Alternate Routes

Baltimore transportation officials announced the following closures late Monday: * Light Street between Fayette and Lombard streets * Lombard Street between Light and Calvert streets, with the exception of the far left lane. Those who use the open left lane will only be allowed to turn left at Light Street. Commuters were told to expect “significant delays” and were encouraged to use alternate routes. Those traveling west were encouraged to use Franklin Street, while those traveling south were encouraged to use Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

North Charles Street will be closed between Saratoga and Mulberry streets for much of the weekend. Motorists are encouraged to avoid the area and take alternate routes. The two-block closure will last from 3 a.m. Saturday through about 6 p.m. Sunday to accommodate a crane that will be working on a building, according to the city transportation department. Detours and parking restrictions will be in effect. sdance@baltsun.com twitter.com/ssdance

City officials suggest these alternate routes: For motorists coming to or from Northwest Baltimore or northwest Baltimore County (including Pikesville, Reisterstown and Randallstown), alternate routes are Liberty Road/Liberty Heights Avenue, Reisterstown Road and Park Heights Avenue. For motorists coming to or from North Baltimore City or County (including Towson, Timonium and Cockeysville), alternate routes are Charles Street, York Road and Loch Raven Boulevard. For motorists coming to or from Northeast Baltimore City and County (including Parkville, Overlea and Perry Hall)

As of 9 a.m. Wednesday, traffic was slow on I-83 southbound near Ruxton Road in Baltimore County due to an accident. Accidents were slowing traffic on U.S. 50 eastbound near Cape St. Claire Road in Anne Arundel County, Patterson Avenue at Liberty Road in Baltimore County, Ritchie Highway near McKinsey Road in Anne Arundel County, and 39th Street and Greenway in Baltimore City. North Charles Street was closed between North Avenue and West 21st Street in Baltimore City due to water main repairs.

Attention, Baltimore commuters: The JFX has been reduced to two lanes in each direction. That means, come Monday morning, it's going to be extra-crowded on the expressway. To get to work on time, check out the directions below for alternate routes into the city. And leave early! The expressway's left lanes have been closed near 29th St. and Druid Lake Drive to permit repairs to damaged drainage pipes under the highway, said the Baltimore Department of Transportation, which expects the project to take as many as eight weeks.

Attention, Baltimore commuters: The JFX has been reduced to two lanes in each direction. That means, come Monday morning, it's going to be extra-crowded on the expressway. To get to work on time, check out the directions below for alternate routes into the city. And leave early! The expressway's left lanes have been closed near 29 t h St. and Druid Lake Drive to permit repairs to damaged drainage pipes under the highway, said the Baltimore Department of Transportation, which expects the project to take as many as eight weeks.

A Monday morning accident near 28th Street on the southbound Jones Falls Expressway and a stalled vehicle near the Northern Parkway exit meant traffic was narrowed to a single lane for one lengthy stretch of the popular route to downtown. The two incidents worsened a commute city transportation officials had already warned would be difficult because of planned lane closures. Emergency crews cleared the accident within an hour and a tow truck quickly removed the car, city transportation spokeswoman Adrienne Barnes said.

Motorists are urged to use alternate routes today because of road closings precipitated by the funeral of Flight Officer Barry W. Wood of the Baltimore Police Department, who died Nov. 4 after his helicopter crashed at the B & O Railroad Museum.Harford Road from Echodale Avenue north to the outer loop of the Beltway will be closed in both directions from 7 a.m. until about 1 p.m.Northbound Interstate 83 will be closed from the Beltway to Padonia Road in Timonium for the procession to Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens, 200 E. Padonia Road, where Wood will be buried at the Fallen Heroes Memorial.

North Charles Street will be closed between Saratoga and Mulberry streets for much of the weekend. Motorists are encouraged to avoid the area and take alternate routes. The two-block closure will last from 3 a.m. Saturday through about 6 p.m. Sunday to accommodate a crane that will be working on a building, according to the city transportation department. Detours and parking restrictions will be in effect. sdance@baltsun.com twitter.com/ssdance

Baltimore County Police are warning residents to take an alternate route after Belair Road in Perry Hall was closed for a sink hole Thursday night. Police said the sink hole on Belair, near Old Forge Lane, is 3 feet by 5 feet and in the middle of the roadway. Officers say drivers should expect significant delays as the road is repaired. Text NEWS to 70701 to get Baltimore Sun local news text alerts

Over the last two weekends of October, highway crews will replace two bridges over the Baltimore-Washington Parkway that serve the airport and hotel district by rolling the old ones out and rolling the new ones in. The "bridge on wheels" swap, used in other states but making its debut in Maryland, saves time and money, reduces traffic disruptions and cuts the potential for work-zone accidents, State Highway Administration officials said. "We looked at traditional methods and with the traffic level there, closing the bridges wasn't an option for an extended period," said Jeff Robert, a state project engineer.

A section of Pratt Street in downtown Baltimore will be closed to traffic overnight Sunday as crews construct Baltimore Grand Prix retainer walls, the Department of Transportation said. The road will be closed between Paca and Howard streets starting at 7 p.m. Sunday and will be reopened at 5 a.m. Monday, the department said. Vehicles will be routed around the closed section, the department said. Drivers are encouraged to use alternate routes in the city. The Grand Prix is scheduled from Aug. 31 to Sept.

The closure of Light Street didn't heavily disrupt the flow of baseball fans to Camden Yards on Tuesday night for the Orioles' first home game since a burst water main shut the street section last week, fans and officials said. Whether that will remain true for the team's next five games — which are all at home, and on busier days of the week — wasn't clear. Fans from around the region who were streaming into the stadium just before the 7:05 p.m. start to the Orioles' game against the Tampa Bay Rays reported no problems getting into town, whether they came in from the north or south, via car or public transportation.

Baltimore transportation officials announced the following closures late Monday: * Light Street between Fayette and Lombard streets * Lombard Street between Light and Calvert streets, with the exception of the far left lane. Those who use the open left lane will only be allowed to turn left at Light Street. Commuters were told to expect “significant delays” and were encouraged to use alternate routes. Those traveling west were encouraged to use Franklin Street, while those traveling south were encouraged to use Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

City officials suggest these alternate routes: For motorists coming to or from Northwest Baltimore or northwest Baltimore County (including Pikesville, Reisterstown and Randallstown), alternate routes are Liberty Road/Liberty Heights Avenue, Reisterstown Road and Park Heights Avenue. For motorists coming to or from North Baltimore City or County (including Towson, Timonium and Cockeysville), alternate routes are Charles Street, York Road and Loch Raven Boulevard. For motorists coming to or from Northeast Baltimore City and County (including Parkville, Overlea and Perry Hall)

Drivers were amply warned about lane closures on the Jones Falls Expressway and the resulting traffic jams ("Drivers find delays on JFX," April 17). Even still, I noticed that all the 20 cars in the photograph accompanying The Sun's article on the subject appeared to have just one occupant, a driver. In addition to alternate routes, people should consider another alternative - carpooling! Terry Callanan

A morning commuter driving to Baltimore on Interstate 70 passes an electronic sign in western Howard County. It says the expected travel time to the Beltway is 30 to 40 minutes - three times longer than usual. Thanks to the sign, the driver has options. He or she can exit at U.S. 40 or take one of several other alternate routes. Five signs, installed last week by the State Highway Administration between Mount Airy and the Beltway along I-70, are part of a $310,000 pilot project aimed at providing motorists with up-to-the-minute information on the road conditions ahead.

A portion of 28th Street has been closed by city transportation officials because of planned utility construction. The street is expected to remain closed from Huntingdon Avenue to Howard Street for about a month. Officials recommend that motorists use alternate routes such as North Avenue. A detour will be posted.

ON THE SITE... Light traffic reported on routes around JFX lane closures :  A Monday morning accident and stalled vehicle on the southbound Jones Falls Expressway  worsened a commute city transportation officials had already warned would be difficult because of planned lane closures. Traffic moved smoothly on alternate routes. Parsons' bail reduced in videotaped robbery case : A judge reduced bail for Aaron Parsons, a 20-year-old Rosedale man, from $1 million to $500,000 Monday.