BERLIN – Changes are being considered for the intersection of Route 818 and Route 50 in response to concerns from local officials.
Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) officials said this week that potential improvements were being evaluated for the intersection of Route 818 and Route 50.
“District Engineer Mark Crampton and his staff have been in discussions with Mayor Tyndall, Sen. Carozza’s office and other stakeholders about transportation options for improving the safety of all highway users and existing traffic conditions at the US 50 (Ocean Gateway)/MD 818 (Main Street) intersection in Berlin,” SHA Media Relations Manager Shantee Felix said. “As a result of those conversations, we are working with our Office of Traffic Safety to address crashes that occur with left turning vehicles in that area.”
While SHA offered no details about what those improvements might be, Berlin Councilman Jay Knerr said at Monday’s Mayor and Council he had some concerns about the rendering that had been shared with municipal officials. Knerr said he was also approached by a Berlin property owner who was concerned about the design change.
The design would not allow motorists to cross Route 50 from one side of Route 818 to the other as they currently can. Drivers would, however, be able to turn left from Route 50 west onto Route 818 into Berlin. Drivers leaving Berlin on Route 818 would also be able to cross into the median to turn left onto Route 50 westbound.
“After looking at the design, there is a two-foot concrete low barrier that runs down the Route 50 westbound turn lane for a left hand turn onto Main St.,” Knerr said. “This barrier goes down fairly far. Anyone coming off the 113 south bound off ramp on to westbound Route 50 can no longer make it into the Main Street breakdown lane. They will either have to continue west on 50 until they can make a U-turn or continue on southbound 113 and take old Ocean City Blvd.”
Knerr believes that will put unnecessary traffic on the road.
“The simple solution is to put a stop sign at the end of the (Route 113) off ramp that would allow traffic to safely cross Route 50 and enter the Main Street breakdown lane,” he said. “The off ramp may have to be adjusted slightly to accommodate this.”
At this week’s meeting, Mayor Zack Tyndall said a letter of support for the concept was recently approved by the Mayor and Council and has been sent to the state, but he stressed the discussion is preliminary at this point.
“The Maryland T Project is something that was a preliminary discussion with the state that would go at the intersection of MD 818 and Route 50,” he said. “The mayor and council did send a letter of support to the state. It’s at a staff level review at this point. Everybody has seen that letter and approved that letter. That’s been the extent of the discussion. They have asked that we not really make that widely public. “
