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Ribbon Cutting Ceremony: Western Parkway Phase 1
Board Docs - Charles County Commissioners’ Meeting - Wednesday, July 23, 2008
2.02 [3:00 p.m.] Ribbon Cutting Ceremony: Western Parkway Phase 1 (from Md. Rte. 229 to Acton Lane)
Note: No pdf file
Posted by: Sammy on 07/22 at 06:32 AM
- 1 · It should be the Developer's who will be cutting the ribbon since our Leader's past and present have decided to give the county away.
The ceremony should be titled "How to destroy a great County and suceed" "Gateway to future Crime Capital USA" "Give us your coffee shops, cell phone stores, fast food joints, crime, low paying jobs"
Comment by jdman1 on 07/22 at 07:54 AM | Back to Top - 2 · This could also describe the Cross County Connector extension the Commissioners are pushing for...a $60M+ 4 lane "development corridor" from Waldorf (Billingsley Road) to Bryans Road.
PLUS it will be fully funded by the Charles Çounty taxpayers, nothing from the State.
Geez, there's already a "connector" from Rt. 228 to Accokeek, but of course, that doesn't achieve the "purpose" of the CCC extension - to develop the western portion of the county to the brink, thereby "justifying" the "need" for a bridge connecting Charles County with Woodbridge VA.
The Lower Potomac bridge "idea" first appeared in the mid-60's and has been sitting on the "back burner" - but IF the CCC extension happens, I guarantee that we'll see it resurrected.
So try to attend the Hearing before the Army Corps of Engineers and MDE on July 31st at the Charles Çounty Government Bldg. auditorium.
This could very well be the "last stand" for the Mattawoman Creek and watershed.
Comment by cheryl on 07/22 at 08:32 AM | Back to Top - 3 · OK, I know I'm really stepping in it this time but...
Does anyone know where I can get the traffic volume numbers for the western section of Billingsley? The traffic volume map in the County Comprehensive Plan doesn't include Billingsley, for some reason. Or traffic accident information.
My gut feeling has always been that there's far too much traffic on it for the fact that its a twisty two lane unnumbered road without any shoulders.
I'm not about to defend replacing it with a 4 lane highway or anything, but since the prevailing opinion here is against the CCC, I'm curious if you guys also think there's no problem with the current setup.
Most of the people I talk to who drive it every day either actively hate it (because it's horrible to drive) or love it solely because it's a lot of fun to speed down (when you can).
Honestly, noone actually goes the posted speed on it. If anyone actually does, then they end up with a dozen cars tailgating them, praying the offending driver turns off so we can all get back to a respectable speed.
There are almost no shoulders anywhere on it, so when (yes, when) an accident occurs, the road drops to either one lane or is closed entirely. And it seems like that road gets more than its fair share of accidents.
And the drainage is terrible, so after big storms, there's standing water and the road is closed off. Since 227 is also closes due to standing water, if you actually are trying to get to Bryan's Road, you have to either back track all the way to 225 or 228.
Granted, all these obsevervations were made back when I had to drive the road regularly, so my observations are very one sided.
I'm curious if the folks here travel Billingsley frequently and whether there are any options for road improvement that wouldn't end up destroying the watershed?
-Cave
Rotten tomato throwing may commence now.
Comment by caveman on 07/22 at 11:47 AM | Back to Top - 4 · As you said, Caveman, there are lots of accidents on this road and nobody does the speed limit. When those folks get into accidents, I like to consider it chlorine to the gene pool! Sorry...no sympathy here. It's just like our bleeding-heart society to avoid confronting those that break the rules because it's just easier to create sweeping change that affects everyone. Case in point, it would seem that no one knows how to negotiate a 4-way stop anymore. So what do we do? We put in a traffic signal so these mental giants don't have to think for themselves. That's what we need, right? More traffic signals!
Comment by Birdman on 07/22 at 12:35 PM | Back to Top - 5 · As for "road improvement" options, I direct your attention to Rosewick, East Billingsley, Talbot, etc. Do we really want to initiate another high-cost project that blocks traffic for years so that we can end up with a road that is obsolete the day it's opened? Not to mention the fact that when these projects commence, it marks the beginning of the end for beautiful trees, front yards for some folks, and pleasant roads. The result is always straight, unremarkable roads with no character, no shade and new construction projects from end to end. All this to prevent someone from getting killed who, by their own actions, doesn't care anyway!
Harsh, I know.
Comment by Birdman on 07/22 at 12:42 PM | Back to Top - 6 · I think a bridge to Woodbridge would be nice. It would freshen the Charles County gene pool and in only a few generations would eliminate people walking around with curly ears. The pilings of the bridge would be great for the fish and getting to the beautiful Shenandoah would be a lot easier. A whole new world would be open to Charles County residents. The only problem is--why in the World would Woodbridge want the bridge?
Comment by Iamangttia on 07/22 at 03:46 PM | Back to Top - 7 · You're just being facetious aren't you Iam??
Whether you are or not, it is something you may want to mention to the Corps and MDE on the 31st to the Corps & MDE.
It would certainly get their attention!!
Comment by cheryl on 07/22 at 04:31 PM | Back to Top - 8 · Frankly, I don't care much for the idiots who get in the accidents. (Actually, I do care, but only because they have mothers who care for them) I'm annoyed because when they inevitably got into an accident, they added 30 minutes to my commute.
My point is 35 mph may be the maximum safe speed for Billingsley, but given the 'parades' that generate whenever anyone actually does go that speed, the road appears to be too well used for the speed limit imposed.
Personally, I find 225 to be an enjoyable road to drive down. It's almost entirely houses or wooded area on either side, some curves, but no blind suicide curves, some of it is shady, and it Has Shoulders! If the heavens parted, angels sang, and Billingsley were replaced with a road along the lines of 225, would that destroy the watershed or lead to Inevitable Growth? What if they just regraded one or two spots where most of the accidents occurred or where the road floods?
I repeat, I'm not asking anyone to jump behind a 4 lane highway. I'm not for it either. I'm also aware that around here 'road improvement' is equivalent to '4 lane superhighway'. I'm not using it that way. I just mean: make it easier for those folks who do drive the road to not get held up by an accident every time it rains.
I also want to know whether there exist folks who both drive Billingsley regularly and who are against making any upgrades to the road. As I said before, everyone I talk to who drives Billingsley hates it. This implies a big disconnect between the two sides.
I know I'm being naive, but I'm only wondering if there exist solutions to what I see as a currently broken road. I'm not for more development, or a bridge, or anything else the Law of Unintended Consequences would cause to come to the area if you did build a 4 lane road. Does a compromise exist?
The takeout I'm getting from the coversation so far is that noone here drives it and noone here will be happy if they do anything besides repair potholes on the road.
Thanks for the tomatos btw, I expect another batch to come after this post.
Comment by caveman on 07/23 at 08:42 AM | Back to Top - 9 · The only "compromise" would be to build it in an area that won't impact the Mattawoman Creek.
Furthermore, IF it's built, it will attract more development, more traffic, more pollution, etc.,etc., etc. Eventually there will be a cry for more roads to alleviate the traffic congestion on the Connector!!
Then when the bridge is built, just imagine if you will, the traffic that wil generate, along with scores of new subdivisions.
The Connector would be just the beginning of intense "growth", the likes of which we haven't even begun to see yet!!
BTW Caveman, I don't know how long you've lived here, but I remember Billingsley when there was a one lane wooden bridge there and when parts of it weren't even paved!! My father, brother and I used to walk it, from our home in Bryans Road a few times a year just to enjoy the beauty of it.....
Comment by cheryl on 07/23 at 09:02 AM | Back to Top - 10 · FWIW, I've lived here less than ten years. When I moved in, Billingsley was already connected through to 5, but was 2 lane (with shoulders) most of that length. Those eyesore housing develpments and appartments near Piney Church were stands of trees. (I once saw a red fox run watch me drive down the road... now I only see dead ones in the middle of the road). And the Middleton Rd / Billingsley intersection nightmare hadn't been 'fixed'. And, of course, no Stadium.
I assume engineering studies were done ages ago that show it's flat out impossible to widen the current road by even 5 feet on either side? We don't really need more lanes, just a means of keeping the idiots on the road and a way to pass by the accident when they go off the road.
-Cave
Comment by caveman on 07/24 at 07:43 AM | Back to Top
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