Week in Review: No More Pole, Benevolent Little Girls, Environmental Concerns on Riva Road and, of course, Traffic Concerns

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Rosie Baganz of Edgewater and Chloe Speciale of Annapolis, both third graders at the Key School, took a different approach to celebrating their birthdays. They joined forces and asked not for the latest trendy gift, instead they asked their friends for donations to the Anne Arundel Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

In all, the girls donated $375 to the SPCA.

A development on Riva Road has residents there concerned over the potential environmental impacts that could also come along with the project. The property at 2691 Riva Rd. is a 5.85-acre vacant stretch of land across the street from the Arundel Olympic Swim Center. Annapolis-based Ribera Development is working to have the property rezoned from residential to commercial to allow for development.

County officials were all ears this week as they held a public “listening” session concerning a new county transportation plan that could impact several main roadway in the Anne Arundel.

The Transportation Functional Master Plan meeting at Annapolis High School listened to drivers about how to best address traffic congestion on nine of the area’s most heavily traveled corridors. Officials said they expect it to take about a year or year and a half to complete.

It was an island in the stream. A heavily congested stream. But the county finally got the delayed Forest Drive project back on track and is working with Verizon to relocate the utility pole that was seemingly in the middle of the road near the Safeway.

The two organizations couldn’t agree on whose responsibility it was to move the pole and they are still hashing out those details, but at least the pole is moved. The project is supposed to now be wrapped up by early April.

State lawmakers are considering imposing a disposable-bag fee in Maryland. Right now, the idea is to charge shoppers 5 cents for each plastic or paper bag they used at the store instead of using their own bags. The bill would be similar to one passed in Washington, D.C. The bill still has a ways to go in the state legislature and may not gain much traction this year, but proponents point to the measure as another way to help protect the Chesapeake Bay.