The City Looks to Curb Crashes on I-83
BALTIMORE (WJZ)-- One of Baltimore's biggest arteries is getting a closer look. Engineers are set to zero in on the number of crashes on I-83 and how they can be prevented.
The winding shape of 83 certainly doesn't help with this problem, but they're enlisting help to find out why so many crashes occur on this stretch of road.
"It's making me shake up right now because it's just crazy!" said driver Hope Burley.
For Burley, a drive down interstate 83 brings back terrifying memories.
"My car spun, hydroplaned, turned around on me. And I was facing oncoming traffic," she said.
She's part of about 260 drivers who crash on 83 every year. Some of them stop traffic in its tracks for hours. On a highway that serves more than 100,000 cars and trucks every day.
"There may be innovative sign treatments, markings treatments," said Frank murphy, acting director of transportation.
Baltimore's transportation officials hope a new $65,000 study will help find solutions to the number of crashes.
The speed limit on most of 83 is below 60 miles per hour, because of its design. But that doesn't always slow drivers down.
"We're looking at the whole stretch, but the area that seems to be of most interest is the area between cold spring lane and 28th street," said Murphy.
A two-mile stretch is where the curves are the sharpest and where most crashes happen.
The same place Burley totaled her car last year.
"It's so smooth going down 83, so it's just like, 'alright I'm cruising,' but no, those curves hit you and they hit you fast," said Burley.
Now, she's taking it slow along a dangerous stretch of road. There's no word yet on when the study will be complet but transportation officials already know this issue has a lot to do with speed and drivers distracted during rush hour.
Monday night, the Baltimore City Council adopted a resolution asking state police to patrol parts of I-83 into the City, to allow City police to spend more time in neighborhoods.
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