Gate 2 Intersection Will Be a Nightmare

[3CATSAILOR]

I know some folks say it is already a nightmare in the early AM. Wait until the new gas station goes in right at the intersection of Gate 2. The County Commissioners know darn well it is a heck of a bad idea. It is common sense. Look at the traffic that backs up across the North and( South bound lanes which happens from Great Mills Road.). But, not nearly as often as turning from the Southbound lane of 235 across the Northbound lane of 235. to Gate 2.

One the RLC goes in, (and yes I have no doubt it is eventually coming), it will probably squash most of the road blocks. The Speed Cameras opened the door for the evemtual RLC. 235 will probably become a 210 highway with speed cameras up and down it. No big deal to rubber stamp legislation for it.

 

[glhs837]

I know some folks say it is already a nightmare in the early AM. Wait until the new gas station goes in right at the intersection of Gate 2. The County Commissioners know darn well it is a heck of a bad idea. It is common sense. Look at the traffic that backs up across the North and( South bound lanes which happens from Great Mills Road.). But, not nearly as often as turning from the Southbound lane of 235 across the Northbound lane of 235. to Gate 2.

One the RLC goes in, (and yes I have no doubt it is eventually coming), it will probably squash most of the road blocks. The Speed Cameras opened the door for the evemtual RLC. 235 will probably become a 210 highway with speed cameras up and down it. No big deal to rubber stamp legislation for it.

So a few counterpoints.

1. Stopping that blocking the box behavior is easy. Doesn't requires RLCs, just a few hours a month at random times. One officer sitting in a parking spot in the pass office lot writes down tag numbers as they pass having sat in the green. Calls out make and model on a frequency that someone stationed down by the ID checkers is on. The see them coming since its a slow crawl. Approach drivers, direct them to either the parking lot with the Hornet or the housing parking lot where the nice deputy will write them a citation. Do this three hours a month with three bodies and it will stop. Deterrence requires penalties
2. Regular RLCs do NOT cite blocking the box.
3. The SHA crapped all over Camerons plan for RLCs, and they get the final say on Rt 235 since its a state highway.
4. Have the speed cameras been approved? I wouldnt be surprised if the SHA craps on those as well, since its a pretty horrible plan with no chance of increasing safety.

210 required special dispensation which was only granted for its "Highway of Death" reputation.

 

[PeoplesElbow]

I'm not looking forward to it.

Some of the blocking the box is caused by stupid *******s that have a greenlight but stop to let the right on red people coming from the south. Wtf would you stop to let someone in making a right on red?

 

[glhs837]

I'm not looking forward to it.

Some of the blocking the box is caused by stupid *******s that have a greenlight but stop to let the right on red people coming from the south. Wtf would you stop to let someone in making a right on red?

Because they have a dedicated turn lane that bypasses the red, there is no stop line there? But they do have a yield sign as well. I do agree, when making that turn, you should not yield to the southern traffic tuning right.

But theres the bottom line. When I worked a flight line we had one golden rule. If you never walk through a prop arc, you will never get hit with a prop. Consider the below the golden rule for entering intersections......

If you never enter the intersection unless there is room for you on the far side, as per the law, then you will never be caught out in the box. If you think that space for you will appear, you are making a bet on humans......... Man, thats a sucker bet....

 

[Tech]

Because they have a dedicated turn lane that bypasses the red, there is no stop line there? But they do have a yield sign as well. I do agree, when making that turn, you should not yield to the southern traffic tuning
If you never enter the intersection unless there is room for you on the far side, as per the law, then you will never be caught out in the box. If you think that space for you will appear, you are making a bet on humans......... Man, thats a sucker bet....

Until the person in the la e to the left snakes over to your lane as you're turning leaving you in the box.

 

[RoseRed]

Because they have a dedicated turn lane that bypasses the red, there is no stop line there? But they do have a yield sign as well. I do agree, when making that turn, you should not yield to the southern traffic tuning right.

But theres the bottom line. When I worked a flight line we had one golden rule. If you never walk through a prop arc, you will never get hit with a prop. Consider the below the golden rule for entering intersections......

If you never enter the intersection unless there is room for you on the far side, as per the law, then you will never be caught out in the box. If you think that space for you will appear, you are making a bet on humans......... Man, thats a sucker bet....

Then there are also the ding dongs that leave huge gaps between the cars that ends up leaving someone stuck out in the box.

 

[Sneakers]

I'm not looking forward to it.

Neither am I. It's going to be a fuster cluck.

I'll be sure to monitor what's going on from my nice comfy bed sipping my cappuccino.

 

[glhs837]

Then there are also the ding dongs that leave huge gaps between the cars that ends up leaving someone stuck out in the box.

Those jackwagons.......... I come in from the south, usually on the bike, and to use the old boot camp term, I'm still "nuts to butts" with the vehicle in front of me.

 

[RoseRed]

Those jackwagons.......... I come in from the south, usually on the bike, and to use the old boot camp term, I'm still "nuts to butts" with the vehicle in front of me.

I can understand leaving space at other intersections in case of a rear end accident. That intersection, not so much.

 

[PeoplesElbow]

Because they have a dedicated turn lane that bypasses the red, there is no stop line there? But they do have a yield sign as well. I do agree, when making that turn, you should not yield to the southern traffic tuning right.

But theres the bottom line. When I worked a flight line we had one golden rule. If you never walk through a prop arc, you will never get hit with a prop. Consider the below the golden rule for entering intersections......

If you never enter the intersection unless there is room for you on the far side, as per the law, then you will never be caught out in the box. If you think that space for you will appear, you are making a bet on humans......... Man, thats a sucker bet....

It is the traffic going straight that gets screwed the worst due to the way the lights work. I've gotten stuck a few times with my ass in the road because someone going straight stopped to let someone in.

The other morning I saw a car wanting to go in the pass office cause a tie up, there was no backup, but someone coming from the south was blocking he entrance to the pass office, so they had a bit of a Mexican standoff while cars were honking at them.

 

[Clem72]

I know some folks say it is already a nightmare in the early AM. Wait until the new gas station goes in right at the intersection of Gate 2. The County Commissioners know darn well it is a heck of a bad idea. It is common sense. Look at the traffic that backs up across the North and( South bound lanes which happens from Great Mills Road.). But, not nearly as often as turning from the Southbound lane of 235 across the Northbound lane of 235. to Gate 2.

One the RLC goes in, (and yes I have no doubt it is eventually coming), it will probably squash most of the road blocks. The Speed Cameras opened the door for the evemtual RLC. 235 will probably become a 210 highway with speed cameras up and down it. No big deal to rubber stamp legislation for it.

There's a gas station on the corner of gate 1. 99% of the time it has no impact on gate traffic. 1% of the time some yahoo pulls out in front of someone going 45mph trying to make the light.

 

[3CATSAILOR]

It is the traffic going straight that gets screwed the worst due to the way the lights work. I've gotten stuck a few times with my ass in the road because someone going straight stopped to let someone in.

The other morning I saw a car wanting to go in the pass office cause a tie up, there was no backup, but someone coming from the south was blocking he entrance to the pass office, so they had a bit of a Mexican standoff while cars were honking at them.

You can't say Mexican stand off now. It's not politically correct. It is "Migrant" stand off now.

 

[PeoplesElbow]

There's a gas station on the corner of gate 1. 99% of the time it has no impact on gate traffic. 1% of the time some yahoo pulls out in front of someone going 45mph trying to make the light.

That gate is designed very different

 

[my-thyme]

So, any suggestions on what might work well on that corner?

If you were in charge, what would you allow to be built there?

 

[PeoplesElbow]

So, any suggestions on what might work well on that corner?

If you were in charge, what would you allow to be built there?

Office building like the other corner. I'd also get rid of the pass office at gate 2 and put up lighted signs that tell people which gates/lanes are open that aren't blocked by trees.

Every so often some ******* in a semi tries to come into the wrong gate or gets into the base by accident and has to be turned around.

 

[my-thyme]

Yes, I was thinking something with later daytime hours that people wouldn't be trying to get in and out of early in the morning.

Office building or medical offices. Even a storage unit wouldn't get much early morning traffic.

Or a Mexican restaurant, liquor store, or nail place.

 

[glhs837]

Office building like the other corner. I'd also get rid of the pass office at gate 2 and put up lighted signs that tell people which gates/lanes are open that aren't blocked by trees.

Every so often some ******* in a semi tries to come into the wrong gate or gets into the base by accident and has to be turned around.

Assumes you can find a tenant to rent that office space. If you have not followed the commercial real estate market, that's not easy. When I worked for ASEC back in the 2008 timeframe, they had no lock on the door. Then some of the indigents started harassing our front desk lady. Not many companies want to share space with a men's homeless shelter. That Pass Office handles more traffic that Gate 1, and also does a lot of CAC work. Where would you put that work?

I agree that signage out on the main drag showing lanes open and closed would be a huge boon. They did "repeaters" at Gate one for a short while, but stopped it.

 

[RoseRed]

Surprisingly, gate 2 was just about wide open in terms of traffic at 7am this morning.

 

[my-thyme]

Push the buildings into the current roadway, put parking and building fronts facing Great Mills Road. Easier to monitor comings and goings.

But still make one entrance down by where the firehouse was. Install a sidewalk barrier the entire length.

 

[PeoplesElbow]

Assumes you can find a tenant to rent that office space. If you have not followed the commercial real estate market, that's not easy. When I worked for ASEC back in the 2008 timeframe, they had no lock on the door. Then some of the indigents started harassing our front desk lady. Not many companies want to share space with a men's homeless shelter. That Pass Office handles more traffic that Gate 1, and also does a lot of CAC work. Where would you put that work?

I agree that signage out on the main drag showing lanes open and closed would be a huge boon. They did "repeaters" at Gate one for a short while, but stopped it.

Expand gate 1 pass office. I go in before the pass office opens and it still causes a CF there, commercial traffic pulls in and the pass office isn't open and there is nowhere for them to go from there. So at this point that pass office handles zero traffic and still causes a mess.

Anything but a gas station with constant barrage of people wanting coffee/cigs/gas with the 7 am+ traffic.