Bypass bumped as Garrett County’s top priority

County now giving favor to North-South connector

Megan Miller Cumberland Times-News

OAKLAND — Garrett County has joined Allegany in naming the North-South highway corridor as its top priority for transportation project funding.

Specifically, the Garrett County Commission Tuesday moved the upgrade of U.S. Route 219 to No. 1 on the county’s short list of projects in the Maryland Consolidated Transportation Program, bumping the only other project, the construction of the Oakland bypass, to No. 2.

Jim Hinebaugh, representing the Greater Cumberland Committee, advocated the change before the commission.

“We came to the conclusion that it’s a little bit awkward for the Greater Cumberland Committee to be lobbying for this as the top project for the three states if this isn’t the top project individually for the three states,” he said.

The proposed North-South highway corridor would connect U.S. Route 219 in Pennsylvania with Interstate 68 in Maryland, extending down U.S. Route 220 through West Virginia to connect with the Corridor H highway project.

Garrett’s portion is the area of U.S. 219 between I-68 and the Pennsylvania state line.

Hinebaugh, who also serves as director of the Garrett County Department of Economic Development, said leaving the project at No. 2 on Garrett’s list could give the state “an out” to say the project isn’t a funding priority.

But the move wasn’t without opposition. Jay Moyer, superintendent of the Garrett County Roads Department, said he thinks the Oakland bypass would be a greater benefit to area residents, and he fears a change of status would harm the project.

“I’ve argued many times for the bypass to stay the top priority and seen projects that weren’t even on the list get funded and move forward,” Moyer said. “My position is that we’ve worked too hard for too long to get to where we are. If this would give Gov. O’Malley or the legislature the excuse they need to ditch this project … my fear is that we’d fall right back down to where we were.”

The Oakland bypass would run from about the intersection of U.S. Route 219 and state Route 135 on the east edge of town to reconnect with U.S. 219 north of the Walmart store.

Hinebaugh said the Oakland bypass has received little support at the state level, while the North-South highway corridor has received state and federal attention and is supported by a tri-state lobby effort.

“The difference is that there’s no support to build the bypass anytime soon,” he said. “I’m not suggesting that we ditch the bypass or don’t support the bypass. I’m just suggesting that we support this project that does have state support, tri-state support.”

John Nelson, director of the Department of Planning and Land Development, pointed out that the Oakland bypass is further along in the planning process, and is nearly construction-ready. But there are no state funds on the horizon to get construction under way, probably for several years, and the project would rely almost entirely on state money.

The North-South highway project, on the other hand, would be funded almost entirely by federal dollars, with a 20 percent state match.

State Sen. George Edwards, who attended the meeting along with Delegate Wendell Beitzel, said the climate in Annapolis could mean no funding anytime soon for major highway projects in Garrett County.

“The thrust now … is for mass transit, so other areas are fighting for more money for mass transit systems, and we’re going to see even less,” Edwards said. “With this 219 project you’re working with other states, which doesn’t happen very often on major projects. You ought to use it while you have it.”

Only two of the three commissioners were present for Tuesday’s meeting. Commissioner Denny Glotfelty, who is battling cancer, was absent for medical reasons.

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Oakland bypass will affect community forever

To the Editor:
Cumberland Times-News

The Maryland Highway Administration will conduct a public meeting with the Garrett County commissioners in the commissioners’ meeting room on Oct. 2 at 10 a.m.

One of the projects discussed will be the No. 1 priority given to the U.S. Route 219 Oakland bypass by the Garrett County Planning Commission. This highway project has been declared off budget by Gov. O’Malley (declared at a public meeting at Frostburg State University) and also denounced by former Gov. Parris Glendening in correspondence to the writer of this letter.

It appears the planning commission is not listening to the honest opposition to this $42 million-plus abomination that will destroy not only farmland but the downtown business community, rather listening to the developers who are trying to establish a new business district.

If for one moment you think this will be a limited access highway, think again, and drive from Uno’s restaurant on Route 219 along the lake to McHenry and determine how limited that is, and think how many rear-end accidents occur there during the summer months. This bypass will last about 10 minutes at the outset from being limited access.

We ask the planning commission to direct their priorities to state Route 495, a more direct route from the Northern Industrial Park to the Southern Industrial Park. This proposal was made in the Garrett County Comprehensive Plan of 1974 signed by Garrett County commissioners Wayne Hamilton, Don Bender and George Edwards, now Sen. Edwards. The purpose was to divert thru-traffic away from Deep Creek Lake.

We invite everyone with an interest for or against the bypass to attend this meeting and express your views. We also invite each county commissioner to make a public statement as to their individual position. This is extremely important and will affect our community forever.

DeCorsey Bolden

Chairman

Garrett Countians

for Smart Growth



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Route 219 bypass would relieve traffic congestion

Interesting letter to the editor:

Route 219 bypass would relieve traffic congestion

To the Editor:
Cumberland Times-News

The U.S. Route 219 Bypass around Oakland should’ve been done yesterday! Traffic congestion is terrible!

New businesses are being built, and deliveries have to made, and it’s bad enough for delivery trucks to get through, besides other trucks that have a scheduled delivery to make, but none in Oakland. A few examples include trucks trying to deliver mobile homes, heavy equipment, and roof rafters. With new businesses, perhaps the older ones in town will lower their prices for the full-time residents of the area to afford. Too much is focused on the customers that are visiting at Deep Creek Lake.

Not only is it hard for people to drive through Oakland, but it’s hard for pedestrians to get across the street, and with the bypass, response times for the local fire department will probably be cut. The fire department is in the middle of town. From the map of the proposed bypass, the only real farm that will be lost is not even farmed anymore. In fact, the land that hay and other crops come off of is for sale. If the bypass doesn’t use it, perhaps another business will?

The group that is against the bypass should be called “People Against The Proposed Bypass.” That’s all they focus their attention on. They say nothing about trees around the lake being destroyed to build condominiums, and so on. I wonder if any of them utilize Interstate 68, or do they drive through Friendsville, Grantsville, Frostburg, and so on, if they don’t travel U.S. Route 220 to Cumberland ?

Bill Detrick

Oakland



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Md. Transportation, Highway Review 6-Year Plan

courtesy Republican News

Oct. 9, 2008

The Oakland bypass and virtually every other major new capital project in the state are "victims" of the economic downturn, Maryland Department of Transportation (DOT) deputy secretary Beverley Swaim-Staley told local officials and residents on Friday in the Garrett County commissioners' meeting room.
She and other DOT and State Highway Administration (SHA) officials have been reviewing their six-year Consolidated Transportation Program with residents across the state.

Swaim-Staley said $1.1 billion worth of projects have been deferred for five years because of a "dramatic" decrease in transportation revenue. Because of the high cost of gasoline, she noted, Maryland residents are driving fewer miles and buying fewer cars. As a result, the state has lost more than $750 million in fuel taxes, car sale taxes, and title/registration fees.

"We certainly hope when economic conditions improve we will have opportunities to move these deferred projects forward," the deputy secretary said. "But right now, we don't have that luxury."

She noted that Maryland is in better financial shape than other states and will be able to keep its System Preservation Program. As a result, road resurfacing and bridge maintenance projects will continue. Swaim-Staley added, however, that fuel, asphalt, and construction costs have greatly increased.

"We're spending more money on system preservation, but we're not getting as much for the dollar as we did a year ago," she said.

SHA administrator Neil Pedersen stressed the importance of highway safety and the need for local bridge preservation.

"As we've seen in some of our neighboring states, when you start to get behind, it takes an awful lot of money to catch up on system preservation," he said about bridge repairs.

He noted that only half of the bridges in Maryland are under the state's jurisdiction. Most of the rest belong to counties and municipalities. Pedersen said there is a special "pot" of federal money now available for local bridges.

"I'm going to be encouraging every county that we're visiting to take a look at their local bridge program," he said.

Pedersen also reviewed the status of the Oakland bypass. He said the engineering portion of the $42 million project was in its final stage.

The acquisition phase is 25 percent completed, but a portion of the right of way funding and all of the construction money have been deferred indefinitely. Additionally, the project is under-funded by $40 million, according to Pedersen.

"We will continue to work with both the town of Oakland and Garrett County in terms of right of way issues, ensuring that the right of way continues to be preserved," he said about the proposed bypass.

Members of Garrett Countians for Smart Growth were not displeased with the project's deferment.

"We feel the postponement is a good thing," said the group's spokesperson, Dr. Dona Alvarez. "We have 900 signatures on a petition to stop [the bypass]. We feel there have been significant local changes since the 1999 study."

Also speaking against the project were former state delegate DeCorsey Bolden and Mountain Lake Park mayor Leo Martin.

Total Biz Fulfillment owner Gary Ruddle, however, approved of the project.

"An Oakland bypass . . . would relieve Oakland of awkward, large trucks through a fairly congested town," he said.

Ruddell noted that as his business grows, so will truck traffic to and from his new southern warehouse, located along Rt. 135 near Mtn. Lake Park. In the future, he estimates, there will be as many as 200 truck trips per business day involving that facility.

Ruddell also spoke in favor of improving Rt. 495 and Rt. 135 so those highways could safely accommodate more truck traffic.

Another deferment is the Rt. 219 North corridor improvement study, a joint effort between Maryland an Pennsylvania. The local portion of this study involves the reconstruction/relocation of Rt. 219 from I-68 to the Pennsylvania state line.

"We're moving along fairly well in terms of identifying and doing civil engineering in several alternative alignments in each state," Pedersen said. An environmental impact statement concerning those alignments has also been written.

He added, however, that Pennsylvania is having even more transportation funding problems than Maryland. As a result, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has put project planning activities temporarily on hold.

"We will continue to coordinate with PennDot in helping them get the study completed so that an alignment can be selected," Pedersen said.

SHA District 6 engineer Bob Fisher reviewed local resurfacing and bridge preservation projects that are under way. Those include Streetscape projects in Mtn. Lake Park, Loch Lynn, and Oakland.

As in previous years, Director John Nelson, Garrett County Department of Planning and Land Development, presented a "wish list" of projects and concerns of local officials to the DOT and SHA.

"We know that some years are lean, but we continue to be optimistic that things will turn around," Nelson said. "With that in mind, we continue to list the Oakland bypass as our number one priority."

Also on the list was the Rt. 219 North project, crosswalk signage issues at Deep Creek Lake, an assessment of the need/obstacles to upgrading Rt. 495, and continued upgrades of Rt. 42.

Mayor Martin noted that his town should be able to have more input with compiling the wish list, as Mtn. Lake Park is the most populated municipality in the county.

"We don't agree with this list," Martin said. "Mtn. Lake Park has gone on record at least twice against the bypass because of the effect it will have on our town. And it's a very negative effect."


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Oakland Bypass Project Has Been "Deferred" For At Least Six Years

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Oakland Bypass Project Has Been "Deferred" For At Least Six Years


Sep. 11, 2008

Maryland Transportation Secretary John D. Porcari announced yesterday during a press conference in Annapolis that his department has been forced to cut back on transportation projects by $1.1 billion over the next six fiscal years because of national economic conditions.
Among those being cut is the $42 million Oakland/Rt. 219 bypass project. Some of the right-of-way funding and all of the construction money for that initiative has been deferred, said a Maryland Department of Transportation spokesperson this morning.

He stressed that all state projects affected by the cutbacks, including the Oakland bypass, that are currently under way have not been canceled, "just deferred." Once the economy improves, he added, the projects will be re-evaluated.

"We expect funding for all of these projects to be fully restored, but we can't foresee the future," the spokesperson said.

Funding cuts are widespread in the department's six-year spending plan draft, including the mass transit program.

The spokesperson stressed, however, that some areas will not be cut because of safety issues. Such programs as bridges and system preservation (road upkeep) will be fully funded.

Porcari will begin his department's annual state "road show" next Monday in Anne Arundel County. The secretary and other state transportation officials are scheduled to meet with the Garrett County commissioners on Friday, Oct. 3, at 10 a.m. at the courthouse.

The Maryland Department of Transportation's draft six-year spending plan for 2010 – 2015 will be unveiled, and county officials and residents will have a chance to discuss their concerns with Porcari.


If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Long & Foster Real Estate for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350