Extended ramp closures 'unconscionable'

The following was addressed to the county commissioners and shared with this publication.

Extending the hours of closure for the RT 8 ramp is unconscionable. Your constituents were overwhelmingly opposed to the 12pm-6pm closure. Extending the hours unilaterally from 10am to 8pm is simply an abuse of power. You must represent the interest of the residents on Kent Island and fight this infringement on our freedoms.

The closure is preventing residents on Kent Island from effectively traveling west to the United States on Saturdays and Sundays throughout the summer months. It blocks Kent Island residents from all resources on the western shore including airports, sporting events, family events, restaurants, entertainment, shopping and jobs (yes some people work on Saturday and Sunday.) The closure also prevents family and friends from visiting residents on Kent Island. We have been made prisoners in our own homes. These were not the conditions when we purchased property on Kent Island and these closure will have a detrimental impact on our property values.

Several good ideas were offered at the April 10, 2024 meeting at Bayside Elementary (e.g., intermittent ramp openings on the hour for Kent Island residents; or a right turn only from RT 18 on to RT 8 during peak beach traffic.)

Have you done anything to research these ideas? Anything to conduct pilots of these alternatives? Have you taken a survey of your constituents’ opinion? Have you organized any effort to stop this terrible impact on our freedom?

I am ready and willing to help solve this problem but not at the expense of Kent Island residents.

Roland Fritz

Stevensville