Harford Road Intersection Safety Concerns Carney Residents

Meg O’Hare, president of the Carney Improvement Association, is concerned signs on Placid Avenue at the Harford Road intersection need to specify that only right hand turns are permitted, or it could result in more fatal crashes.

She said the intersection has previously been the scene of fatal accidents, and that the extension of Placid Avenue east to accommodate the Bender-Vogel development currently under construction, will only lead to more accidents if the signs aren’t more explicit about left hand turns being banned.

"There’s nothing in it for us other than we don’t want people killed in our community needlessly," O’Hare said.

So O’Hare is urging residents to reach out to their local elected officials at the county and state level, and let them know that they want signage placed at the intersection making it clear that only right hand turns are permitted from Placid Avenue. 

She said because people often speed on Harford Road, traffic volume during rush hour and the location of a hump south of the intersection limiting visibility that drivers need to know left hand turns are never allowed from Placid Avenue.

"It’s just not practical where this is located to [allow left turns]," she said.

Charlie Gischlar, a spokesman for the State Highway Administration, said they are aware that the intersection can be problematic.

He said safety engineers are studying the issues, and have had conversations with local elected officials about the situation. The intersection is on the agenda for an internal agency meeting scheduled for Monday. 

"Safety is our priority," Gischlar said.