Sandy Point State Park Gridlock
The traffic problems at Sandy Point State Park this summer is acknowledged as a serious situation that the DNR – Superintendent of State Parks-Nita Settina, is committed to improve the situation by June 2017.
Senator Ed Reilly scheduled a meeting with Superintendent Settina to meet with our District 5 Councilman Peroutka and Pat Lynch-(BCC) to discuss proposed solutions. We have brought the State Highways Administration (SHA) into the discussions since the Oceanic Drive overpass on Rte #50/301 is constantly blocked due to backed up traffic at Sandy Point Park during our summer months. Rte #50 east bound lanes are also blocked and Broadneck property owners cannot access their driveways located near Sandy Point. There is a limit of 1500 vehicle parking places that are occupied by 10:00 am daily. Cars remain for hours in a line, backed up onto the roads, waiting for vehicles to depart. Also, there is a need for additional police participation to manage the traffic in/out of the Park. Additional funds are being requested by the BCC to provide police coverage by both the County and State police during summer weekends.
Solutions:
1) the BCC requested help from the SHA who has erected overhead electric signs starting at the Wilson Bridge and constructed on several sites from there to the Bay Bridge. The overhead message advises drivers of the closure of the Sandy Point State Park and includes messaging that the Park will not reopen till after 3:00pm.
2) The BCC requested that DNR/State Parks add another roadway into the Park parallel to the existing road. We also requested that DNR increase the number of fee booths to 3 to expedite traffic into the Park. The number of parking places cannot be increased so unless we have an additional roadway and fee takers at the entrance, traffic problems will continue. We are working on this problem with Senator Reilly and Superintendent Settina for resolution by early June 2017. Other administrative improvements have been offered by DNR-State Parks to be considered.
