3 killed in crash on River Road

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:According to one of the comments in the WP, Pyle Road used to be gated off so that no one could enter or leave that way to or from the HS. I don't know the layout of the school, but is this a possibility again? If there was a gate at that entrance, why was it removed?

Yeah there was. It's on the extension of the service road that is Whitman property, and it is/was closed on school days. It was opened during the weekends and evenings -- I think because a lot of residents used it to cut through to get home. Not sure if they close it now during school days or not.

No, I take my kids home using it every day

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I drive this road all the time; a change in speed limit truly isn't required - there are no sidewalks along River, few residences that abut the road and huge medians throughout. The few schools on River have entrances well into their property and no child is at risk right at the roadside. What is needed is a LIGHT at this particular spot.

And cyclists? How much room do they have? I'd say get the light AND reduce the speed.

HUGE shoulders. 4 lines pretty much everywhere. In fact, the only place there are cyclists are way up on river (near poolseville), where it's a 2 lane rd and it's very curvy. I think cyclists don't belong up there, given how twisty and hilly and how little visibility there is for cars.

But on this part of River, I rarely see bikes.

People become complacent on this road (probably because it seems so straight and with seemingly good visibility). Twice I have been hit from behind on that road by people on their phones (I saw them in my mirror). Something definitely needs to be done to bring speeds down - all the way along that road.

That was Massachusetts Avenue - not River Rd. Just clarifying b/c I think it is important to note that not many cyclists use River Road.

I think you might be replying to the wrong PP. I'm the one above you, and I know for certain that the two people who (separately) drove into the back of me were on River Rd.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is her extended family from the DMV? I don't how this poor kid will ever emotionally recover from this. I keep thinking of all the milestones in her life for which she'll be alone. I wonder if she'll get to stay at her school - or if she'd want to - or if her relatives are located someplace else and she'd have to move there. So sad for this child.

They are here. The drivers brother is also a doctor. I won't mention how I know them but I've know them decades. She has a loving local extended family that will see her through this.

So glad to hear this. Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I drive this road all the time; a change in speed limit truly isn't required - there are no sidewalks along River, few residences that abut the road and huge medians throughout. The few schools on River have entrances well into their property and no child is at risk right at the roadside. What is needed is a LIGHT at this particular spot.

I don't think a light is needed. I don't think there is enough traffic crossing at most times during the day and I think it is too close to the light at Wilson. I think they should just close the median. I don't think anyone needs to go across River Road there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is her extended family from the DMV? I don't how this poor kid will ever emotionally recover from this. I keep thinking of all the milestones in her life for which she'll be alone. I wonder if she'll get to stay at her school - or if she'd want to - or if her relatives are located someplace else and she'd have to move there. So sad for this child.

They are here. The drivers brother is also a doctor. I won't mention how I know them but I've know them decades. She has a loving local extended family that will see her through this.

So glad to hear this. Thank you.

Yes, Her Grandfather, Aunt, and Uncle are are all local doctors. She also has cousins. They are a close family and will be there for her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I drive this road all the time; a change in speed limit truly isn't required - there are no sidewalks along River, few residences that abut the road and huge medians throughout. The few schools on River have entrances well into their property and no child is at risk right at the roadside. What is needed is a LIGHT at this particular spot.

I don't think a light is needed. I don't think there is enough traffic crossing at most times during the day and I think it is too close to the light at Wilson. I think they should just close the median. I don't think anyone needs to go across River Road there.

Nobody NEEDS to use River Road at all, except for the people/facilities with driveways off it. Plenty of people WANT to use River Road, though. And plenty of people evidently want to use that intersection.

[Anonymous]

Sorry if this has been asked, but why not close off the turn? There are protected turns at Wilson and Whittier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sorry if this has been asked, but why not close off the turn? There are protected turns at Wilson and Whittier.

Why not put a traffic signal there?

[Anonymous]

How soon until they know an official cause?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry if this has been asked, but why not close off the turn? There are protected turns at Wilson and Whittier.

Why not put a traffic signal there?

Because it is a major commuting thoroughfare. And traffic lights can increase accidents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry if this has been asked, but why not close off the turn? There are protected turns at Wilson and Whittier.

Why not put a traffic signal there?

Because it is a major commuting thoroughfare. And traffic lights can increase accidents.

Plenty of major commuting thoroughfares have plenty of traffic signals, so evidently the two can co-exist perfectly well. In addition, if you (like the SHA) prioritize vehicle throughput, what you're basically saying is: it's more important that people who do not live in the area be able to drive quickly to and from the Beltway than that people who do live in the area be able to get around their neighborhood (by car, by bike, by bus, or on foot).

As for car crashes -- why are we talking about this intersection at all? Because a major, deadly, awful car crash just happened there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why not put a traffic signal there?

Because it is a major commuting thoroughfare. And traffic lights can increase accidents.

This is what I wonder about. If traffic lights can increase accidents, surely there is a way to calculate when the benefits will still outweigh the drawbacks? How can we (local citizens without much expertise) get access to this knowledge?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry if this has been asked, but why not close off the turn? There are protected turns at Wilson and Whittier.

Why not put a traffic signal there?

Because it is a major commuting thoroughfare. And traffic lights can increase accidents.

And every traffic light costs ca. 300K.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry if this has been asked, but why not close off the turn? There are protected turns at Wilson and Whittier.

Why not put a traffic signal there?

Because it is a major commuting thoroughfare. And traffic lights can increase accidents.

And every traffic light costs ca. 300K.

Circa is only used to approximate time and dates.

Sorry but that's like the third time I've seen it on here lately, it isn't correct!

[Anonymous]

I'd be surprised if there hasn't been an independent traffic study conducted at that intersection. Interested parties may want to try to get a hold of that from Maryland DOT. If the intersection had previously been found to be a serious danger--especially given the proximity of the HS--and the state did nothing to mitigate it, there could be a major settlement or lawsuit.

$300K for an intersection is a drop in the bucket given the lives lost just this past weekend, both in an economic and existential sense.