MD235 pedestrian safety planning meeting

[sunshine98]

Did anyone attend the SHA safety planning meeting on Jan 16? Did they present any bright ideas on keeping people from running across 235?

MDOT SHA MD235 MD246 to MD 237 SM124B21

MDOT SHA Project Portal for project status communication to the citizens of Maryland. This initiative is constructed for the publication of individual project pages.

mdot-sha-md235-md246-to-md-237-sm124b21-maryland.hub.arcgis.com

 

[TPD]

On a similar note - any idea how much money was spent redoing the sidewalks along 235 for accessibility? It appears to me, at every entrance/driveway along 235 in California, the sidewalk was torn up and redone so as not to have as big a slope or incline, which I assume is for wheelchairs? How many times have you seen a wheelchair on the sidewalk on 235? Will we see more now because a "problem" was fixed? Wouldn't it have been cheeper to just give those who need one a motorized wheelchair to navigate these steeper sidewalks? I know it's not the politically correct thing to say, but in my opinion this country spends way too much money for handicapped accessibility.

 

[LightRoasted]

For your consideration ...

On a similar note - any idea how much money was spent redoing the sidewalks along 235 for accessibility? It appears to me, at every entrance/driveway along 235 in California, the sidewalk was torn up and redone so as not to have as big a slope or incline, which I assume is for wheelchairs? How many times have you seen a wheelchair on the sidewalk on 235? Will we see more now because a "problem" was fixed? Wouldn't it have been cheeper to just give those who need one a motorized wheelchair to navigate these steeper sidewalks? I know it's not the politically correct thing to say, but in my opinion this country spends way too much money for handicapped accessibility.

With these new sidewalks, and it snows, again, and no one clears them of snow for pedestrians, will those houses or businesses next to them be fined as per county ordinance that isn't ever enforced, but with talk of now enforcing? And if the county put these in, aren't they the ones really responsible for the clearing anyways?

Inquiring minds and all that.

 

[NorthBeachPerso]

All the safety meetings in the world won't do dick if people insist on walking in the middle of the road in the middle of the night dressed in all black.

 

[limblips]

Be very watchful and skeptical about these studies. My original hometown is on US Rt-11 in NY. Rt-11 is the only highway across the entire northern part of NY from Vermont/Montreal to Watertown it is also Main St in many of the villages along the way Every vehicle including semis must use it. They did these "pedestrian safety" studies and lo and behold my little village went from two lanes and a turn lane each way to one lane with a center turn lane and a bike lane each way. They installed pedestrian islands halfway across the roadway. Now picture snowplowing in Northern NY with these islands dotting the road. Picture riding a bike in Northern NY in the winter (high temp today is 29 with wintery mix and on Tuesday the high is 12. Once again common sense steps aside.

 

[3CATSAILOR]

On a similar note - any idea how much money was spent redoing the sidewalks along 235 for accessibility? It appears to me, at every entrance/driveway along 235 in California, the sidewalk was torn up and redone so as not to have as big a slope or incline, which I assume is for wheelchairs? How many times have you seen a wheelchair on the sidewalk on 235? Will we see more now because a "problem" was fixed? Wouldn't it have been cheeper to just give those who need one a motorized wheelchair to navigate these steeper sidewalks? I know it's not the politically correct thing to say, but in my opinion this country spends way too much money for handicapped accessibility.

What a waste of money. How many times has anyone ever seen anyone use it? In particular the disabled? Our government should never waste money. Make sure there is a need. And if so, then follow through. Otherwise, ask why was it proposed in the first place.

 

[TPD]

Be very watchful and skeptical about these studies. My original hometown is on US Rt-11 in NY. Rt-11 is the only highway across the entire northern part of NY from Vermont/Montreal to Watertown it is also Main St in many of the villages along the way Every vehicle including semis must use it. They did these "pedestrian safety" studies and lo and behold my little village went from two lanes and a turn lane each way to one lane with a center turn lane and a bike lane each way. They installed pedestrian islands halfway across the roadway. Now picture snowplowing in Northern NY with these islands dotting the road. Picture riding a bike in Northern NY in the winter (high temp today is 29 with wintery mix and on Tuesday the high is 12. Once again common sense steps aside.

Something similar or worse has been proposed thru St Marys College over the years because yeah - college educated students don‘t know how to cross the road with 2 pedestrian walkways already in place.

 

[glhs837]

What a waste of money. How many times has anyone ever seen anyone use it? In particular the disabled? Our government should never waste money. Make sure there is a need. And if so, then follow through. Otherwise, ask why was it proposed in the first place.

Maybe ten years ago we saw a old guy trying to push his battery powered disabled scooter thing. Since his legs didn't work so well, it wasnt happening. He was near the Dodge dealer. Son and I picked up the scooter and managed to stap it into the back of the 99 Blazer and got him in the back seat. He was headed to Spring Valley. He had been to San Souci and misjudged his state of charge.

I think if folks have those slope, you might see more people using them.

Surely a better use of money than Stenys stupid bricks.

 

[OccamsRazor]

I know it's not the politically correct thing to say, but in my opinion this country spends way too much money for handicapped accessibility.

Have you been anywhere in this area lately? Do you know that EVERYWHERE you go at ANYTIME, the handicapped parking spots are full. Just about everyone and their brother has a handicapped hangtag in their vehicle.
On a side note, I never understood the issuing of "Permanent" handicap hangtags. If they are permanently handicapped, why don't they get it on their license plate? There is no charge to do so. Yes, it requires a trip to the DMV but, personally, I don't think the hangtags should be issued if they are "permanently handicapped."

 

[NorthBeachPerso]

Have you been anywhere in this area lately? Do you know that EVERYWHERE you go at ANYTIME, the handicapped parking spots are full. Just about everyone and their brother has a handicapped hangtag in their vehicle.
On a side note, I never understood the issuing of "Permanent" handicap hangtags. If they are permanently handicapped, why don't they get it on their license plate? There is no charge to do so. Yes, it requires a trip to the DMV but, personally, I don't think the hangtags should be issued if they are "permanently handicapped."

The idea behind the permanent hang tags is that they can be switched between vehicles as necessary. The example I'll use is my sister-in-law and mother-in-law are both permanently disabled and have hang tags. That way when Mrs. NBP goes to see them (usually once a month) she can put the tag in her vehicle when she runs them around. Now, this is Pennsylvania so the rules may be different there.

 

[OccamsRazor]

The idea behind the permanent hang tags is that they can be switched between vehicles as necessary. The example I'll use is my sister-in-law and mother-in-law are both permanently disabled and have hang tags. That way when Mrs. NBP goes to see them (usually once a month) she can put the tag in her vehicle when she runs them around. Now, this is Pennsylvania so the rules may be different there.

I understand your example however, if they are both permanently handicapped, can't they both apply for and get handicapped tags on their respective vehicles?

 

[limblips]

So my car is in the shop for some work and I get a loaner.. I can take my hanger with me. I fly to another place and rent a car. I can take my hanger with me. There are many reasons for a permanent hanger.

 

[NorthBeachPerso]

I understand your example however, if they are both permanently handicapped, can't they both apply for and get handicapped tags on their respective vehicles?

They can, but having a hang tag is easier than the permanent one with the hauling around my wife and her brothers do for them. None of them like, for good reasons, using the gimps' vehicles.

I understand your point, though. What frosts me, and I'm not handicapped, here in the Beach is the very able bodied young, mostly women, who park in the Post Office handicapped spaces while they get cappuccinos at the coffee place, which has off street parking. Meanwhile our large population of people with HC tags have to walk half a block to get their mail.

 

[Ken King]

I understand your example however, if they are both permanently handicapped, can't they both apply for and get handicapped tags on their respective vehicles?

You do realize that one does not need to own a vehicle or have a driver's license to apply for and obtain the handicap placard, right?

 

[Clem72]

You do realize that one does not need to own a vehicle or have a driver's license to apply for and obtain the handicap placard, right?

Did not know that. Learn something new every day. Does seem like it would make the system easier to abuse (gonna borrow grandmas tag)

 

[OccamsRazor]

You do realize that one does not need to own a vehicle or have a driver's license to apply for and obtain the handicap placard, right?

Yep. Understand and know that. Are you trying to make a point that a vast majority of people with Handicap hang tags are just 'catching a ride' from others? Because I would argue that those instances are a very small minority.

 

[Ken King]

Yep. Understand and know that. Are you trying to make a point that a vast majority of people with Handicap hang tags are just 'catching a ride' from others? Because I would argue that those instances are a very small minority.

No, the point I was making was in your reference to suggesting that people should be getting handicap tags. Those tags are useless for many that benefit from having a portable placard that they can take with them no matter who is driving or owns the vehicle.

 

[OccamsRazor]

No, the point I was making was in your reference to suggesting that people should be getting handicap tags. Those tags are useless for many that benefit from having a portable placard that they can take with them no matter who is driving or owns the vehicle.

And I agree with you IN THE VERY SMALL MINORITY.
Bottom line, if you own a vehicle AND are permanently disabled (enough to warrant a blue hang tag) then you should have to get a handicap tag.

 

[Ken King]

And I agree with you IN THE VERY SMALL MINORITY.
Bottom line, if you own a vehicle AND are permanently disabled (enough to warrant a blue hang tag) then you should have to get a handicap tag.

Well, you can get the handicap tag, but saying "you should" is a little off target. If your dependent is disabled, and not the registered vehicle owner, can you get the registration plate? I'm a little confused even after reading the law as it seems that if the registered owner isn't disabled then the placards are the only legal option unless the vehicle is exclusively used to transport the disabled. Another advantage of using the placards is for rented or borrowed vehicles.

 

[Sneakers]

My dad had both, tag on the car and a hanger, Virginia and Arkansas.