<div>Audrey and interested parties,</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The best way to coordinate on beautification activities is through public works. Thus, please coordinate with Mr. Addison who will in turn keep me and the council informed. We have worked with community groups on several similar projects along Kenilworth Avenue on the town's interior too.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Best wishes,</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Vern<br><br></div>
<div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, Jun 8, 2010 at 11:53 AM, <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:ABragg7393@aol.com">ABragg7393@aol.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid">
<div style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #000000; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><font face="Arial" color="#000000" size="2">
<div> </div>
<div>This morning I sent this note to Justin Ross our State delegate. This is the reply I got. Is anyone willing to take on this project? We need the town to get involved as they need to make the request.</div>
<div>Our road should look as good as those in College Park and Greenbelt and we need to do something about it. I believe the town said this road is a State responsibility. Let's get them to be responsible. Who is willing to work on this and who in the town gov't will help?</div>
<div>Audrey</div>
<div>
<blockquote style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid">
<div style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial'">
<hr>
From: <a href="mailto:Justin.Ross@house.state.md.us" target="_blank">Justin.Ross@house.state.md.us</a><br>To: <a href="mailto:ABragg7393@aol.com" target="_blank">ABragg7393@aol.com</a><br>Sent: 6/8/2010 11:13:44 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time<br>
Subj: RE: help<br></div>
<div> </div><font style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face="Arial" color="#000000" size="2">
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Audrey,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Thanks for writing. There are a few things to consider when it comes to roadway beautification, the first being who maintains the road. It could be the municipality, county or State. Often times those roads maintained by the former have much more landscaping and are better cared for. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">However, the State Highway Administration (SHA), who maintains east-west highway, does offer programs for roadway beautification that the town or other interested parties could look into:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Under the <a title="http://Partnership Planting Program: http:/www.marylandroads.com/Index.aspx?PageId=321&d=104"><span style="COLOR: windowtext">Partnership Planting Program</span></a> the SHA will examine the feasibility of a beautification project in the area upon request and provide interested parties (usually a local government or community group) with a design. If the plan is approved by affected parties the SHA will work with those who requested the project to implement it. Usually this means SHA will provide the supplies and community members will volunteer to do the labor and maintain the site. The above link has more information about the program. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">SHA also has a <a title="http://www.marylandroads.com/Index.aspx?PageId=143&d=100" href="http://www.marylandroads.com/Index.aspx?PageId=143&d=100" target="_blank"><span style="COLOR: windowtext">wildflower program</span></a> that could be implemented into certain areas of the highway. Additionally, they also have an adopt/sponsor the road program that the town could look into. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">If any of these options interest you, let me know and we could discuss how to go about pursuing them. Also, if you ever feel as though maintenance on a particular State managed road is long overdue. Please feel free to let us know. The SHA will mow or make repairs upon request. In fact, if you know the location of the broken trees, I’d be happy to call the maintenance program today to see to it that it is addressed. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">I hope this email was helpful. I look forward to working with you to beautify rt. 410! </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Thanks!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Gia</span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"></span></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-FAMILY: 'Palatino Linotype','serif'">________________________</span></i><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: #1f497d"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-FAMILY: 'Palatino Linotype','serif'">Gianna Franzone</span></i><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-FAMILY: 'Palatino Linotype','serif'"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-FAMILY: 'Palatino Linotype','serif'">Legislative Aide </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-FAMILY: 'Palatino Linotype','serif'">Office of Delegate Justin D. Ross </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Palatino Linotype','serif'">Chief Deputy Majority Whip</span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-FAMILY: 'Palatino Linotype','serif'"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-FAMILY: 'Palatino Linotype','serif'">6 Bladen St. Rm 151 Annapolis, MD 21401 </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-FAMILY: 'Palatino Linotype','serif'">(301) 858-3652</span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-FAMILY: 'Palatino Linotype','serif'"></span></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: #1f497d"> </span></p>
<div>
<div style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; BORDER-TOP: #b5c4df 1pt solid; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 3pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">From:</span></b><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> <a href="mailto:ABragg7393@aol.com" target="_blank">ABragg7393@aol.com</a> [mailto:<a href="mailto:ABragg7393@aol.com" target="_blank">ABragg7393@aol.com</a>] <br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, June 08, 2010 9:59 AM<br><b>To:</b> Ross, Justin Delegate<br><b>Subject:</b> help</span></p></div></div>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black">Hi Justin,</span></p></div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black">Hope all is well with you. I wonder if you would help me with something. I went to the Riverdale Park Town meeting last night and they were passing an ordinance about height of grass and keeping the neighborhoods neat and groomed. I am all for that, but I asked if they could include public areas in that ordinance, since the East West Highway (410) looks like a ghetto. They said they had no control over the state and they could not issue the state a citation, since the state is where they get their charter. I said that the median strip has had very little care and looks really bad when you drive through. Trees that were destroyed during the winter storms have not been attended too. When "someone" comes in to cut the grass/weeds they do a poor job and it still doesn't look groomed. I see on Kenilworth Ave. near the Beltway (Greenbelt) they have planted flowers and trees and it is a pleasant sight. On Adelphi Road near the golf course (College Park) the landscaping is fabulous. The East West Highway is the main road into our town here in Riverdale Park and it says something about us...Right now it says, "keep going" you don't want to stop here. Years ago when they put the highway in it divided our town. The town made a sacrifice for all the other little towns to have the convenience of that highway. Now the other towns are being taken care of and our town is looking poor and unkempt. Please help with this, since our Mayor and council feel they can do nothing.</span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black">Thank you Justin,</span></p></div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black">Audrey Bragg</span></p></div></div></font></blockquote></div></font></div><br>_______________________________________________<br>TownTalk mailing list<br>To post to the list, send mail to <a href="mailto:TownTalk@riverdale-park.org">TownTalk@riverdale-park.org</a><br>
<a href="mailto:TownTalk-request@riverdale-park.org">TownTalk-request@riverdale-park.org</a> is for automated subscription processing only<br><a href="http://riverdale-park.org/mailman/listinfo/towntalk" target="_blank">http://riverdale-park.org/mailman/listinfo/towntalk</a><br>
<br>For more information about Riverdale Park, visit <a href="http://www.riverdaleparkmd.info/" target="_blank">http://www.riverdaleparkmd.info</a><br><br></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Vernon Archer, Mayor<br>
Town of Riverdale Park, Maryland<br>