Complete FDR now!

[RetiredCPO]

Just taken from SOMD news,

Commissioner Mike Hewitt said he believed the county could cut about $20 million from that authority request and push the completion of FDR Boulevard out several years to ensure that the library and senior center were completed "sooner rather than later."

Are they kidding! I guess when you sit in an office over in the county complex and never have to drive on 235 after 1430 in the afternoon, FDR is easy to cut from the budget. I'm all for upgrading county services, but lets do the math... what would people who live, work and pay taxes in St. Mary's benefit from the most... I vote for FDR.

My opinion only, but I live on a dead end section of the uncompleted FDR with only one way to get in and out... not good for when we may need emergency services and they have to use 235 in the afternoon as the only route to our neighborhood.

 

[vraiblonde]

More people (would) use FDR than the library and the senior center put together.

Just sayin', commissioners.

 

[Merlin99]

More people (would) use FDR than the library and the senior center put together.

Just sayin', commissioners.

Libraries and senior centers show more social conciousness, for some reason politicians always drift left after the election.

 

[vraiblonde]

Libraries and senior centers show more social conciousness, for some reason politicians always drift left after the election.

Hopefully voters will remember this when election time rolls around again. Good grief, how long has FDR been in the pipeline and keeps getting pushed back and pushed back? It seems like forever.

 

[BusinessTime]

As someone who frequently uses both the Leonardtown & Lex Park libraries I can say that there is a serious need for more library services in this county. That said, how long have we been waiting for FDR? 20 years or more? They just keep kicking that can down the road

Personally, seeing Hewitt in action, he is woefully out of touch with reality. Watch a county commissioner meeting sometime and listen to the crazy questions he poses. He is just clueless. The comments provided via the Enterprise give you a small sampling.

 

[BernieP]

Libraries and senior centers show more social conciousness, for some reason politicians always drift left after the election.

Not to mention building a road is considered "unfriendly to the environment" and could lead to further development

But seriously, there are probably more voters that would chew their ear off if they slowed the library and/or senior center.
Also you have the "three notch trail" crowd who would prefer FDR not be built, but rather turned into part of the trail (instead of the current path through the shopping centers).

I would further add that a fair number of voters want someone else to pay for FDR, "the developers", which is why it will never be complete and portions will be half ass. For example, the section behind Dick's / Kohl's is only a single lane in either direction, no room for turn lanes, etc. It's the kind of road you would have in a residential community.

Let's be honest, the mess that is 235 was created by the politicians, both in Leonardtown and Annapolis. They wanted all the development on that highway, between Great Mills Rd and Rt 4. Each new project was piecemealed in creating several dozen new entrances and exits to the already existing driveways. They also added new lights and failed to try to realign others.

Why did Walmart get an extra light? (which happens to turn for traffic at Walmart, but not with the lights on either side)
The light at Wa Wa / Buck Hewitt Road but a couple of hundred feet down the road you have a cut through for U turns - not crossing, but U turns. And another just south of that. Two lights for the Expedition / Exploration office complex (same developer). Why wasn't the entrance realigned to make it one light. Two lights just north of the Gate 1 light.
All of this adds to the congestion and accidents during the peak hours. All because they saved some money and kissed the NIMBY ass.
The same thing is happening with FDR BLVD, NIMBY

 

[officeguy]

Trump will build it.

 

[Merlin99]

Trump will build it.

If he could get it built, he deserves the job.

 

[Agee]

This county has a bad habit of building first, supplying the support infra-structure later, or not at all!

How long is the FDR route in total 3 miles, 5 miles? No brainer to suck it up, fund-it and alleviate the cluster-F%^* that is Rt. 235.

Hell, give me a week, a couple of traffic engineers and access to Rt. 235's light timing controls. Increase the green on time for 235 North/South traffic and increase the red-on time for all Rt. 235 feeder roads (mornings 5:30 am to 9:00 am and 3:00 pm to 6:00pm) ?

Can't make it any worse...

 

[Restitution]

How long is the FDR route in total 3 miles, 5 miles? No brainer to suck it up, fund-it and alleviate the cluster-F%^* that is Rt. 235.

You say this like its sooooo easy.... Lol

How long is 235 between Gate 2 and Route 4? About 5 or 6 miles?

Only took them damn near 8 YEARS to expand that! How long do you think it will take them to develop and build a completely new road of that length?

 

[Grumpy]

How long do you think it will take them to develop and build a completely new road of that length?

Between Gate 2 and Rte 4. they had to deal with existing traffic...FDR Blvd, not so much..

 

[Merlin99]

This county has a bad habit of building first, supplying the support infra-structure later, or not at all!

How long is the FDR route in total 3 miles, 5 miles? No brainer to suck it up, fund-it and alleviate the cluster-F%^* that is Rt. 235.

Hell, give me a week, a couple of traffic engineers and access to Rt. 235's light timing controls. Increase the green on time for 235 North/South traffic and increase the red-on time for all Rt. 235 feeder roads (mornings 5:30 am to 9:00 am and 3:00 pm to 6:00pm) ?

Can't make it any worse...

And replace those stupid traffic lights that force you to make a left by turning right and making a U turn somewhere down the road.

 

[BernieP]

You say this like its sooooo easy.... Lol

How long is 235 between Gate 2 and Route 4? About 5 or 6 miles?

Only took them damn near 8 YEARS to expand that! How long do you think it will take them to develop and build a completely new road of that length?

My understanding was that part of the delay was that they used some of the money for other projects and delayed the start.
Then they had to contend with more traffic. Having to work around traffic on the only north/south road servicing the base made that even worse.

FDR doesn't or didn't exist. Had they built FDR prior to development it would have made more sense. Had they actually had a transportation plan would have been good too.

For all the public fear of turning 235 into 301 through Waldorf, they've done it. U-turns and all.

 

[DannyMotorcycle]

any plans for a new bridge from southern md to eastern shore?

 

[Merlin99]

any plans for a new bridge from southern md to eastern shore?

You think the traffic is bad here now, try adding another 20,000 cars a day through the county.

 

[Restitution]

My understanding was that part of the delay was that they used some of the money for other projects and delayed the start.
Then they had to contend with more traffic. Having to work around traffic on the only north/south road servicing the base made that even worse.

Excuses! I have seen MUCH busier roads in other places/states take FAR less time to expand. And... those states didn't have authorized night road construction like MD does.

 

[BernieP]

Excuses! I have seen MUCH busier roads in other places/states take FAR less time to expand. And... those states didn't have authorized night road construction like MD does.

but night shift cost more

The truth is, that for the majority of St. Mary's county 235 expansion, FDR BLVD are not priorities. It wasn't a priority to the state, or the county government either.

 

[BernieP]

any plans for a new bridge from southern md to eastern shore?

Funny guy
there aren't plans to fix the problems with the Johnson bridge let alone a new bridge.
Besides, I believe there are plans to expand or replace the Bay Bridge.
and I think someone recently put a silver bullet into the talk of a bridge down here.

Right now Southern MD will be lucky to get money to fix potholes if the assembly doesn't fix the problem they caused last year with their transportation bill.

 

[PeoplesElbow]

I simply can't imagine FDR being useful because it is simply too late, things have been built already.

One thing they can do is get rid of quite a few entrances to 235, for example I-Hop does not need one, cars can simply use the road that has an actual stop light beside the old lonestar and get into/out of I-Hop. Ledo's also does not need an entrance since you can use the one on FDR. Even more recently, Navy Federal doesn't need once since you can access it from the Kohls shoping center without ever using that road that doesn't align with the turn on 235 that some people seem to think exists to get into Navy Federal.

San Sousci is the only shopping center even remotely designed with some sense, although the entrance right outside of Mission BBQ needs to go away.

 

[BernieP]

I simply can't imagine FDR being useful because it is simply too late, things have been built already.

Agreed, lack of real planning sealed the fate of 235 as a viable way to move traffic.
An hour to go from Gate 1 to Rt 4 yesterday afternoon.
A major part of that is the lack of foresight and all the circling back that is required.
But a major contributor is the way people drive, inconsiderate and oblivious to other vehicles on the road.
They block the turn lane because it's been turned into an expressway entrance, so people wanting to make a right, slow down or stop in the travel lane. The left lane is no better, you either have people stopping in the lane well before the left turn lane or you can't access the left turn lane because someone has left 5 car lengths between them and the vehicle in front.