Route 3 Development, Traffic Volume Trouble Local Police

“Enforcement is only one part of it. This issue is much larger that enforcement," said Davis, a Crofton resident. "The larger, tougher part of the conversation is what do we do with commercial and residential growth in and around roadways that once just carried local residents. Those conversations need to occur more at the front end of development.”

Davis said traffic volume on Route 3 is now nearly comparable to of parts of Route 50. In a recent column in The Capital, he cited a 2011 study showing 87,000 cars per day on one local stretch of Route 50, compared to 70,000 on Route 3. He said Monday that volume has increased by as much as 20,000 daily on Route 3 since the development of the Waugh Chapel Towne Centre. 

"We have a local roadway that’s carrying the same volume of traffic that an interstate highway carries,” Davis said. 

Davis made his comments Monday at a press conference held alongside Route 3 to announce a new partnership with the Maryland State Police to cut down on drunk and distracted driving. 

Police reported 27 fatalities from car accidents this year in Anne Arundel County, and five were on crashes on Route 3. They included a crash in August near the Route 32 exit, in which police said a flatbed truck struck the back of a car, killing three people.  In addition, a Virginia man was killed after being struck by a driver who is accused of texting while behind the wheel. 

Patrolling Route 3

Patch on Monday rode along with an officer on Route 3 as he kept an eye out for distracted drivers. While most drivers were on their best behavior, Cpl. CJ Murry took note of the high traffic volume on the roadway. He said the area near the Waugh Chapel shopping centers is especially challenging to navigate due to the many entrances and exits. 

"You have to watch it, because there are so many choices you can make," he said. "The road is really busy ... the number of cars on this road is really phenomenal."

Murry, who is primarily assigned to the traffic enforcement unit, said drivers generally don't speed on Route 3. But he has nabbed some drunk drivers and is always on the lookout for drivers on their cell phones or other devices. 

During Monday's patrol, he pulled over a woman in a Chevy Equinox who changed lanes without signaling properly. He let her off with a warning. 

"She's fine, just not paying attention," he said. 

'Michigan U' Impact Not Clear

Davis said the new traffic pattern on Route 3, which was designed to improve traffic flow near the Waugh Chapel shopping centers, may be an improvement but that it's still new to many drivers. 

"For folks who are still new to the Michigan U, they tend to sneak up on you because you don’t have an intersection on your horizon and you get to a point where you realize you need to get into the far left lane, and that lane change is done abruptly," he said. “I think the verdict is still out on the Michigan U. 

See also: 

• County, State Police Work on DUI Enforcement, Focus on Route 3