Broken Land

Road markings should always be self-explanatory, but what happens when they're not? Sherrie Kay recently noticed some new road markings, which were placed by the State Highway Administration in the rightmost lane on Broken Land Parkway (northbound), as she headed toward The Mall in Columbia from Route 32 eastbound. Right after the junction with Route 32, this lane turns into a right-turn-only lane for Snowden River Parkway. "When you come off [the ramp], they've now painted a row of triangles, which no one [seems to]

Enterprise Community Partners, a Columbia-based organization that helps people around the country find affordable housing, is itself getting a new home but staying in Columbia. After considering numerous locations, the nonprofit founded by James and Patricia Rouse plans to move its headquarters next year to the Columbia building once occupied by the Ryland Group, less than a mile from its current location. Before starting Enterprise, James Rouse headed the company that launched the development of Columbia 50 years ago. "The location is important to us because of its relationship with Mr. and Mrs. Rouse, and Enterprise was founded here," said Charles Werhane, president and chief executive of Enterprise Community Investment, an affiliate of Enterprise Community Partners that also will move to the former Ryland building.

Now that the county has taken over the new Broken Land rTC Parkway from The Rouse Co., it plans changes to make the road safer, said the county traffic engineering chief."

As a further sign of its investment in the revitalization of Columbia's town center, the Howard Hughes Corp. last week acquired the former Ryland Group headquarters, a nine-story office building next to The Mall in Columbia and close to land where Howard Hughes plans to build a $100 million apartment and retail complex. The property known as 70 Corporate Center opened in 1992 at Little Patuxtent and Broken Land parkways and is one of Columbia's largest office buildings, with nearly 170,000 square feet of space.

POLICE LOG* Kings Contrivance: Broken Land Parkway/Route 32: A red 1987 Nissan Sentra with Maryland tags AXL062 was stolen from the Park and Ride lot Tuesday.11000 block of Broken Land Parkway: A blue 1987 Acura Legend with Maryland tags RUN1NL8 was stolen Tuesday.

Park-and-ride addition opened to ease crowdingTo ease crowding at a park-and-ride in east Columbia, the State Highway Administration opened a $1.3 million addition yesterday across from the current lot, more than doubling the number of parking spots available.The new 325-space lot, at Route 32 and Broken Land Parkway, is across from a 318-space park-and-ride lot.The new lot is connected to the old one by a 910-foot-long pedestrian walkway.In building the new lot, Crest Contracting Co. Inc. of Cockeysville included a left-turn lane from southbound Broken Land Parkway into the lot and deceleration lanes on southbound and northbound Broken Land Parkway.

As a further sign of its investment in the revitalization of Columbia's town center, the Howard Hughes Corp. last week acquired the former Ryland Group headquarters, a nine-story office building next to The Mall in Columbia and close to land where Howard Hughes plans to build a $100 million apartment and retail complex. The property known as 70 Corporate Center opened in 1992 at Little Patuxtent and Broken Land parkways and is one of Columbia's largest office buildings, with nearly 170,000 square feet of space.

Sections of U.S. 29 in Columbia will be closed at times next week to facilitate construction of the Broken Land Parkway interchange.Northbound lanes will be closed for 20-minute intervals for two nights, beginning Sunday at 10 p.m. Southbound lanes will be closed for 20-minute intervals for three nights, beginning at 10 p.m. Dec. 18. The work should be finished by Dec. 21.The construction is part of a $23 million project to build interchanges at U.S. 29...

A third westbound lane of Maryland Route 32 is scheduled to open this week, marking the completion of a $1.8 million road construction project, State Highway Administration officials said yesterday.The project -- paid for by Howard County and begun in the spring -- included median widening of about 3 miles along Route 32 from U.S. 29 to Interstate 95 and construction of an acceleration lane from Broken Land Parkway to westbound Route 32.Work also included the installation of signs and pavement markings, and concrete walls at Shaker Drive and Broken Land Parkway to protect bridge piers and columns.

The State Highway Administration permanently closed the intersectionof River Meadows Drive and U.S. 29 last week, citing a safety hazardcreated by construction of the new Broken Land Parkway interchange."

As of 9:30 a.m. Monday, no major accidents were reported on Maryland highways, though accidents in Columbia and near the Baltimore City/County line caused minor delays. Many streets around the Mount Royal cultural district in midtown Baltimore have been closed in preparation for the Artscape festival this weekend. An accident caused traffic to go slow in eastbound Broken Land Parkway in Columbia. An accident at Smith Avenue and Greenspring Avenue near the Baltimore City/County line affected traffic around that intersection.

Ed Sheridan's big Chevy sedan had little company on two-lane Snowden River Parkway when he and his wife moved to Crazyquilt Court near the Hopewell pool in 1976. "There was practically no traffic at all when I moved in," recalled Sheridan, 87, an Eastman Kodak retiree. Now, east Columbia's explosive commercial growth has spawned traffic that chokes the four-lane parkway during peak times, and Sheridan said it's often a risky adventure to emerge from Rustling Leaf to turn north, across traffic.

After months of working to refine a draft master plan that aims to turn downtown Columbia into a bustling urban environment, the county is scheduled to publicly reveal elements of how those ideas will be put into motion. But some on the 23-member community focus group put together to give the county feedback say the plan -- which will be presented at 7 p.m. tomorrow at the General Growth Properties building in Columbia -- does not answer some basic infrastructure questions. "It's just not specific enough," said Del. Elizabeth Bobo, a Howard County Democrat and a member of the focus group.

Road markings should always be self-explanatory, but what happens when they're not? Sherrie Kay recently noticed some new road markings, which were placed by the State Highway Administration in the rightmost lane on Broken Land Parkway (northbound), as she headed toward The Mall in Columbia from Route 32 eastbound. Right after the junction with Route 32, this lane turns into a right-turn-only lane for Snowden River Parkway. "When you come off [the ramp], they've now painted a row of triangles, which no one [seems to]

In the past I have heard many complaints about many roads in Howard County. The chief complaint generators are Route 32, U.S. 40 and roundabouts wherever they are located. But based on the number of comments and questions received over the past few weeks, I believe Route 99 may nudge aside these roads to take its place as Howard County's worst. Joseph Schroen probably agrees with that assessment. Although he does not live on Route 99, he lives just off it, on Melba Road in Ellicott City.

Peter Smith has noticed disturbing driving behavior around the Route 32 interchange with Broken Land Parkway. "What I haven't noticed is any police enforcement of the traffic laws which govern against these trends," he said. His biggest concern is that motorists exiting from eastbound Route 32 onto southbound Broken Land Parkway don't seem to know yield signs. "Most offenders are approaching the southbound lane of traffic at high speed, despite the presence of southbound traffic in the immediate area of the yield," he said, noting that he's witnessed a number of near collisions and a couple of road rage incidents when southbound traffic did not yield to motorists barreling down the ramp from eastbound Route 32. He said that a similar problem exists at the westbound Route 32 and northbound Broken Land Parkway intersection (exacerbated by the nearby intersection of Broken Land Parkway and Snowden River Parkway)

Volunteers are needed to plant trees, acorns, perennials and thousands of spring-flowering bulbs from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday at Route 29 and Broken Land Parkway.The project is the second phase of a two-part beautification project at the intersection. Scout troops, youth groups, garden clubs and neighborhood and civic associations are welcome.Volunteers should report to the park-and-ride office on Broken Land Parkway to sign in. They will be shuttled to the planting site. Tools will be provided.

A 23-year-old Columbia man was injured yesterday when he was thrown 40 feet after his motorcycle collided with a car on Broken Land Parkway in Owen Brown, Howard County police said.Stanley Roberts, 23, of the 10000 block of Hickory Ridge Road was listed in serious condition yesterday at the Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, where he was flown by state police helicopter.L Police said he suffered injuries to his legs and lower body.The driver of the car, Helen Metz, 66, of the 1000 block of Leeds Avenue in Arbutus was not injured, police said.

The disposition of the undeveloped land adjacent to Merriweather Post Pavilion may be nearing a conclusion, as the county Planning Board has heard all testimony on General Growth Properties' proposal to build retail and office buildings there. The public hearings that began in October wrapped up Thursday night, and the board set a work session for May 26, when it could rule on the company's petition to develop the 51.7 acres in downtown Columbia. However, when the Planning Board does reach a decision, unanswered questions about the land and Merriweather's future may still remain.

The disposition of the undeveloped land adjacent to Merriweather Post Pavilion may be nearing a conclusion, as the Howard County Planning Board has heard all testimony on General Growth Properties' proposal to build retail and office buildings there. The public hearings that began in October wrapped up Thursday night, and the board set a work session for May 26, when it could rule on the company's petition to develop the 51.7 acres in downtown Columbia. However, when the Planning Board does reach a decision, unanswered questions about the land and Merriweather's future may remain.