As soon as the weather warms consistently above 40 degrees, likely by the end of March, construction will begin on a new traffic-calming plan for South Hanover St. from Wells St. to Heath St. that includes the installation of two medians. Frustration has been expressed for years about the speed of cars on Hanover St. as well as illegal truck traffic. The new plan is the result of multi-year effort spearheaded by the South Baltimore Neighborhood Association (SBNA) and Councilman William Cole.
The Department of Transportation (DOT) began working on a traffic-calming study in 2012 for Hanover St. and plans for the traffic-calming medians were announced in 2013. “We want to create the appearance of a residential community, not a highway,” said Councilman Cole. “The goal is to change the perception, which will hopefully change the behavior of drivers.”
It is also hoped that the medians will discourage 18-wheeler trucks from using Hanover St. as a thoroughfare into the city. The DOT has also been working with GPS companies to reroute trucks to designated truck routes.
The traffic-calming plan includes sidewalk bump-outs at the corners of South Hanover St. and Wells St., Barney St. and Heath St., which also upgrades the sidewalks for American Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance. The two 50-foot medians will be installed on the 1800 and 1700 blocks of South Hanover and will be approximately seven feet wide. The medians will have trees and low-growth plants that will be maintained by the community. Left turn lanes are also being installed on Hanover St. at Wells St. heading southbound, Barney St. heading southbound, and at Heath St. heading northbound.
SBNA is also organizing an effort to install a “Welcome to South Baltimore” sign facing northbound traffic at the median on the 1800 block of South Hanover.
