O'Malley reports good progress on main highways
Gov. Martin O'Malley reported during a noon briefing that state road crews made "a lot of headway" on Maryland''s main highways last night and this morning -- thanks largely to the restraint of residents who have stayed off the roads.
O'Malley said the state had been "blessed" in that the gusty winds that had been expected to rake the state did not kick up to the extent that had been expected. But heavy winds in some counties -- notably Frederick and Harford -- created drifts that trapped some motorists overnight.
The governor said emergency response teams were working to reach motorists -- many along U.S. 15 and U.S. 340 in Frederick County -- who had been forced to spend the night in their cars. He said officials were using helicopters to spot stranded vehicles and going low to determine whether there were people trapped inside. Some of those drivers were staying in touch by cell phones.
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O'Malley urged Marylanders to continue to stay off the roads if they can. For those who must venture out he offered a warning:
"It's still very treacherous out there. You've got to go slow," he said. The governor urged motorists to be especially vigilant in watching for pedestrians using the travel lanes of main roads where the shoulders and sidewalks are impassable.
Here are other highlights of O'Malleys's noon briefing:
--8,200 Maryland utility customers are without power. The greatest number are in Cecil County, with 2,200, followed by Montgomery (1,968) and Frederick (1,911).
--In some cases state road crews have been freed up to hellp localities shovel out. In Baltimore, state crews have continued to clear out numbered state routes within the city limits. In normal circumstance the city takes over at the border, but O'Malley said it made little sense to plow to the city line and stop.
--There have still been no fatalities in crashes on state roads since the storm began -- a remarkable six-day streak in a state that normally records 10-12 highway deaths a week.
--The state of emergency originally declared last week remains in effect today and likely into tomorrow.
--The National Guard remains deployed under that state of emergency and is assisting in the rescue of stranded motorists.
--Many roads will not be cleared down to the pavement for several days. "All of us have to be prepared for the reality of driving on snowpack as Americans who live in Iowa or Minnesota," he said.
