Transportation Research Group List Maryland's Top Bottlenecks
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Hours stuck in traffic and delays because of construction projects. Those are just some of the problems drivers in Maryland say they face regularly.
But a new state transportation report shows, while there are problems, improvements are being made.
Marcus Washington has more on what this new report reveals.
The report shows Maryland has made significant progress in acknowledging and taking care of highway and bridge challenges within the past three years. It also shows that traffic congestion is still an issue.
Traffic in Maryland always seems to get drivers trapped when they're trying to get some place quickly.
"Congestion is a huge problem for Maryland," said Pete Rahn, Maryland Secretary of Transportation.
A recent report by the national transportation research group TRIP shows drivers who work or live in the Baltimore area spend 47 hours a year stuck in traffic.
That congestion is said to cost the state more than $4 million because of delays.
"Congestion, at some point, will dissuade people from wanting to live in Maryland because they simply will refuse to put up with the traffic that we have," said Rahn.
Any driver knows -- there is a lot of construction on Maryland roadways. Out of the top 11 bottlenecks in the state, six of them are in the Baltimore area.
Out of those six, four of the bottleneck locations -- all along I-695 -- are currently undergoing construction.
TOP 30 BOTTLENECKS IN MARYLAND:
1. I-495 IL @ I-270 Spur -- I-495 Inner Loop -- 168.75 minutes -- 12.3 miles
2. I-95 OL @ Greenbelt Metro Dr/Exit 24 -- I-95 Outer Loop -- 125.5 minutes -- 19.46 miles
3. I-95 N @ MD-100/Exit 43 -- I-95 Northbound -- 120 minutes -- 9.41 miles
4. I-270 Spur S @ I-270 -- I-270 Southbound -- 111 minutes -- 10.78 miles
5. MD-295 N @ I-195 -- MD-295 Northbound -- 138.5 minutes -- 13.21 miles
6. MD-295 N @ MD-175 -- MD-295 Northbound -- 150.5 minutes -- 8.66 miles
7. I-695 OL @ Edmondson Ave/Exit 14 -- I-695 Outer Loop -- 121.5 minutes -- 8.82 miles
8. I-695 IL @ I-795/Exit 19 -- I-695 Inner Loop -- 122.25 minutes -- 8.68 miles
9. I-695 IL @ MD-147/Harford Rd/Exit 31 -- I-695 Inner Loop -- 159.25 minutes -- 10.43 miles
10. MD-295 N @ MD-197/EXIT 111 -- MD-295 Northbound -- 169.75 minutes -- 6.33 miles
11. I-695 IL @ MD-41/Perring Pkwy/Exit 30 -- I-695 Inner Loop -- 107.25 minutes -- 7.59 miles
12. I-95 OL @ US-50/Exit 19 -- I-95 Outer Loop -- 107.75 minutes -- 5.7 miles
13. I-270 Local N @ MD 124 -- I-270 Northbound -- 126.5 minutes -- 4.17 miles
14. I-95 S @ I-495/Exit 27-25 -- I-95 Southbound -- 92 minutes -- 5.43 miles
15. I-95 IL @ MD-214/ Exit 15 -- I-95 Inner Loop -- 101.75 minutes -- 5.15 miles
16. MD-295 S @ MD-1931 -- MD-295 Southbound -- 94.5 minutes -- 7.76 miles
17. MD-295 S @ Powder Mill Rd1 -- MD-295 Southbound -- 97.5 minutes -- 5.12 miles
18. I-695 IL @ I-83/MD-25/Exit 23 -- I-695 Inner Loop -- 86.5 minutes -- 6.6 miles
19. I-695 OL @ US-40/Exit 15 -- I-695 Outer Loop -- 82.5 minutes -- 6.68 miles
20. I-270 N @ MD-80/Exit 26 -- I-270 Northbound -- 85.25 minutes -- 8.02 miles
21. I-95 IL @ MD-4/Pennsylvania Ave/Exit 11 -- I-95 Inner Loop -- 105.25 minutes -- 7.25 miles
22. MD-295 N @ MD-1001 -- MD 295 Northbound -- 87 minutes -- 6.11 miles
23. I-495 IL @ MD-97/Georgie Ave/Exit 31 -- I-495 Outer Loop -- 100.75 minutes -- 3.5 miles
24. I-270 S @ MD-109/Exit 22 -- I-270 Southbound -- 78.5 minutes -- 4.15 miles
25. I-270 N @ MD-109/Exit 22 -- I-270 Northbound -- 96.75 minutes -- 8.67 miles
26. I-495 CCW @ MD-185/Connecticut Ave/Exit 33 -- I-495 Outer Loop -- 122.25 minutes -- 5.48 miles
27. MD-295 N @ Powder Mill Rd1 -- MD-295 Northbound -- 85 minutes -- 3.16 miles
28. I-270 N @ I-70/US-40 -- I-270 Northbound -- 68.75 minutes -- 8.06 miles
29. I-270 Local S @ I-270 -- I-270 Southbound -- 82.5 minutes -- 4.53 miles
30. I-695 IL @ MD 26 -- I-695 Inner Loop -- 107.75 minutes -- 6.24 miles
But within the report, there is promising news.
"You're seeing the share of roads that are deficient dropping significantly the last three years. You see the number of state's structurally deficient bridges decreasing. The state's been able to move forward with a lot of projects that make the existing system more efficient," said Rocky Moretti, TRIP.
The push for improvements comes as Maryland saw a 13 percent increase in population from 2000 to 2015, which means more drivers on the roads.
The Transportation Infrastructure Investment Act allows for $1.5 million annually, from 2016 to 2018, to make improvements to roads and bridges.
Read the full TRIP report HERE.
