Local emergency responders aren’t expecting a repeat of the massive traffic jam at the intersection of Route 924 and Route 24 which trapped some drivers in shopping center lots for hours last year, but still urged drivers to have patience and seek alternate routes heading into the Christmas holiday.
Construction on the new interchange was completed months ago, but the redesigned traffic pattern will face a major test in the next two days. Last year, while work was ongoing, gridlock caused a major snarl which lasted several hours, choking off traffic along Constant Friendship Boulevard and spilling into shopping center parking lots.
Frustrated drivers overwhelmed the county’s 911 call center, prompting emergency officials to put out a robo-call telling drivers to avoid the area while state police worked to get traffic flowing again.
A repeat nightmare isn’t expected this year, according to Lt. Chuck Moore of the Maryland State Police Bel Air Barrack.
“We kind of used Black Friday as a gauge to measure heavy traffic’s impact on that area,” Moore said in an e-mail to The Dagger. “Everything went pretty smoothly, however, we will continue to monitor the area closely and we will be prepared to call out the calvary should the need arise.”
Moore said he had consulted with State Highway Administration Transportation Engineers, who expected traffic to flow more smoothly in the area but cautioned drivers to, not surprisingly, expect some delays on the roads around Harford Mall.
Rich Gardiner, spokesman for the Harford County Volunteer Fire and EMS Association, said he also expected things to improve from last year.
“I believe it [the new pattern] managed the Thanksgiving shopping activity very well from what I saw, however time will tell for the next 96 hours,” Gardiner said. “I think my concern falls more toward the entire [Route 24] corridor, especially in the area of the town of Bel Air. It becomes extremely congested and this could prove tough for fire and EMS travels, and it seems as if it isn’t just the holiday season any longer, more of a commonplace occurrence.”
Nonetheless, Moore said drivers not looking to finish their shopping or sit in traffic should try to avoid the Constant Friendship intersection.
“It may be a good idea for commuters, who are not interested in shopping, to consider alternate routes around the area during the next couple of days, in case there are backups,” he said. “When the roadways are congested, motorists need to be patient and we will do our best to alleviate the congestion.”
I don’t know if anyone else noticed, but we really really need a right turn lane into the Constant Friendship Blvd shopping center. That light gets backed up at any time of the time with people trying to get to 24. Most of the people are just trying to get into that shopping center but have to wait for the light to cycle through (several times during really bad hours). I can’t believe they fixed the 24/924 intersection, but didn’t touch the Constant Friendship Blvd light at all.
Can you be more specific? Right turn lane from what road/what direction to what road/direction?
Right now I’m assuming you mean from Tollgate turning right into the shopping center? If so, I might come that way twice a year so I haven’t noticed how they set up the lanes there.
However, the light at Constant Friendship Blvd is MASSIVELY altered from before the construction, so it is not even remotely accurate to say they didn’t touch that intersection. I have repeatedly used all 3 other junctions at that intersection and (other than people not driving it correctly) it is a major improvement.
Next time I am through the Tollgate junction I assume you are talking about I will take note the lane assignments. It may be as simple as re-assigning the lanes. You should email the MDTA.
Sorry for not being too specific. You’re correct; I meant from Tollgate Rd right into the Shopping Center. Ironically during construction, they had a “shoulder” set up that people instinctively used as a right turn lane reducing the back up immensely. Now that construction is complete, no more turn lane and it gets backed up so much now. :\
How many lanes do you have there, 2 or 3? If there are 3 I don’t see why couldn’t make the right lane turn only. If there are only 2 it gets more complicated, because then people who need to go south on Rt 24 would be getting in the left lane (which is counter-intuitive) and then having to change lanes after the light. Not to mention it could cause confusion for people who might mistake the “right turn only” sign as meaning for Rt 24 rather than the shopping center. And mabye the lanes can’t be painted to match up right, etc.
Still worth sending an email to raise your concern.
You may also want to contact the Abingdon Community Council about it.
From my experience on the new interchange at 24 and 924, as well as comments from friends about it, there seems to be a dangerous situation created upon leaving the Walmart/Target shopping center and turning right onto 24. Drivers heading south on 24 – and not going onto I-95 – have to suddenly move to the left, and then to the left again, with little warning that I’ve noticed. I hope that will be addressed before work is totally finished.
As I stated in a comment from another article, I pointed this flaw out to them when they first published the plans for the project and I was pretty much ignored. Since they have finished, I highlighted that this is in fact a real problem. I have emailed the MdTA twice about it. You need to send an email, as well as anyone else you talk to…
Call our toll-free hotline at 1-877-368-1141 to hear project updates and construction information. Messages will be returned within two business days.
Email any Questions to mdta@mdtransportationauthority.com
So how’s it going out there, holiday drivers? Managably awful or totally ridiculous? Let us know!
I passed through the new interchange around 1pm and didn’t notice any congestion problems from any direction.
However, the Ravens game had just kicked off, which tends to noticeably reduce traffic volumes.
OK this is pissing me off. TOday I almost got hit. When proceding under the overpass either from Wawa or the left hand turn lanes please note the right most lane either goes straight on tollgate through the light at Constant Friendship BLVD or assumes the right of the two left hand turn lanes. If you use the lane second from the right or the iner left hand turn lane you must use the furthest left turn lane at Constant Friendship. I almost got hit by someone today when I was proceeding as the pavement is marked (which is different then it used to be) and a lady on her cell phone proceeded to execute an illegal lane change into the middle lane. She then honked at me and flipped me off. I have observed many people not following the pavement. Someone is going to get hit please note how it is marked and follow accordingly!