Traffic improvements will make Park Street, Baltimore Avenue intersection more pedestrian friendly

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The intersection of Baltimore Avenue and Park Street will become more pedestrian friendly when a federally funded project begins in the near future. Modified signage, traffic islands and marking of traffic lines are among improvements likely to be part of the project. Steve Bittner

February 18, 2012

Jeffrey Alderton Associated Press Sat Feb 18, 2012, 11:15 PM EST

CUMBERLAND — Several traffic matters were discussed by the Cumberland City Traffic Group on Thursday in public session, but how long the meetings will continue to be held at City Hall Council Chambers is not yet known.

In the last six months, only three people have appeared before the panel that consists of representatives of city engineers, police and street departments. The city has always had open access for consideration of traffic concerns and that access will continue. However, city officials have suggested that the traffic group sessions may not continue at City Hall, according to John DiFonzo, the city’s director of engineering, who chaired the 90-minute session.

The panel has no authority but its recommendations are routinely accepted by formal approval of its meeting minutes by the mayor and council.

Much of Thursday’s discussion centered on the Baltimore Avenue area of Park Street where numerous traffic improvements will make the area more pedestrian friendly in the near future. The federally funded project will include possible modification of signage and traffic islands and marking of traffic lines.

“We are trying to make all of the city streets more pedestrian-friendly and installing crosswalks where we can,” said DiFonzo.

A crosswalk was also requested by a resident at the heavily traveled Greene and Lee streets intersection just off Interstate 68. The group indicated new traffic signals would be needed at the intersection along with other improvements but no funds are available for such work at this time. However, funding for improvements on Greene Street “may be not too far off in the future,” according to DiFonzo.

The group decided to monitor the intersection, including pedestrian traffic, prior to further discussion when the panel meets in its next session scheduled for March 15.

Relocation of a parking kiosk from the first block of Washington Street where it is not used much to South Centre Street was also discussed. Positive feedback has been received about the location of the kiosk on South Centre, according to Cumberland Police Capt. Greg Leake.

Two one-hour parking spaces were also designated for the courthouse area at the request of the legal community, which is hard-pressed to find readily available parking at times to conduct court business.

The city traffic group continued discussion of the idea of having a park-and-ride lot on Emily Street. The idea did not receive favorable response from the Maryland State Highway Administration District 6 office, according to DiFonzo. Available park-and-ride locations in the Naves Crossroad area apparently factored in the SHA review.

Discussion of the Oldtown Road and Lamont Street intersection involved complaints from motorists about occasional traffic backups. A review of the signalization and timing of the signal for the various traffic movements will be made, as agreed upon by the traffic group.

Review of signage on Oldtown Road; traffic flow at the Columbia Avenue and Franklin Street intersection; request for installing guardrail in the 1700 block of Frederick Street; continued enforcement of the 25-mph speed limit on Frederick Street where speeding complaints abound; the idea of a city official to make a left-turn-only lane on Frederick Street in an effort to curb speeding; review of parking at the YMCA on Kelly Road where a bike lane has been requested; discussion of a bus loading zone at the Gilchrist Center YMCA location on Baltimore Avenue; and a parking complaint on Liberty Street were among other items discussed before the meeting concluded.

Contact Jeffrey Alderton at jlalderton@times-news.com.

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Traffic improvements will make Park Street, Baltimore Avenue intersection more pedestrian friendly

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