Recent Traffic Safety Concerns

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By Ed Reilly
State Senator, District 33

As we close the calendar on 2018, I’d like to express my thanks for once again allowing me to represent District 33 in the state Senate. It is a position I am humbled to accept and one that I take seriously, as I realize that the issues addressed in Annapolis impact your lives.

Below, I’m offering updated information on a couple of traffic safety concerns that many constituents have contacted me on. Feel free to contact me for further discussion on these or other issues.

I wish you all a wonderful and blessed holiday season!

Crosswalk At Evergreen Road And Cedar Road

A great deal of concern has been shared by Severna Park residents with regard to safe use of the crosswalk at Evergreen and Cedar Roads. Evergreen Road has become a heavily traveled cut-through from Benfield/Robinson Roads to Baltimore-Annapolis Boulevard (MD 648). The Evergreen and Cedar crossing serves the community children who walk to three local schools, as well as many others who cross Evergreen Road as they head toward the B&A Trail.

The pedestrian danger in this crosswalk occurs as a vehicle traveling on Evergreen Road toward Severna Park High School moves into the right lane (at Cedar Road) to pass a vehicle that has stopped to allow pedestrians crossing in the crosswalk. Multiple near-miss hits of pedestrians has propelled Anne Arundel County to trial-test two safety changes. You will notice the following changes in January 2019.

First is the installation of lighted pedestrian-crossing signs. To alert drivers of pedestrians in the crosswalk, the sign’s flashing red lights will be activated by pressing a button located on the sign posts. Signs will be installed on both sides of the Evergreen Road crosswalk.

Second, a “choker” will be installed near the Evergreen Road crosswalk, on the Severna Gardens side of Cedar Road. Placement of this choker is designed to affect only one traffic pattern at the Evergreen/Cedar intersection. As a vehicle travels on Evergreen Road toward the high school, the choker is placed so that a vehicle traveling in the right lane (as it approaches Cedar), may not proceed straight and link back into Evergreen Road. The right lane vehicle must turn right onto Cedar Road.

Southbound Route 2 Crossover At Severna Park Marketplace

Another road safety concern is the southbound Ritchie Highway (Route 2) crossover into the Severna Park Marketplace (Giant/AC Moore). There is a great deal of movement going on in this section of roadway. Vehicles navigate from southbound Route 2 to cross into the marketplace or to proceed northbound on Route 2; other vehicles are pulling out of the marketplace onto northbound Route 2, and all this goes on as the northbound Route 2 traffic travels through. After multiple accidents, I have requested a safety study of this area by the State Highway Administration and look forward to receiving their findings. Also, prior to leaving office, County Executive Steve Schuh made a request of State Highway Administration for a comprehensive study of Route 2, which will include this area.

Ed Reilly, state senator, traffic

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