Rte 4 NB closed Wed AM - accident

[twinoaks207]

Just in case anyone is headed up Route 4 NB for work this AM, Channel 9 & WTOP are reporting that it is currently closed due to a serious accident -- car into pole, helicopter airlift, pole across road between 260 & 258. Obviously, currently a horrendous back-up. Those of you who drive it regularly, you know the drill for the alternate routes.

 

[twinoaks207]

WTOP reporting now (via Twitter) that northbound has been re-opened. Still a huge back-up & will take some time to dissipate so be aware.

 

[Rael]

Just in case anyone is headed up Route 4 NB for work this AM, Channel 9 & WTOP are reporting that it is currently closed due to a serious accident -- car into pole, helicopter airlift, pole across road between 260 & 258. Obviously, currently a horrendous back-up. Those of you who drive it regularly, you know the drill for the alternate routes.

It was so backed up, I couldn't get out of the garage. And that was yesterday morning.

No, seriously, that was a pretty bad back-up, but it did crawl along. LE did a good job rerouting everyone in an orderly way. Hope the person(s) involved in the accident are okay.

 

[calvcopf]

This also caused a back up on Rt.2, due to the detour. Traffic was moving slowly on Rt 2. also.

 

[PsyOps]

This seems to be the worst section of road on rt 4. There was biker killed there about 6 or 7 years ago. I was involved in a multi-vehicle accident where traffic stopped for reasons unknown. A biker rear-ended me and spent 2 weeks in the hospital. Last winter a pickup went off the road and ended up on its side in the farm land. There was another accident just this past summer. Since I have lived here (2005) I think there have been about 7 or 8 accidents just in that little stretch. I suspect in this case and the accident I was involved in a deer darter across the road. There is no shoulder to pull off. The trees are right on the road which gives you no time to react to animals darting out or a way to pull over if traffic stops. And you have two types of people that drive through there: the ones that get creeped out about being closed in and excessively slow down, and those that think it’s a NASCAR race. Because it has rolling hills the two tend to create a problem.

This section really needs to be worked on expanding it. I wonder how many more accidents will happen here before the county wakes up to the problem.

 

[RPMDAD]

PsyOps, Rte. 4 is a state Highway, not sure what the county can do other than petition the state. Remember the MOM's transportation fund is broke between him raiding it and spending all that money on PG's and Montgomery counties ICC, there is no transpo funds for SOMD,remember our votes don't count we vote Republican. Agree though something needs to be done to that stretch oh Hwy.

 

[PsyOps]

PsyOps, Rte. 4 is a state Highway, not sure what the county can do other than petition the state. Remember the MOM's transportation fund is broke between him raiding it and spending all that money on PG's and Montgomery counties ICC, there is no transpo funds for SOMD,remember our votes don't count we vote Republican. Agree though something needs to be done to that stretch oh Hwy.

I thought state roads were managed by county. There is that one section that starts just north of (I think) 408 all the way to (I think) Marlboro Pike that was completely repaved on both sides. That section, if I read the map right is in Anne Arundel county. Where the new paving ends looks like PG. The section from that point all the way up to the beltway is atrocious. It’s one long pothole repair project. With the money they’ve spent patching that section they could have paved it. But it’s a little curious why only that one section of road was paved when the more northern part needs it so badly.

Anyway, that section just north of 260 is in Anne Arundel and I think letters need to be written to the state and county to investigate how dangerous that section is.

 

[creekman]

That section of road is in A A County. Counties set their priorities for construction projects and the state makes decisions based on those priorities. Since that piece of road is in the very end of the county they have no interest in using the monies that would be allocated to them to fix the road. And their doesn't appear to be any politician to take up the cause.

 

[JoeRider]

Just in case anyone is headed up Route 4 NB for work this AM, Channel 9 & WTOP are reporting that it is currently closed due to a serious accident -- car into pole, helicopter airlift, pole across road between 260 & 258. Obviously, currently a horrendous back-up. Those of you who drive it regularly, you know the drill for the alternate routes.

What is the alternate route? My past experience is tell everyone you are suppose to meet that day to forget about it.

 

[Katelin]

Rest of the story

Here is a brief report from www.hometownannapolis.com


LOTHIAN - A man was flown to a local trauma center following a serious accident on northbound Route 4 in Lothian before dawn this morning.

County police said the driver of a Mazda traveling north on Route 4 at 4:48 a.m. lost control, left the roadway and hit a utility pole near Talbot Road.
A few minutes later a second call reported that a pickup truck had struck the Mazda.

A 27-year-old man was flown to the Prince George's County Shock Trauma Center in Cheverly with injuries that were serious but not life-threatening, fire department officials said. It was not clear which vehicle the injured man was in.

click on link for the rest of the story...

 

[river rat]

Nice too see that it was not fatal.

 

[twinoaks207]

This seems to be the worst section of road on rt 4. There was biker killed there about 6 or 7 years ago. I was involved in a multi-vehicle accident where traffic stopped for reasons unknown. A biker rear-ended me and spent 2 weeks in the hospital. Last winter a pickup went off the road and ended up on its side in the farm land. There was another accident just this past summer. Since I have lived here (2005) I think there have been about 7 or 8 accidents just in that little stretch. I suspect in this case and the accident I was involved in a deer darter across the road. There is no shoulder to pull off. The trees are right on the road which gives you no time to react to animals darting out or a way to pull over if traffic stops. And you have two types of people that drive through there: the ones that get creeped out about being closed in and excessively slow down, and those that think it’s a NASCAR race. Because it has rolling hills the two tend to create a problem.

This section really needs to be worked on expanding it. I wonder how many more accidents will happen here before the county wakes up to the problem.

I was car #2 in a 10 car pile-up one winter in the early 90's. I was the lucky one -- when the guy in front of me did a 180 and ended up crossways across the road, I was far enough back & going slow enough, that I could steer off to the right towards the field in the dip. My front bumper stopped 5 inches from the telephone pole and no one hit me. I can't say the same for everyone else. All I could hear behind me was crashes & bangs and trees. People were driving too damn fast for conditions (snowy road) and that was too much when it was coupled with the roller coaster hills in that part of the road. People are still driving too damn fast in there and when they tail-gate the way they do, it's a wonder we haven't had more multi-vehicle pile-ups.

What is the alternate route? My past experience is tell everyone you are suppose to meet that day to forget about it.

Yeah, I always call & tell 'em I'll be there eventually but I can't say when! Alternates depend on where you're going & where the problem is. I think you're luckiest if you're headed to southenr PG because you can always go south on 4 and then pick up the Benedict bridge & go through Charles county. Otherwise, it's mostly take your chances on 2 and pick the best place to get off of it -- 258 (Deale), 408 (Wayson's) or go up to 214. All depends on where you need to go.

Unfortunately, there basically is only one way in and one way out and that's route 4. Not much you can do when you're on a peninsula & sourrounded by water...