a bit safer. The bad thing is that the detour that will be set up is not too convenient. I guess it?s something we?ll just have to deal with in the name of safety.
Speaking of construction, here?s one of those projects that makes one ask “How is this going to affect my trip to the ocean?” Route 50 between the Kent Narrows and the Bay Bridge is being resurfaced. This means that the old blacktop is being milled down to make way for new stuff. This project will last into the fall and will involve multiple lane closures. The good news is that the schedule is to have the work done in the overnight hours when the impact on traffic will be much less. This kind of thinking is what has made Maryland one of the real innovators in road construction and safety.
Questions, comments, random musings? Write to [email protected] and listen to Steve?s reports on NewsTalk WMET 1160 AM every weekday at 7:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
