Drop in Gas Prices May Lead to More Summer Travel for Marylanders

Whether it’s to Ocean City, the Jersey Shore or the mountains of West Virginia, residents of Maryland are expected to fill the roads this summer as they head out for vacations.

Officials from the Maryland State Highway Administration and the American Automobile Association are preaching common sense on the roads in order to avoid fatal accidents and aggravating backups on the highways.

With gas prices on the decline, officials said motorists might hit the roads at a higher rate than expected, with Route 50, Interstate 95 and the beltways around Washington and Baltimore the most popular avenues.

The SHA has published detailed information on roadwork along major thoroughfares, with suggestions on alternate scenic routes. The administration’s “Road Ready E-Construction” brochure lists more than 120 road projects, including eight on or near Route 50 toward Ocean City.

SHA spokesman Charlie Gischlar said the amount of roadwork was slightly higher than in years past, with bridge work especially prevalent.

“We’re calling it the year of the bridge,” he said.

Gischlar said the SHA generally avoids performing roadwork on Fridays, when traffic is heaviest, and that most work is done overnight.

He also said officials make a conscious attempt to keep cars flowing along major roads by giving extra green time on traffic lights.

“We try to keep the main lines with the most green time, but you have to have the side traffic come out now and again, and it doesn’t take much to back things up.”

Traffic delays are caused by a number of factors, including sheer volume of cars, but Gischlar said a single disabled vehicle can create major backups. That’s why the SHA suggests drivers perform a simple check of their car before taking off.

“One of the biggest things I’ve been telling people—and this is all summer long—is to do the five-minute walk around of your car before you go anywhere,” he said. “Look at your hoses. Look at your belts. Look at the fluid level. A couple of minutes of precaution can save you a lot of headache down the road.”

The SHA has also worked with the I-95 Corridor Coalition in creating a list of “eco-friendly” tips to save gas. The tips include removing heavy items from the trunk of your car, properly inflating tires and using air conditioning only at high speeds. The SHA said drivers could save as much as $80 on a 700-mile trip by following the suggestions.

Maryland drivers can get updated traffic information on the website of the SHA’s Coordinated Action Response Team, or “CHART.”  For updated traffic conditions on the Bay Bridge, motorists can call 1-877-BAY-SPAN.

Meanwhile, AAA Mid-Atlantic has urged parents to warn teenage drivers about vehicle safety. The auto club said the number of deadly accidents involving teens spikes during the summer months, with an average of 422 teens killed in each of June, July and August compared to a monthly average of 363 during the rest of the year.