Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1961-08-10

. The State Roads Commission
and the Maryland State Police
have inaugurated a program to
assure that highway signing and
motorists services are adequate
to meet the demands of the ex-
pressway era.
This was disclosed in an an
nouncement by John B. Funk,
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES of the State
Roads Commission, and Col.
Carey Jarman, superintendent
of the Maryland State Police.
Earlier, the subject of the inn
pact construction of new ex-
pressways is expected to have
on the Maryland traffic picture
was discussed with Gov. ]. Mil
lard Tawes and he suggested
that Funk and Col. Jarman get
together to find ways and
means to meet the situation.
The two officials issued this
statement:
maryland is in the midst of
building huge system of ex-
pressways which will carry
enormous volumes of traffic at
higher speeds than possible on
conventional roads.
"These facilities will bring to
the motorist a great degree of
safety, substantial savings in
time and significant reductions
in the cost of operating motor
vehicle.
"These benefits will accrue in
much larger measure if the ex-
pressway system is properly
used, well signed, efficiently
serviced and adequately main
tanned. We believe these goals
can be attained by intensifying
the high degree of coordination
which exists between the State
Police and the State Roads Com
mission.
''In this respect, it is impor-
tant that consideration be given
to the police and emergency
service requirements associated
with a modern highway system.
OF course, careful coordination
between the two agencies in i'm
mediate and long range plan
ming is a prerequisite to such
an eventuality.
ION the matter of highway
signing, we feel there is merit
in the idea of numbering all ex-
pressway interchanges. The
numbered exit not only makes
it easier to give directions to
visiting motorists, but also re-
duceS the chances of drivers go
ing past the exit they wish to
use and thus create hazard by
backing up to get to the exit
they missed.
statistics showing an in
crease in rear-end collisions
demonstrate that the motorists
who stops or slows down sud-
denly on an expressway is play
ing Russian roulette on wheels.
I'm addition, the State Roads
Commission has started a pro-
gram of overhead signing where
funds are. available. We expect,
for example, to have much of
the Baltimore Beltway signed to
full Interstate standards by the
time it is open to traffic next
year.
). ION the subject of motorists
service, there were many fields
we discussed.
"Today's modern Interstate
expressways have no service ia
cilities on their rights of way.
Federal regulations prohibit
them.
"In rural areas, it is often a
long distance between inter-
change PORTS.
"The very nature of the ex-
pressway invites usage by the
motorist and we feel that every
thing possible should be done
by government to assure that
expressway travel should be as
safe and pleasant as possible.
"a stranded motorist whose
car ceases. to function on a long
stretch of Interstate roadway
can face a long period of wait
ing, particularly if the break
down occurs in a rural area.
''On an urban expressway, the
danger of disabled vehicle is
of a different nature because of
the higher volumes of high
speed traffic.
Therefore, it is of the ut
most importance that patrols on
expressways, In addition, to nor
NAL policing duties, be equipped
tc render the myriad of services
required by the stranded motor
list. 1t is also important that
such patrols be frequent enough
so that waiting by the strand