Paid for by Citizens for Colburn Committee. Authority John W. Phillips, Jr., Treasurer

Officials gather to discuss 404 safety
Meeting held near site of second fatal crash within 4 months at intersection
By CHRISTIAN TORRES
Staff Writer - Star Democrat
July 16, 2006

With traffic moving through the intersection in the background, state and local officials and local residents meet at the intersection of state Route 404 and Deep Shore Road Friday to discuss plans to make the intersection safer.

DENTON — Three days after the second death in four months at the state Route 404 and Deep Shore Road intersection, local and state officials gathered for a meeting Friday near the intersection to discuss safety issues and gather ideas on how to make what has become a deadly crossroads, safer.

Richard Lindsay, district engineer for the State Highway Administration, said rumble strips would be installed on both sides of Route 404 prior to getting to the intersection.

Since the death of Francis Marc Hayman of Denton last Tuesday, SHA has placed fluorescent panels on top of speed limit signs as well as installed a speed monitor on the eastbound shoulder. Lindsay said the monitor gathers data on speed as well as counts vehicles going by.

Lindsay said the monitor will be moved to the westbound lane next week. Lindsay also brought up the possibility of installing larger speed limit signs on the highway.

“We have had great success where those signs are in use,” Lindsay said. “We can use this to make engineering decisions.”

Some residents at the meeting wondered why it took a death on the road to get SHA to make the improvements. Lindsay replied fluorescent panels and speed monitors should be used in strategic locations. “We’re concerned we don’t overuse these devices,” Lindsay said.

But two even larger issues came out of the meeting including police coverage and driver safety.

Officials from the Maryland State Police and Caroline County Sheriff’s Office say the lack of manpower prevents them from constantly being able to do traffic enforcement on Route 404.

According to 1st Sgt. Krah Plunkert of the Maryland State Police at the Easton Barrack, which handles coverage for Talbot, Caroline and Dorchester counties, only two troopers are assigned at a time to each county and if a serious situation is occurring, troopers are pulled for coverage.

Plunkert said recruitment and replacing retiring troopers is a problem.

State Sen. Richard Colburn, R-37-Mid-Shore, said the Easton barrack is too understaffed and said many troopers are leaving their jobs to take posts with police agencies in Anne Arundel, Montgomery and Prince George’s counties because the pay and benefits are better.

Colburn said troopers should be the highest paid officers in the state and is worried not enough troopers come out of the State Police Academy to replace retirees.

“Our state police is aging,” Colburn said. “We’re not replacing the retiring officers as fast as we should be. I’ve been pushing for more police on the Eastern Shore for years.”

Captain Sidney Pender of the sheriff’s office said coverage is a problem, especially on weekends where only two deputies patrol the entire county.

“I essentially have two men working the county at any given time,” Pender said.

Chief Rodney Cox of the Denton Police Department, which has jurisdiction over much of Route 404 around Denton, said obsolete equipment such as old radar is a reason his officers are limited in traffic enforcement.

Plunkert said all three agencies will meet next week to come up with a plan for enforcing the highway.

Kim Warner, a resident of Deep Shore Road, said the state government should provide more funding to Eastern Shore counties for highway and safety improvements if they promote the shore as a tourist destination.

Caroline County Commissioner John Cole came up with the idea of local governments getting the money collected from fines instead of the money going to the state.

“Too long it’s been this way, it’s time for a change,” Cole said

Lindsay said improved highways and better police enforcement will help, but ultimately, it is getting drivers to slow down that will make the most difference.

Lindsay said educating people about not getting caught up with distractions including cellular phones is the most effective way to make highways safer.

“These are the areas that we have got to drive home to drivers,” Lindsay said. “We’ve got to educate them to please pay attention. Every one of us needs to slow down.”

Sonny Callahan, resident of Deep Shore Road, seconded Lindsay’s opinion and said the traffic light is not the problem.

“We lost one fine man from this county and we don’t need to lose one more,” Callahan said. “Slow down or turn around.”

Bob Begley, a friend of Hayman who has been outspoken about making the Deep Shore intersection safer, said he is encouraged by the response of state and local officials.

“I was really surprised at the turnout,” Begley said. “When something needs to be done, it needs to be done.”

A “living memorial” stretching from Legion Road to Deep Shore Road in memory of Hayman and others who have been killed near the Deep Shore Road intersection will be held from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, July 29