This intersection has been a problem for many years, but with the recent significant increase in traffic, it has become especially dangerous, as well as frustrating when the traffic backs up.
The State Highway Administration developed a plan to prohibit left turns for north-bound traffic from Belair Rd onto Sunshine Ave, and instead require a "New Jersey jug-handle" type turn, that is, requiring that traffic first turn right onto Jerusalem Road and then left onto Bradshaw. An extra lane was added to Bradshaw Rd to accommodate traffic turning left onto south-bound Belair Rd, and there were changes to the traffic signals in order to provide protected left turns for traffic in the other three directions.
On May 24, 2006, the new traffic pattern was put into effect. There remained other problems such as the mis-aligned signs on the traffic crossarms which can be seen by drivers from the wrong direction. Drivers are still regularly seen turning left onto Sunshine. And left turns from north-bound Belair Rd into JSI are, for same strange reason, still allowed!
The situation was further confused when SHA removed two signs from westbound Bradshaw which tell drivers which lanes to use and a sign which prohibited right turns on red. The remaining steady red right-turn arrow was confusing, since the national standard (adopted by Maryland) says that this signal means that no right turn on red is allowed, in contradiction to a sign which was put up (in the wrong place) saying that right turns on red were allowed. That sign then disappeared and the red light was changed to a flashing red arrow. The national guidelines state that any intersection with greater than a 105 degree angle should not be right-turn-on-red. This intersection is 154 degrees.
The initial accident reports indicate no improvement. During June-August 2005 there were 6 reported crashes and the same number during the same time period in 2006 after the change was put into effect. There were fatalities near this intersection in both 2006 and 2008. This should continue to be monitored. It is unknown what SHA's threshold of deaths is before they will do something! Anyone want to volunteer to add to the statistics?
Later, SHA installed a "No Right Turn on Red" at the corner of Sunshine and Belair Rd (in front of JSI), but it is unclear which roadway it is intended for since it can be seen equally by drivers on both Sunshine and Belair.
Detailed signal plan.
Because of continuing questions regarding the mistakes made in the original signage, SHA has planned a new project, to be done in Fall 2015 (obviously wasn't), to redo some of this signage. In addition, because of citizen complaints, the timing of the lights was adjusted to give traffic on Belair Rd additional time. However, this has caused a noticable increase in the backups on Bradshaw Rd, which then causes worse backups onto Belair Rd by traffic existing onto Jerusalem Rd. There is no workable correction with the current intersection configuration!
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Alternate proposed plan
The problem is made much worse by the continued left turns in and out of JSI and, worse yet, drivers backing out of their parking lot onto busy Belair Rd. The approved site plan from 1991 was to prevent this dangerous backing and the excessive parking in the front. That site plan has not been followed.
This whole area has been opened as a CZMP 2016 issue by Councilman Marks. This offers an opportunity to force some corrections by the adjacent property owners realated to safety issues (in exchange for not seriously downzoning their property).
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