Sarah Moses
Cumberland Times-News
October 04, 2008 12:03 am
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OAKLAND — Though residents were aware of delays in numerous State Highway Administration projects, opinions on the most prevalent of those, the U.S. Route 219 Oakland bypass, continue to differ.
“We feel the postponement is a good thing,” said Dr. Dona Alvarez, a member of Garrett Countians for Smart Growth, speaking on behalf of the group. “We have 900 signatures on a petition to stop (the bypass). We feel there have been significant local changes since the 1999 study.”
Alvarez said at the Maryland Department of Transportation’s Garrett County tour Friday morning that she would rather see the land that had already been acquired, about 25 percent of the total right of way for the bypass, be given out for local use.
Others in the crowd of about 35 people also spoke out against the controversial bypass of Oakland that would start near the Wal-Mart Supercenter and meet up with state Route 135. These included former Delegate DeCorsey Bolden and Mountain Lake Park Mayor Leo Martin.
However, the bypass remains at the top of the county commissioners’ “wish list” of State Highway projects.
Gary Ruddell, owner of Total Biz Fulfillment, spoke in favor of the bypass, as well as improvements to other county roads. He said his business sees 16 tractor-trailer trips each day at his location in Mountain Lake Park at the Southern Garrett Business and Technology Park and an anticipated 200 trips a day when it is at its full expansion and capacity.
“The Oakland bypass would relieve Oakland of awkward, large trucks through the congested town,” Ruddell said.
There were also requests for the state to continue efforts to improve U.S. 219, including connections with Corridor H, which would provide a north-south corridor using U.S. 219, Interstate 68 and U.S. Route 220.
However, these projects, along with multiple others across the state, will not see a restart until the economy begins to improve, said Beverly Swaim-Staley, deputy secretary of the state Department of Transportation. She said the major sources of income have decreased, with both the gas and titling taxes down and federal funding looking meager in upcoming years.
She said this doesn’t mean the state would not continue work on assistance and preservation, including repairs to bridges and resurfacing, though the cost for all of these continues to go up.
Swaim-Staley said that when a state gets behind in this area, it becomes increasingly more difficult to get caught back up.
Bob Fisher, District 6 engineer for the State Highway Administration, said projects that will continue in fiscal 2009 and 2010 are the resurfacing of Friendsville and Bloomington roads; putting bridge decks on state Route 546 over U.S. Route 40 alternate, U.S. 219 over Interstate 68, and Route 495 over I-68; bridge deck replacement as part of the rehabilitation of the Casselman bridge; right of way fencing at I-68 from state Route 42 bridge to west of the Old Morgantown Road bridge; intersection improvements at Bittinger and Spring Lick roads; concept development for streetscape on Third Street and Route 135 to the north limits of Oakland; preliminary engineering for streetscape to Oakland Drive and Route 826 to Deer Park Avenue in Mountain Lake Park; and sidewalks on Third Avenue and Lewis Street.
Neil Pedersen, SHA administrator, said the state will also focus on highway safety, including use of seat belts, driving under the influence and being attentive while driving.
Pedersen said the state will continue to do bridge improvements and there is funding local governments can seek to do work on bridges on nonstate roads.
Diane Radcliffe of the Maryland Transit Administration said the state remains committed to providing three new buses for the Garrett Transit Service and a canopy to protect the vehicles in harsh weather.
Duane Yoder of Garrett County Community Action asked that the administration also consider the possibility of assistance to the transit service as gas prices and related costs make providing mass transit more difficult.
Contact Sarah Moses at smoses@times-news.com.
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