How do I petition the gov to change a traffic light duration?

[Sharpeneddark]

Particularly, I want to petition whomever is in control of the MD 97 - MD 32 junction just south of Westminster to extend the time duration of the MD 97 northbound light. Either due to the construction or an increase of drivers in general, the last week or so has seen a very high uptick in backed up traffic along the northbound side of 97 from 4 PM on. I realize there is construction that has altered the pattern and people are gingerly navigating around the jersey barriers and that will reduce flow through the intersection. However, I was hoping to petition the government (I assume Carroll County has a board that controls this) to extend the green light on the 97 side to alleviate this backup, at least in part. I just don't know how to start it.

Thoughts or suggestions are welcome.

 

[John from MD]

Write a letter to the County Exec's office and explain the problem and your suggested solution. It will get sent to the proper office for action. In my past experiences, they got back to me on what they did or what couldn't be done.

Regards,

John

 

[Sharpeneddark]

Thank you!

Would that be the Commissioner or should there be an actual "County Executive"?

 

[Mack C-85]

Probably since both are MD route numbers, your request should be directed to MD SHA.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk

 

[Art3]

You might have better luck reporting it as malfunctioning. I suspect people complain all the time about light timing seeming unfair, and it may get ignored. I have no evidence to prove this...it's just a hunch about how the government works. A malfunctioning signal should get someone out to investigate. If its timing is hindering the flow of traffic more than usual, then it IS malfunctioning, right?

My wife reported a faulty left turn arrow online (don't know exactly how...probably just search "report traffic light malfunction maryland"). A day or two later, she got an update that they fixed it.

 

[rob257]

Whats your final destination?

Particularly, I want to petition whomever is in control of the MD 97 - MD 32 junction just south of Westminster to extend the time duration of the MD 97 northbound light. Either due to the construction or an increase of drivers in general, the last week or so has seen a very high uptick in backed up traffic along the northbound side of 97 from 4 PM on. I realize there is construction that has altered the pattern and people are gingerly navigating around the jersey barriers and that will reduce flow through the intersection. However, I was hoping to petition the government (I assume Carroll County has a board that controls this) to extend the green light on the 97 side to alleviate this backup, at least in part. I just don't know how to start it.

Thoughts or suggestions are welcome.

You can easily pop off N/B Rt 97 at Nicodemus/Old Washington Rd (a left); follow that to Rt 32 and go into Westminster. There are alternative shortcuts from there depending on if your going to Hampstead/Manchester, Littlestown or Taneytown. Another plus to that route is your not dealing with the horrible Rt 97 and Rt 140 intersection at rush hour..
Rob

 

[jc1240]

I doubt they'll change it. The construction is to replace the standard intersection with a roundabout.

Pay no attention to me. I was wrong. It's happened before. It will happen again.

 

[jspero]

You can easily pop off N/B Rt 97 at Nicodemus/Old Washington Rd (a left); follow that to Rt 32 and go into Westminster. There are alternative shortcuts from there depending on if your going to Hampstead/Manchester, Littlestown or Taneytown. Another plus to that route is your not dealing with the horrible Rt 97 and Rt 140 intersection at rush hour..
Rob

That has been my approach this week except I take it all the way to MD 27. It's starting to back up in the morning SB, also. It took me 3 cycles of the light to get through yesterday around 6:30am. I hope they finish the construction soon.

MD97 is a mess at the other end, too. It seems to take 15 minutes to get from the RR tracks through the light at MD99. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Take that light back down. It's been a hell ever since they put it up.

I want to rant about the pin heads driving 40 MPH all the way down 97, but I'll leave that for another thread.

 

[jspero]

I doubt they'll change it. The construction is to replace the standard intersection with a roundabout.

Really??? Good Lord. I thought they were just adding turn lanes. Yeah, a circle will really fix things. The only reason it sort of worked at MD26 is that you can get on MD26 before you hit the circle and MD26 is an overpass. I guess that alternate route down Nicodemus will become permanent.

 

[jc1240]

Really??? Good Lord. I thought they were just adding turn lanes. Yeah, a circle will really fix things. The only reason it sort of worked at MD26 is that you can get on MD26 before you hit the circle and MD26 is an overpass. I guess that alternate route down Nicodemus will become permanent.

You know what? I'm an idiot. I was told it was going to be a roundabout. I was told wrong. Glad you questioned it.

They are putting in left-turn lanes on Rt32.

http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/news/local/ph-cc-32-97-intersection-20150818-story.html