New Bay Bridge Proposals (Baltimore, Columbia: movers, neighborhood, casinos)

[DaveinMtAiry]

I don't understand how a third span next to the existing bridge will be a solution, they still need to merge on to 50 on Kent Island and that road can't be widened. Seems you are just pushing the bottle neck from before the bridge to right after, and obviously that will back on to the bridges.

[Cruzincat]

Originally Posted by DaveinMtAiry

I don't understand how a third span next to the existing bridge will be a solution, they still need to merge on to 50 on Kent Island and that road can't be widened. Seems you are just pushing the bottle neck from before the bridge to right after, and obviously that will back on to the bridges.

There’s room for two new lanes on Kent Island by giving up the median and erecting a barrier, before the road would have to be widened. It will always be a game of catch-up though. Every time you improve the flow in one stretch, it will cause another stretch to see more delays. When they improved the Bay Bridge the delays shifted to the Severn River Bridge. Until they fixed that, it was quicker to use route 2, during afternoon rush hour, making Ritchie Hwy more crowded.

If the Bay Bridge is fixed to allow good flow, the Kent Narrows Bridge will probably be next, then a bypass around Easton. It probably won’t end there. You can always do nothing, but eventually, the tourism dollar will have to become an insignificant factor in our economy. Then Schafer’s infamous description of the Eastern Shore will become a prophesy.

Right now, whenever work needs to be done on the bridge, and lane closures are needed, you wish there were a third span that were there to handle the traffic. Every few years it happens again. Because they have to keep managing the traffic, it takes much longer to get the work done. It also causes accidents, often fatal when there is two way traffic on one of the two spans. Whenever there has been a fatal accident on the bridge, it seems like it was always during two way operations.

Traffic always seems to increase over time. Makes sense when the population is increasing. Given our history, it doesn’t seem like it will decrease, so it is safe to assume that at some point, something has to be done. Anyone who had been commuting across the bridge for the last ten to twenty years can see that they waited too long to get started.

[DaveinMtAiry]

Originally Posted by Cruzincat

There’s room for two new lanes on Kent Island by giving up the median and erecting a barrier, before the road would have to be widened. It will always be a game of catch-up though. Every time you improve the flow in one stretch, it will cause another stretch to see more delays. When they improved the Bay Bridge the delays shifted to the Severn River Bridge. Until they fixed that, it was quicker to use route 2, during afternoon rush hour, making Ritchie Hwy more crowded.

Right now, whenever work needs to be done on the bridge, and lane closures are needed, you wish there were a third span that were there to handle the traffic. Every few years it happens again. Because they have to keep managing the traffic, it takes much longer to get the work done. It also causes accidents, often fatal when there is two way traffic on one of the two spans. Whenever there has been a fatal accident on the bridge, it seems like it was always during two way operations.

Traffic always seems to increase over time. Makes sense when the population is increasing. Given our history, it doesn’t seem like it will decrease, so it is safe to assume that at some point, something has to be done. Anyone who had been commuting across the bridge for the last ten to twenty years can see that they waited too long to get started.

What about the Kent Narrows Bridge? They can't add a lane there.

[Cruzincat]

Originally Posted by DaveinMtAiry

What about the Kent Narrows Bridge? They can't add a lane there.

I was editing my post to include that topic, while you typed that.

[Cruzincat]

[quote=Cruzincat;56056676]I studied it close while I lived on Kent Island and worked all over the western shore commuting at different times of the day for over 12 years. I addressed a better long term option in the post you quoted. It had short term shortcomings, primarily the cost due to environmental issues. Did you only read the first sentence that you bolded and read my mind, or try to anyway, before you condemned my post?

Edit: I am curious. How does one become a “Senior Member” after 5 months and 208 posts. What is going on with CD these days?[/QUOTE]

I figured that one out. You can put anything in there you want. See?

[SpikeMilligan's Alter Ego]

Originally Posted by Cruzincat

you on the other hand seem to be a self absorbed individual.

My study was done in my own mind while crossing over the bridge on a regular basis as well as sitting at home reading about all the proposed solutions and thinking long term toward a bypass that will eventually become necessary. Disregarding the “further out” nature of needed infrastructure is what causes solutions to cost more over a longer period of time. You must work somewhere in Maryland government.

That's funny, you don't even see the irony in admitting your own BS.

There'll be an outer beltway west of DC long before there's one east. Much simpler. Extend either or both the Prince William & Fairfax Parkway's to connect 95 with 270. Fredericksburg to Frederick. Upgrade them to have local and express lanes like 270 or toll lanes.

For the east 301 will be upgraded with some bypass additions at bottlenecks Waldorf and Bowie/Crofton to which a bay bridge new or old would be irrelevant.

I'm deliberately ignoring your comment on being self absorbed, in case I might flame out....

[SpikeMilligan's Alter Ego]

[quote=Cruzincat;56065180]

Originally Posted by Cruzincat

I studied it close while I lived on Kent Island and worked all over the western shore commuting at different times of the day for over 12 years. I addressed a better long term option in the post you quoted. It had short term shortcomings, primarily the cost due to environmental issues. Did you only read the first sentence that you bolded and read my mind, or try to anyway, before you condemned my post?

Edit: I am curious. How does one become a “Senior Member” after 5 months and 208 posts. What is going on with CD these days?[/QUOTE]

I figured that one out. You can put anything in there you want. See?

I have no idea what you're on about.

[Cruzincat]

Originally Posted by SpikeMilligan's Alter Ego

That's funny, you don't even see the irony in admitting your own BS.

There'll be an outer beltway west of DC long before there's one east. Much simpler. Extend either or both the Prince William & Fairfax Parkway's to connect 95 with 270. Fredericksburg to Frederick. Upgrade them to have local and express lanes like 270 or toll lanes.

For the east 301 will be upgraded with some bypass additions at bottlenecks Waldorf and Bowie/Crofton to which a bay bridge new or old would be irrelevant.

I'm deliberately ignoring your comment on being self absorbed, in case I might flame out....

Obviously you have been in Maryland about the same length of time on CD. Most people who have been here for a while know that the people in Northern VA have no interest in having a bypass in their area. You just outed yourself.

[MidValleyDad]

Originally Posted by SpikeMilligan's Alter Ego

That's funny, you don't even see the irony in admitting your own BS.

There'll be an outer beltway west of DC long before there's one east. Much simpler. Extend either or both the Prince William & Fairfax Parkway's to connect 95 with 270. Fredericksburg to Frederick. Upgrade them to have local and express lanes like 270 or toll lanes.

For the east 301 will be upgraded with some bypass additions at bottlenecks Waldorf and Bowie/Crofton to which a bay bridge new or old would be irrelevant.

There will n be 'an outer beltway' that requires cooperation of MD and VA in the next 30 years. They have been arguing about it for the last 50 at least. As far as the connection of the Fairfax Pkwy across the river that will NEVER happen. Too much money and political power on both sides of the river that don't want the riff raff spoiling their views and smogging up their neighborhoods.


The big fight is where to put the Washington bypass for North South Traffic. Maryland wants it east of DC Virginia wants it west with a river crossing near Point of Rocks (Where US 15 crosses) 15 on the Maryland side already has the right of way for a 4 way divided highway but on the VA side development in the last 30 years has eaten up much of the open land that would be needed.



This conflict is very embedded in long term plans and neither side has shown any desire to compromise so I don't think there will be a resolution in my or my children's lifetime.

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by MidValleyDad

There will n be 'an outer beltway' that requires cooperation of MD and VA in the next 30 years. They have been arguing about it for the last 50 at least. As far as the connection of the Fairfax Pkwy across the river that will NEVER happen. Too much money and political power on both sides of the river that don't want the riff raff spoiling their views and smogging up their neighborhoods.


The big fight is where to put the Washington bypass for North South Traffic. Maryland wants it east of DC Virginia wants it west with a river crossing near Point of Rocks (Where US 15 crosses) 15 on the Maryland side already has the right of way for a 4 way divided highway but on the VA side development in the last 30 years has eaten up much of the open land that would be needed.



This conflict is very embedded in long term plans and neither side has shown any desire to compromise so I don't think there will be a resolution in my or my children's lifetime.

There already is an eastern bypass, I97 and 301. It's not called that but that's what it essentially is.