Roundabout

Senators pull back bill to alter school board, Baltimore County state senators have decided to forgo legislation this session that would have overhauled the school board selection process by creating a panel of 15 elected and appointed members. An overriding concern, said Sen. Bobby A. Zirkin, was the size of the newly formed board, which would have added three members to what is already the state's largest school board. Instead, Zirkin said, the delegation is planning to announce the formation of a work group that will be convened this summer to hold meetings across the county with parents and other community members to further gauge interest in revamping how the school board is selected.

Anne Arundel County Deputy Tanya Pfaltzgraff was promoted this week to the rank of sergeant. She began her career with the Sheriff's Office in 1994 as a volunteer and part-time deputy. She became a full-time deputy in 1997 and has held positions throughout the department. She also is a lieutenant with the West Annapolis Volunteer Fire Department and is pursuing a bachelor's degree in criminal psychology at the University of Maryland. Arlene Baker Deale traffic circle aims to boost safety The State Highway Administration officially opened a traffic circle this week in Deale aimed at reducing crashes and improving pedestrian safety.

As reported Oct. 18, 1992, in The Sun: Some call it a traffic circle. Engineers prefer the term "roundabout." One mischievous patron at Lee's Market in Lisbon (population 129) has even labeled it the "Lisbon Beltway" on the flier that graces the deli counter wall. Whatever you call it, the plan to build one at the intersection of Old National Pike (Route 144) and Route 94 is all the talk in this tiny western Howard County community: Some like the idea, many others do not. "It's an experiment," says Dorothy Gray, a clerk at Lee's and a die-hard opponent.

Last week we had open phones and asked readers to decide the topic.My husband and I are newcomers to Howard County and the state of Maryland. We enjoy living in Columbia with its variety of free entertainment and its proximity to Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and neighboring states. What we miss are nonchain, diner-type restaurants that serve breakfast and home-style meals. We have visited the diners in Ellicott City and Catonsville, and we wish there were similar restaurants in Columbia.Jennette Miller,ColumbiaI'm a senior citizen, and I think we deserve a cut on our property taxes.

WHAT'S GOING ON with construction at the Key Bridge?Commuter Ed Donnald wants to know."Why would they tear down that causeway and rebuild those two lanes?" he asked recently. "Perhaps you could do the math for me. How much does it cost to maintain the causeway for a year, vs. how much does it cost to tear down all that roadway, rebuild it on the ground and then maintain it for a year? My guess is that it will take many years to break even."The project is expensive -- $89.5 million. But Maryland Transportation Authority officials say the need is great enough to justify using toll revenues to expand the ramps on Interstate 695 East near the Key Bridge because 28,000 vehicles pass through each day en route to Anne Arundel and Baltimore counties.

Good news for Bill. Parris is willing to be seen with him."We don't want to be accused of politicizing this." -- Rep. HenryHyde, R-Ill.Why end the special ed lawsuit? Money lawyers need will only be frittered on kids.A deer blinded by traffic crashed into the courthouse and then lunged for defense into Venable, where they merely sedated him. It's the best Towson roundabout story yet.Pub Date: 10/12/98

Saying there are no problems with the intersection of Triadelphia and Howard roads, about a dozen Dayton residents objected to two plans to change the intersection at a Howard County Public Works Board meeting last night.The homeowners contended that, despite county Department of Public Works projections of about 2,200 cars a day on Triadelphia Road, motorists have had little trouble at the "T"-like intersection, which features a triangular median."I have rarely waited there for more than three seconds," said John Wildrick, who uses the intersection twice a day. "I'm not aware of any accidents there.

TOWSON -- Seven people will be sworn in to the county's Auxiliary Police Unit tomorrow night, bringing the number of auxiliary officers to 100.The auxiliary, a volunteer institution begun in 1942, provides security and enforcement services on county property. Auxiliary members are sworn members of the department, but do not have full police powers or carry firearms.Last year, according to police, volunteers provided more than 28,000 hours of service to the county. They helped patrol school dances and athletic events, neighborhood carnivals, the state fair in Timonium and area parks, said police Sgt. Kevin Novak.

The only improvement the State Highway Administration is offering for clogged major arteries in South Carroll is synchronized signals along Route 26.Although other improvements have been discussed, including a traffic roundabout at the intersection of Route 26 and Route 32, state highway officials said no others are planned."

It was an unexpected sight, but there they were: pickets in the rain at the new Towson Roundabout, university students protesting depredations by a powerful international corporation upon helpless people in a land far away.You don't see much of that anymore, not on campus, not anywhere. That kind of political protest is supposed to be out of date. Campus protest these days -- from Western Maryland College to Michigan State University and beyond -- seems driven mainly by booze, without a shred of idealism or ideology.

Change may be coming to Baltimore - in a roundabout sort of way. The Dixon administration is asking Congress to help pay for five new traffic circles to replace conventional intersections in some of the city's most heavily traveled corridors - a plan that would bring Baltimore in line with the state and surrounding counties. The $22.8 million roundabout request is part of $294.8 million in earmarks the city is seeking in the multiyear federal transportation spending bill up for renewal this fall.

With traffic changes to York Road and the Towson roundabout complete, the next step in the plan to make downtown Towson more pedestrian-friendly is to convert Chesapeake and Pennsylvania avenues into two-way streets. According to professional planners Richard Hall and Stuart Sirota, the conversions of the streets will slow vehicular traffic, promote pedestrian traffic and support local businesses. But while Hall and Sirota are eager to start the next phase of the two-year-old Walkable Towson Plan, Baltimore County officials say there is no consensus on when - or even if - the changes will occur.

My fellow motorists, what have they done to our favorite traffic nightmare? I speak here, of course, of the infamous Towson roundabout, that hellish ribbon of asphalt and brick where civility once went to die. Have you driven this thing lately? If not, you're in for a big surprise. Gone, for the most part, are the sounds of brakes squealing, horns blaring, metal crunching, curses shouted into the air. Gone is the serial flashing of the upraised middle finger that often occurred when one car cut off another.

The long-planned transformation of downtown Towson into a more pedestrian-friendly retail and restaurant hub is to begin tonight with modifications to the traffic patterns at the roundabout and on York Road between the circle and Towsontown Boulevard, the State Highway Administration said. The modifications will expand the roundabout's oval-shaped island, reduce part of the circle to a single lane and eliminate some entrances and exits. The changes are intended to reduce speed, give drivers clearer direction and make the roundabout safer for pedestrians, officials said.

Robert McGrain of Towson likes most roundabouts - but not the dreaded one in downtown Towson, where four roads come together in a two-lane mishmash. "The Towson roundabout is unique. If you haven't experienced it, you don't know what you're missing. It probably rates as an 'engineering' success because it moves traffic more efficiently than the old intersection ever did. However, I think that the patrons at Souris' bar [which occupies the southwest end of the roundabout] still place crash bets at happy hour," he wrote.

Glenelg Country School will present "The James Munsey Comedy Hypnosis Show," a comedic entertainment with audience participation, at 7 p.m. April 3. Tickets are $10 and can be reserved at show@glenelg.org. Proceeds will help pay for the school's drama students to travel to Edinburgh, Scotland, to present their production, Aesop's Foibles. The Glenelg Country School is at 12793 Folly Quarter Road, near Glenelg. Information: 410-531-8600. Or visit www.munseyentertainment.com. Roundabout work to close road for day Construction of the roundabout at Brighton Dam and Ten Oaks roads in Clarksville will result in a one-day road closure of Brighton Dam Road just west of Ten Oaks Road on or about April 5. If weather conditions prohibit construction, the work will be rescheduled for April 12. The closure will allow the Brighton Dam Road connection to the roundabout to be completed.

SHA plans to improve roundabout A decade after the York Road roundabout opened in Towson, the intersection is on the list of improvements proposed to be funded by the state's 2009 capital budget. State Highway Administration plans call for temporarily reducing the roundabout at York, Joppa and Dulaney Valley roads and Allegheny Avenue to one lane while upgrades are made and allowing more parking on York Road from Pennsylvania Avenue south to the Towson bypass, said David Buck, an SHA spokesman.

As reported Oct. 18, 1992, in The Sun: Some call it a traffic circle. Engineers prefer the term "roundabout." One mischievous patron at Lee's Market in Lisbon (population 129) has even labeled it the "Lisbon Beltway" on the flier that graces the deli counter wall. Whatever you call it, the plan to build one at the intersection of Old National Pike (Route 144) and Route 94 is all the talk in this tiny western Howard County community: Some like the idea, many others do not. "It's an experiment," says Dorothy Gray, a clerk at Lee's and a die-hard opponent.

Rep. Elijah E. Cummings will be joined by representatives from the Maryland Department of Agriculture at a town hall forum to discuss the Farm Bill recently passed in the House of Representatives. The forum, to be held at 7 p.m. Friday at the Glenwood Community Center, will focus on how the legislation will affect the community. There will be a question period and refreshments. The community center is at 2400 Route 97, Cooksville. Information: Julie Dreisch, 410-465- 8259. Historic tea served at Waverly Mansion Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks will sponsor an afternoon tea at historic Waverly Mansion in Marriottsville from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Nov. 8. Docents in period clothing will serve tea and a variety of sweets and savory dishes.

The 17th annual TanDemo/BentEvent, a day of bicycle rides, food, displays and demonstrations, will be held today at Mount Airy Bicycles, 4540 Old National Pike, Mount Airy. Cyclists will have a chance to ride on country roads that range from 6.8 to 38 miles. Rides are to start at 10 a.m. Demonstrations are scheduled to start at 11 a.m. and continue until 3 p.m. Visitors can try out recumbent and tandem bicycles and adult tricycles. Special-needs equipment, accessories and apparel will be on display.