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MSP Details Holiday Week Enforcement Plans

November 21st, 2016 by WCBC Radio

Extra Thanksgiving holiday traffic this week will include additional Maryland state troopers who will be using a variety of patrol initiatives to keep traffic moving, respond quickly to highway incidents and take appropriate enforcement action when violations are observed that threaten the safety of travelers.

Beginning Wednesday, troopers from each of the 23 Maryland State Police barracks who patrol every county will be focusing enforcement efforts on impaired driving, aggressive driving, speeding, distracted driving and other violations that often contribute to highway tragedies, especially during holiday seasons.  Additional troopers will be working overtime assignments funded by highway safety grants from the Maryland Department of Transportation Highway Safety Office.

Troopers from the JFK Highway Barrack patrol I-95 from north of Baltimore to the Delaware line.  They will implement Operation Keep It Moving on Wednesday and again Sunday, as they focus on keeping the interstate traffic moving expeditiously and minimizing delays caused by crashes and traffic violations.  Troopers will also be working high visibility patrols at the Maryland House and Chesapeake House rest areas to deter crime and assist travelers moving through the state.

Bel Air Barrack troopers will conduct a sobriety checkpoint in cooperation with the Harford County Traffic Task Force, which includes the Harford County Sheriff’s Office, Bel Air Police, Aberdeen Police, and Havre de Grace Police departments.  DUI saturation patrols will also be occurring during the week in high crash/DUI areas.

Troopers from the Golden Ring, Westminster and Waterloo Barracks will all be conducting DUI saturation patrols in their counties.  Patrols will be occurring each day, from Wednesday through Sunday.

The Frederick, Hagerstown, Cumberland, and McHenry barracks are deploying extra troopers along I-70 and I-68, with the largest number of troopers working during the peak travel times on Wednesday and Sunday.  Like troopers working other interstates, they will focus on keeping traffic moving and assisting motorists who need help.

Troopers on the Eastern Shore will be directing their heaviest enforcement to Rt. 50 and Rt. 13.  Impaired driving and speed enforcement will be the priorities there.

Troopers from the Rockville, Forestville and College Park Barracks will have increased patrols on I-495, I-95 and I-270.  Troopers are being warned to be extra vigilant, due to more than one dozen troopers being struck so far this year on the Capital Beltway alone.  A trooper monitoring traffic on I-495 in Prince George’s County last night was injured when a car left the highway and struck his marked patrol vehicle.  The driver of the striking vehicle was arrested for impaired driving.

In addition to working enforcement in cooperation with local police departments, troopers will be working closely with personnel from the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration.  SHA provides significant help arranging detours at crash sites and conducting courtesy patrols to assist motorists.

Drivers can check travel conditions and delays before traveling.  SHA provides up-to-date traffic and road conditions at roads.maryland.gov, or chart.state.md.us.  Traffic conditions are also available at md511.org, or by safely dialing 511 on your cell phone.

Troopers are urging travelers not to drive distracted and to make traffic safety their first priority whenever they are behind the wheel.  Help us keep Maryland highways safe throughout this Thanksgiving weekend.

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