While residents in west Catonville and on South Rolling Road agree that traffic is an issue through their community, they are disagreeing what to do about it.
The latest idea, which was shared at a meeting at the Knights of Columbus building on Frederick Road on Wednesday, is to create parkway from from South Rolling Road to Gun Road through Patapsco Valley State Park.
Residents have been meeting with the State Highway Administration to discuss how to address traffic and safety issues along South Rolling Road.
Dick Johnson, an Oak Forest resident, had been researching an option that would alleviate commuter traffic on Rolling Road that is heading to Howard County or points north of Catonsville.
According to his research, a proposal was made by SHA in the 1970s that called for parkway through the state park that would be environmentally safe but could alleviate traffic. The proposal was raised again in 1995 but tabled.
Kellie Boulware, spokesperson for the State Highway Administration, said that there are no plans to build the proposed parkway to bypass Rolling Road.
"Our discussions have been looking at improvements along Rolling Road," she said.
Residents at the meeting on Wednesday night were also skeptical of the plan, as many were concerned about the environmental impact to Patapsco State Park.
Paul McKean, a Gun Road resident, was there with roughly 20 Gun Road residents who were mostly in opposition to the proposal.
“The traffic on South Rolling Road is tremendous, but this is not the solution and never will be,” he said.
Many residents were in agreement that traffic was an issue, and other ideas were discussed including: closing South Rolling Road to traffic completely, adding a third lane, adding sidewalks or also making traffic in both directions flow one way during certain times of the day.
Larry Wilt, a resident on North Beechwood Avenue, said that his community would benefit from less traffic on South Rolling Road, but was also not in support of the parkway. If it were to be built, it would simply encourage more development in Howard County, he said.
“We’ll be back here having another meeting like this one,” he said.
SHA will continue to meet with residents to help develop improvements to the traffic and safety issues on the road, with the next meeting scheduled for March.
Commuters sit in traffic all over the would. If you don't like the commute - MOVE. Don't make me move because you destroy the best place to live in the Baltimore - Metro area.
No More Roads.
I couldn't have said it better. There are plenty of routes in and out of Howard county like Route 40, 175 from i-95 route 29 and so on. I commuted through that are for over a decade and found plenty of ways to get to, from and around that region during rush hour. Do Not Mess With Rolling Road ! Do Not Mess With Frederick Road ! and LEAVE PATAPSCO PARK ALONE ! "You call some place paradise - kiss it good by" ~ Eagles : The Last Resort Bill
Traffic is like water, it always takes the easiest path. If the route through Catonsville is made easier it will attract more traffic and we'll end up with bigger traffic jams.
This bypass "suggestion" by Mr. Johnson is not of any sort of official action that I am aware of - it is simply his opinion (and whoever else he may be working for). The next SHA task force meeting is April 13, I believe, and another community wide meeting will be held later in the spring. Just as a side note, the Balto Co police officer that attended this month's task force meeting stated that over 200 speeding tickets were issued and approx 150 warnings from May 2010 - Feb 2011 -- this is the largest amount in the area (and the largest amount that he had ever seen in his tenure with the force). From my personal experience as a S. Rolling resident, though, I can tell you that speeders are not just HoCo commuters, it is our friends and neighbors as well. It would be great if people would slow down and drive safely - the speed limit is 30 mph for a reason - it is beautiful residential area that deserves to stay safe!