Old Great Mills Rd & RT 5

[BernieP]

Sorry, but I don't see that. I travel that intersection daily, and the change they're making WILL improve afternoon traffic instantly.

enjoy the orange barrels, signs and parked equipment for the next two years

Not sure if you know this fact, there are only a dozen workers for all these projects,. The park equipment, signs and barriers at each work site so it appears there is some activity going on. Then they rotate the workers through each project, a couple of days at a time.

 

[Goldenhawk]

enjoy the orange barrels, signs and parked equipment for the next two years

Not sure if you know this fact, there are only a dozen workers for all these projects,. The park equipment, signs and barriers at each work site so it appears there is some activity going on. Then they rotate the workers through each project, a couple of days at a time.

Um, the work in question (blocking right turn onto northbound 5) will be done by next week. And I'd like to see your source for that claim - it's pretty bold.

Look, I get the snark. We've all seen the lunacy at Airport Drive.

But on the other hand, METCOM did all the work rerouting the pipelines in the Great Mills post office area without affecting traffic at all And once the real road work eventually starts, they'll be smart about not impeding rush hour traffic. Unlike Airport Drive, there is literally no bypass route, so they can't play the same stupid detour games.

I'm probably not alone in being willing to put up with a few interruptions at off-peak hours to get that intersection remedied properly.

 

[BernieP]

Um, the work in question (blocking right turn onto northbound 5) will be done by next week. And I'd like to see your source for that claim - it's pretty bold.

Beyond drinking the koolaid, you have no sense of humor. Do you get out of the county often, if ever? Have you not noticed all the road work going in, particularly on the interstates.?

It was an illogical conclusion to passing dozens of construction zones and seeing no activity, even after multiple trips, no observed progress and no signs of humans working.
I've seen a shovel on a road outside the building, hasn't moved in months, road is closed, stuff is there, but there hasn't been any sign of activity since shortly after the road was closed 2 months ago. Sorry, one day last week observed a couple of dump trucks. But the big pile of dirt is still there, so I'm not sure what if anything those trucks did, maybe just paying a visit.

 

[wolfdad]

Or they could just do what the did in Clements.....put stop signs up until everyone is trained to use the traffic circle.

 

[Potomac]

It is in the design phase
The soMaryland delegation has had a meeting with our federal reps about applying for federal grant money for this project. If awarded, that will greatly speed this all up

MDOT SHA's Project Portal Home Page

Project Portal offers a comprehensive view of all current major, funded, and planned projects occurring across the State of Maryland.

apps.roads.maryland.gov

As someone else posted, I am more than willing to deal with some nuisance/pain to get improvement in the future. I deal with this area every day of my life just about and it's a PIA.

If/when SHA conducts more workshops I strongly advise people to attend. They are very, very helpful & well-run

 

[MiddleGround]

I just do not see how blocking off that cut-through is going to improve the traffic jam during rush hour on WB Great Mills and NB route 5. There are people on here saying it will be a "quick fix" however, the only way to fix it is if they do some MAJOR road expansion and damn good planning. Even if they decide to do this, we have all seen the speed and efficiency at which MDOT and road work occurs at.

I cannot see a possible scenario where this will not be a nightmare for those that travel that route.

 

[glhs837]

I just do not see how blocking off that cut-through is going to improve the traffic jam during rush hour on WB Great Mills and NB route 5. There are people on here saying it will be a "quick fix" however, the only way to fix it is if they do some MAJOR road expansion and damn good planning. Even if they decide to do this, we have all seen the speed and efficiency at which MDOT and road work occurs at.

I cannot see a possible scenario where this will not be a nightmare for those that travel that route.

I agree, any fix from this particular action will be emotional, not functional. People will not be enraged by the cut-throughs and arseholes who take the right onto GMR and left onto OGMR to bypass the light.

 

[Goldenhawk]

I agree, any fix from this particular action will be emotional, not functional. People will not be enraged by the cut-throughs and arseholes who take the right onto GMR and left onto OGMR to bypass the light.

Nope. The cut thru definitely affects traffic flow in tangible ways. It messes up the merge as people (already the impatient types) force themselves into the line of people who otherwise have been trying to work together to get thru the intersection smoothly. It adds measurable delay exactly at the worst spot of the intersection.

We go thru that spot at the height of rush hour and are extremely happy to hear about this. If you are actually involved with that intersection, it’s pretty obvious how much that one part of the intersection was adding to the pain for everyone.

No, it won’t FIX the intersection, but yes it will HELP.

So rant all you want about inefficient contractors and wasted road work funding, but THIS tiny change will make improvements with very little cost and with instant completion. Yay to the SHA.

 

[glhs837]

I'm not ranting about any of that. I go through there infrequently, but enough to know that I dont really think those people add more than emotional chaos to whats already a chaotic situation. But these are opinions, I imagine facts to validate either of them are not available. I personally believe this is akin to the speed enforcement that is performed at 0900 Sat or Sundays mornings on 235, a show the flag exercise rather than any meaningful attempt to deter poor driving behavior.

 

[MiddleGround]

Nope. The cut thru definitely affects traffic flow in tangible ways. It messes up the merge as people (already the impatient types) force themselves into the line of people who otherwise have been trying to work together to get thru the intersection smoothly. It adds measurable delay exactly at the worst spot of the intersection.

Beg to differ...

The by-far largest problem with that intersection is two fold.

#1 being that they cut the 2 lanes coming from GMR down to 1 when on Rte 5. As far as I know, closing the bypass lane will not fix this.
#2 being the traffic signal at Flat Iron is too close to the GMR/Rt 5 intersection causing backups. As far as I know, closing off that bypass lane will not fix this either.

The overarching problem is congestion. The only way to alleviate congestion is to provide more lanes of travel.

 

[Gilligan]

What they really need to do is build the Pegg Rd connector to connect 249 straight through. I thought that was supposed to have been done many years ago.

 

[BernieP]

Beg to differ...

The by-far largest problem with that intersection is two fold.

#1 being that they cut the 2 lanes coming from GMR down to 1 when on Rte 5. As far as I know, closing the bypass lane will not fix this.
#2 being the traffic signal at Flat Iron is too close to the GMR/Rt 5 intersection causing backups. As far as I know, closing off that bypass lane will not fix this either.

The overarching problem is congestion. The only way to alleviate congestion is to provide more lanes of travel.

I beg to agree

With the addition of providing alternative routes to balance the load. RT235 is testimony to what just adding additional lanes will do.
They literately implemented a plan to create the mess that is RT 301 from La Plata through Brandywine.
They combined two major roads, 5 & 301, then made sure all commercial activity would be squeezed into that corridor
I would label that as Not so Smart Growth.

 

[Goldenhawk]

Beg to differ...

The by-far largest problem with that intersection is two fold.

Nothing you said disagrees with what I said. There is no "differ" here. I said it will definitely, measurably help. You said it wasn't the biggest problem. Both are completely true statements. Yes, the intersection needs to be overhauled. But also yes, this change will help in the meantime.

 

[glhs837]

What they really need to do is build the Pegg Rd connector to connect 249 straight through. I thought that was supposed to have been done many years ago.

What I've been told is that the only valid path from the end of current Pegg runs through some farm property that the owners will NOT sell.

https://www.google.com/maps/@38.2528601,-76.4939209,853m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en

 

[MiddleGround]

Nothing you said disagrees with what I said. There is no "differ" here. I said it will definitely, measurably help. You said it wasn't the biggest problem. Both are completely true statements. Yes, the intersection needs to be overhauled. But also yes, this change will help in the meantime.

My issue is when you say "measurably." If eliminating 5% of the problem is "measurable" then I agree

 

[Gilligan]

What I've been told is that the only valid path from the end of current Pegg runs through some farm property that the owners will NOT sell.

https://www.google.com/maps/@38.2528601,-76.4939209,853m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en

Easy to see which farm....LOL.

I wonder where along the way they reached that impasse?..because they were proceeding originally like the new connector road was a done deal. They made Greg Callaway include some stuff in his shopping center design/construction that recognized the future through road..and have even have the short stretch of Pegg rd in that new housing development on Indian Bridge.

 

[glhs837]

Easy to see which farm....LOL.

I wonder where along the way they reached that impasse?..because they were proceeding originally like the new connector road was a done deal. They made Greg Callaway include some stuff in his shopping center design/construction that recognized the future through road..and have even have the short stretch of Pegg rd in that new housing development on Indian Bridge.

Sure did. How long have we been building chunks of FDR? Man, just wait til they do run Pegg through the new subdivision, the hue and cry will be awesome!!!!1

 

[TPD]

SHA at the Old GMR intersection today blocking it off. Anxious to hear back from commuters this evening about the difference it made or didn't, assuming the job was finished today of course.

 

[glhs837]

SHA at the Old GMR intersection today blocking it off. Anxious to hear back from commuters this evening about the difference it made or didn't, assuming the job was finished today of course.

Gonna be a sh&^storm for the next few days while all the intersection cheaters dive in there blind, not realizing there's no way out..... Do NOT plan on gassing up at Sheetz between 3pm and 6pm.

 

[TPD]

Gonna be a sh&^storm for the next few days while all the intersection cheaters dive in there blind, not realizing there's no way out..... Do NOT plan on gassing up at Sheetz between 3pm and 6pm.

Well I'm not gassing up there at anytime of the day or night, but yeah it's gonna be interesting. Too bad we can't turn the traffic cam around at that intersection to watch the show.