New Traffic Patterns Effective Tuesday, June 17
(June 4, 2008) -- The Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration (SHA) and Baltimore County’s Department of Public Works advises motorists that the Towson Roundabout is scheduled to be closed for up to three nights beginning 9 p.m. Monday, June 16, weather permitting. The temporary closure of the roundabout will allow the State and County to institute new traffic patterns on the roundabout and reduce York Road (MD 45) to one lane between the roundabout and Towsontown Boulevard.
Between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. on the nights of June 16, 17 and 18 (if necessary):
The Roundabout will be closed to traffic;
• Northbound York Road will be closed north of Pennsylvania Avenue;
• Southbound York Road will be closed south of Washington Avenue;
• Southbound Dulaney Valley Road will be closed south of Investment Place;
• Northbound Dulaney Valley Road will be closed at the roundabout;
• Eastbound Allegheny Avenue will be closed at Washington Avenue;
• Westbound Allegheny Avenue will be closed at the roundabout;
• Eastbound Joppa Road will be closed east of Washington Avenue (existing closure); and
• Westbound Joppa Road will be closed west of Virginia Avenue.
During the roundabout closures, motorists should seek alternative routes around Towson, including the Towson Bypass (Burke Avenue to Bosley Avenue) and Towsontown Boulevard, an alternative route providing access to points from the south to the east and north. When approaching Towson from the north, alternatives to York Road include Bosley Avenue, Fairmount Avenue and Washington Avenue. Travelers going from the Lutherville area to Baltimore City may also use Charles Street (MD 139) as an alternative.
On Monday night, June 16, SHA contractors will alter the traffic patterns on the Towson Roundabout to delineate turn lanes and narrow the roundabout to one lane between southbound York Road and eastbound Joppa Road (between Souris’ Saloon and Barnes and Noble Bookstore). As of 5 a.m. Tuesday morning, June 17, the entrance from Allegheny Avenue to the roundabout (by the saloon) will be narrowed from two lanes to one lane. The exit from the roundabout to eastbound Joppa Road (by the bookstore) will also be narrowed to a single lane. New pavement markings, signs and ground-mounted bollards will direct motorists through the new traffic pattern.
The new traffic patterns are part of the Baltimore County’s Walkable Towson plan to reduce through traffic on York Road and improve pedestrian access to businesses, shops and restaurants in downtown Towson. Through travelers are strongly encouraged to use the new “trailblazer” signs installed by the State and County in April to navigate alternative routes around the Towson core to I-695 or Baltimore City during the roundabout closure times.
As of 8 a.m. Tuesday, June 17, parking will be permitted on York Road during daytime business hours, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m., in addition to the evening parking hours. Motorists should be aware that this will reduce York Road to one lane in each direction between the Roundabout and Towsontown Boulevard. For more information and diagrams of the new roundabout traffic pattern, log on to: www.baltimorecountymd.gov/go/walkabletowson www.baltimorecountymd.gov/go/yorkroadparking.
Participating business and civic organizations include: Tomorrow’s Towson, the Greater Towson Council of Community Associations, the Greater Towson Committee,
The Towson Chamber of Commerce and the Towson Retail & Restaurant Association.
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Towson community contacts:
Rhoda Dorsey, president, Tomorrow’s Towson: 410-828-6161
Mark Counselman, Tomorrow’s Towson: 410-769-6480
Ed Kilcullen, Greater Towson Council of Community Associations: 410-583-1438
Mike Ertel, Greater Towson Council of Community Associations: 410-995-6611
Nancy Hafford, Towson Chamber of Commerce: 410-825-1144
Harvey Brooks, Greater Towson Committee: 410-583-0110
Cindy Bledsoe, Greater Towson Committee: 410-825-2549
Towson Roadway Changes Fact Sheet
Prepared by Baltimore County Office of Community Conservation
Contact: Jay Doyle, 410-887-2483, (cell) 443-690-5366
TOWSON ROADWAY CHANGES TO SUPPORT WALKABILITY
During the third week of June, 2008, Baltimore County and the State Highway Administration will make changes to York Road and the roundabout as part of a comprehensive plan to strengthen Towson’s retail and restaurant district. The changes are designed to make downtown Towson more inviting to pedestrians, or walkable, and thus a more vibrant destination.
YORK ROAD PARKING AND ITS BENEFITS
The upcoming changes to York Road will add parking on both sides of the road along most of the three-block section between Towsontown Boulevard and the roundabout. This change will bring several benefits to the commercial district: (1) Patrons of the shops along York Road will have easier parking access to those shops; (2) The parked cars will serve as a buffer to moving traffic, making people on York Road’s sidewalks feel safer and more welcome; (3) Narrowing York Road will reduce traffic speeds along the affected section and reduce the volume of cut-through traffic that has little interest in visiting Towson’s various destinations.
NEW SIGNS OFFER GUIDANCE TO THROUGH TRAFFIC
Newly installed “trailblazer” signs highlight the many alternatives that motorists can choose if they are seeking an alternative to the downtown portion York Road. The new signs will be most useful during morning and evening rush hour. Key alternatives to the narrowed section of York include the Burke Avenue-to-Bosley Avenue bypass that is now well used by drivers approaching Towson from the south. Towsontown Boulevard is another alternative providing access to points from the south to the east and north. When approaching Towson from the north, alternatives to York Road include Bosley Avenue, Fairmount Avenue and Washington Avenue.
ROUNDABOUT CHANGES AND THEIR BENEFITS
Changes to the roundabout will include modifications to the central island, reducing the exit at Joppa Road to a single lane exit, reducing the roundabout to a single lane on the south side between the York Road exit and the York Road entrance, and additional pavement markings to better direct traffic in the roundabout. The benefits of these changes will be to (1) Reduce traffic speed and traffic conflicts in the roundabout, (2) Give drivers clearer direction in the roundabout, and (3) Make the roundabout more inviting and safer for pedestrians.
ABOUT THE PLAN FOR TOWSON
The changes to York Road and the roundabout in support of walkability were first proposed by the Urban Design Assistance Team that worked in Towson in 2006. The UDAT suggestions were then refined and made more specific through the Walkable Towson Charrette in the summer of 2007. They were finalized by the county Department of Public Works and SHA. The move to implement these aspects of the plan enjoy strong support from Tomorrow’s Towson, the Greater Towson Council of Community Associations, the Greater Towson Committee, the Towson Chamber of Commerce and the Towson Retail & Restaurant Association. You can learn more about the plans at
www.baltimorecountymd.gov/go/walkabletowson