[RP TownTalk] Street by Ernie's Lock

Fri Jan 18 02:27:25 UTC 2013

Dear Audrey,

We're limited as to what we can regulate on the roads.  We can certainly
put a sign up that says "Local Traffic Only" or "No Cut-through Traffic" or
"Business Traffic Only" but I suspect that every ticket written for someone
cutting through would be thrown out of court, and someone would
(eventually) take us to court over the practice.  If that worked, then
University Park wouldn't have the "Do Not Enter" signs on Sheridan and
Tuckerman to deter traffic that cuts through their neighborhood.

The attempts with the Jersey barriers (I think there were at least two
attempts, with different locations for the barriers and different sections
of W. Beale that were one way) suggest that this problem isn't easy to
solve.  The solution has to not annoy the customers of those businesses
(because even being annoyed, like the Jersey barriers, might make them go
elsewhere) while seriously deterring the cut-through drivers, and also
being something we can legally enforce.  If the "shared parking" proposal
that was going around as the bank was being approved had gone through, then
we could close the street and make people go through the parking lot (which
would slow down cut-through traffic enough to deter it, while not annoying
people who were going to be parking anyway) but that didn't happen (and
there might be some unintended consequences anyway).

In the short run, as I noted earlier, we can ask the police to enforce the
speed limit and other driving rules to at least make it passable.  We can
also use traffic logging resources we have to determine how much of a
problem it is, and what times of day there are problems, and see if there
are patterns in the data that suggest new solutions.  On a longer time
scale, I would suggest that we could consult with a traffic engineer about
ways we might achieve our goals. I'll discuss this with my honored
colleague from the First Ward, Jonathan Ebbeler, and see what thoughts he
has on the matter, since this street is in his ward.

Alan

On Thu, Jan 17, 2013 at 4:50 PM, Audrey Bragg <abragg7393 at aol.com> wrote:

> Hi Alan,
> I remember the jersey barrier and the business objection to it.  I am not
> proposing that.  My idea was something as simple as a sign at the entrance
> saying "business customers only"  No through traffic.  I see from the other
> posts that people agree that it is a road that needs a solution.  I know
> that big improvements take big money, but a sign?  Maybe.  How would it be
> enforced?  Maybe by the police force for a day or two.  Once people know
> they won't use that road for a cut through.  Actually, we could make some
> money here.  We have the police sit at Beale Circle.  When the cars come
> through without going into the businesses, we pull them over and give them
> a hefty fine.
> Audrey
>
>  -----Original Message-----
> From: Alan K. Thompson <webmaster at ci.riverdale-park.md.us>
> To: Sue Collins <wheadle at yahoo.com>
> Cc: Jonathan W. Ebbeler <jebbeler at riverdaleparkmd.gov>; TownTalk <
> towntalk at riverdale-park.org>
> Sent: Thu, Jan 17, 2013 3:36 pm
> Subject: Re: [RP TownTalk] Street by Ernie's Lock
>
>  The town council has tried several different ways of discouraging
> cut-through traffic on W. Beale (including putting in a Jersey barrier that
> would not let traffic get onto East-West Highway).  If my memory is
> correct, some of the businesses, and perhaps some residents, complained and
> the barrier was removed.
>
>  I think we can ask the police to step up monitoring speeding there at
> the very least.
>
>  Alan
>
>
> On Thu, Jan 17, 2013 at 3:05 PM, Sue Collins <wheadle at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>>  Oh, I completely agree!  Trying to walk across that little road is very
>> chancy, esp. as most of the people making the turn don't seem to remember
>> there's a little gadget in their car called a directional signal.  And yes,
>> many of them do go through there at a high rate of speed; too high for such
>> a small street, anyhow.
>>
>>    *From:* Maureen <maureen.farrington at gmail.com>
>> *To:* TownTalk <towntalk at riverdale-park.org>
>> *Sent:* Thursday, January 17, 2013 2:52 PM
>> *Subject:* Re: [RP TownTalk] Street by Ernie's Lock
>>
>>   We should put in a circle like Mt Ranier at Rte 1 and Queensbury.
>>
>>  I've seen a ton more people use West Beale from Rte 1 to get to 410.
>> East Beale would be much safer for that maneuver.
>>
>>  -Maureen
>>
>> On Jan 17, 2013, at 2:47 PM, bob smith <sfmc68 at verizon.net> wrote:
>>
>>   I have had similar problems during evening traffic and even very early
>> morning.
>> It would be nice if folks would at least drive politely, but traffic is
>> like water, it
>> finds a way to get by.
>> bob smith
>>
>> On 1/17/13 2:40 PM, Audrey Bragg wrote:
>>
>> Hi folks,
>> I just had to go to Ernie's Lock today and I noticed that cars come
>> flying through there from Balt. Blvd to take a short cut to the E-W Highway,
>> Coming out of the parking lot after I got my keys made was a nightmare.
>> The cars don't go slow, they speed.  I also noticed this when coming out of
>> Calvert House.  So if that road belongs to the town and the only reason for
>> going on it would be to go to the Bank, Animal Hospital, Calvert House or
>> Ernie's, couldn't we make it "local traffic for businesses only".  Just
>> wanted to know if anyone agreed with me before I bug all the council people
>> and the Mayor.
>> Audrey
>>
>>
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