Politics & Government
Marks: Council to Vote on Reducing Forge Road Widening
The councilman hopes to reduce the planned road width from 70 to 50 feet.
Editor's Note: County Councilman David Marks submitted the following opinion editorial as a letter to the editor.
As a Perry Hall resident for much of my life, I know that northeastern Perry Hall is one of our last links to our community's rural past. While development has occurred, there are still farm farms and nurseries in the area that encompasses Chapel, Forge and East Joppa Roads.
One of the very first issues I faced after being elected to the County Council was a proposal to widen Forge Road. Under the Honeygo Plan, Forge Road can be widened to a 70-foot right-of-way. In other words, the existing road could be expanded by more than 20 feet on either side. Many residents expressed concern about the extent of this project, and I agree with them.
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A 70-foot highway would not just be detrimental to homeowners along Forge Road. It would fundamentally change the character of this part of Perry Hall, and it would add tens of thousands of dollars in extra costs as the county obtains right-of-way.
That is why I pressured the Department of Public Works to reduce the footprint of this project. The county has agreed to shrink the right-of-way by 20 feet, which means the new road will be about one-third smaller than allowed under the Honeygo Plan. Under the revised plan, Forge Road will have two lanes, two shoulders, and sidewalks on either side. I have also asked that the county consider a stop sign at the corner of Forge and Cross Roads.
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At our next County Council meeting, I will introduce the attached resolution that amends the Honeygo Plan to shrink the right-of-way along Forge Road from 70 to 50 feet. The resolution will be voted on at the County Council's June 6 meeting.
I would like to thank the residents of Perry Hall for their patience over the past two months. I have done my best to focus on cost-effective road improvements that will retain as much of the character of northeastern Perry Hall as possible.
Read more Patch coverage of Forge Road widening and other improvements:
