20010727 MD Route 140 Improvement Study

MD Route 140 Improvement Study

July 27^th, 2001

Labels: Westminster businesses, Westminster Profile, Westminster Planning and Zoning, Westminster Rte 140, History Westminster

City of Westminster Development History:

There are essentially two types of development evident in the City of Westminster: the traditional, more dense development found in the older parts of Westminster, and the suburban, less dense development located on the outskirts of the downtown area. These two types of development feature residential, commercial, and industrial land uses.

The older parts of Westminster, centered on the intersection of Main Street and Railroad Avenue and extending east and west parallel to Main Street, were developed primarily in a traditional grid pattern, with buildings located closer together and next to the street than in the more recently developed areas. In the traditional part of the City, residential and commercial land uses are located within close proximity, allowing for easy pedestrian travel. This more densely built, mixed development prevailed until the 1950s when Maryland Route 140 was completed as a bypass for Main Street, along the northern and eastern sides of the City.

The construction of Maryland Route 140 made it feasible to develop land on the outskirts of the City of Westminster. With the exception of some residential areas, this newer developed area is characterized by buildings located farther apart and set back from the curvilinear streets in order to efficiently accommodate automobile traffic. In most areas, residential uses are separated from commercial and industrial uses, further necessitating the need for automobile travel. Commercial uses in the Maryland Route 140 corridor include an enclosed shopping mall, large retail stores laid out in a strip fashion behind large parking lots, and franchise restaurants. The City’s prime industrial corridor focuses on the Air Business Center, located in the northern part of the City on Maryland Route 97, and contains a mix of business and industrial uses.

Vacant lands located within the City of Westminster are minimal. Vacant areas include several commercially zoned parcels located adjacent to Maryland Route 140, as well as two large residentially zoned properties at the intersections of Maryland Route 31 with Route 140, and Maryland Route 31 with Uniontown Road. Approximately 235 acres of vacant land are available for residential development and 125 acres for commercial uses. Another 190 acres of land in the MD 97(N) Corridor are available for industrial uses. Available residential land and housing units in Westminster provide the capacity for an additional 3,761 people; however, the population projections show an increase of 6,575 people by the year 2020. The difference in these two figures is 2,814 or approximately 1,125 households. Based on currently permitted zoning densities, an additional 270 acres of Urban Residential land would be required to accommodate the increase in Westminster’s population.

While a portion of the projected population could be accommodated through in-fill development and mixed use structures in the downtown area, the City of Westminster will also need to annex land that is appropriate for residential development in order to accommodate the remainder of the projected population.

City of Westminster Transportation Network:

The City of Westminster and the surrounding area are served by eight Maryland State Highways: Route 140 (Baltimore Boulevard), Route 97 North (Littlestown Pike), Route 97 South (Malcolm Drive and Washington Road), Route 27 (Westminster/Manchester Road, Railroad Avenue/Liberty Street and Ridge Road), Route 32 (Main Street and Sykesville Road), Route 31 (New Windsor Road), Route 832 (Old Taneytown Road), Route 526 (Pennsylvania Avenue), Route 852 North (Old Manchester Road), and Route 852 south (Old New Windsor Road). The City of Westminster and the surrounding area are served by two primary east-west corridors: Maryland Route 140 (Baltimore Boulevard and Taneytown Pike) and Maryland Route 32 (Main Street), as well as two primary north – south corridors; MD Route 97 and MD Route 27.

Maryland Route 97 North, classified by Carroll County as a principal arterial, connects Route 140 to Pennsylvania Route 97, serving Littlestown and Gettysburg and providing a connection to U.S. Route 15. The Maryland Route 97 (N) corridor immediately to the north of Maryland Route 140 is the site of prime industrial land in Westminster. The City’s most significant industrial parks as well as the Carroll County Airport are located on Route 97 North.

Maryland Route 97 (N) also serves as a primary commuter route, connecting residents of northern Carroll County and southern Pennsylvania with employment destinations in Westminster and points to the south and east. During morning and evening rush hours, the volume of pass-through commuter traffic chokes the roadway, making it difficult for employees and clients of the industrial parks to safely make turning movements. This also results in long queuing of vehicles at the signalized intersections.

Maryland Route 97 South, between Route 140 and Route 32, is classified as a principal arterial, while south of Route 32, Route 97 is an intermediate arterial. This road continues south through Carroll County and into Howard and Montgomery Counties, intersecting with the Washington, D.C. beltway (I-495) and continuing into Washington, D.C. as Georgia Avenue.

Maryland Route 140 is classified as a principal arterial under the Carroll County system of functional classification. Maryland Route 140 is a divided multi-lane highway with good vehicular access; however, there are some traffic congestion problems during peak hours due to numerous access points along the highway and traffic signals at the major intersections. Portions of Maryland Route 140 are located outside of the Westminster corporate limits, so any corridor planning would require the involvement of the City of Westminster, Carroll County government, and the State Highway Administration. Eastbound Route 140 provides access from Westminster to Interstate 795, which joins the Baltimore Beltway (I-695); to the west, Route 140 intersects with U.S. Route 15 in Emmitsburg. This route serves commercial and commuter traffic between Carroll County, Pennsylvania, and the Baltimore area via I-795 and I-695. East of the Westminster corporate limits, Route 140 is a four lane, divided highway, with twelve foot wide travel lanes and ten to twelve foot shoulders. The posted speed limit is 55 miles per hour to the east of the City. Within the Westminster area, the speed limit decreases to 45 miles per hour, while the roadway width increases to provide for right and left turn lanes at intersections. West of Route 31, the width of Route 140 decreases to between forty-four and forty-eight feet, providing two twelve foot travel lanes with ten to twelve foot paved shoulders. The speed limit increases to 55 miles per hour in this area.

Maryland Route 140 has the highest average daily traffic (ADT) of any roadway in Carroll County. The 47,650 ADT recorded in 1995 by the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) in the vicinity of the Center Street intersection makes this section of roadway comparable to ADT volumes recorded on parts of I-70 in Frederick County. In addition to its commercial character, the Route 140 corridor provides access to the Baltimore regional markets via connections to I-795 and I-695. Goods and materials shipped from Pennsylvania and Baltimore, as well as commuters traveling to places of employment, use this important transportation link. The traffic volume, diversity of trip purposes, and vehicle mix on Route 140 create congestion and safety problems.

City of Westminster Economic Profile:

The City of Westminster contains two distinct major retail areas: downtown Westminster and the commercial corridor located along Maryland Route 140. The Westminster portion of Route 140 functions in many ways as the core business area for much of Carroll County. Included in the Route 140 corridor are numerous shopping, dining, and entertainment opportunities. The Maryland Route 140 corridor contains one large, enclosed shopping mall, a number of large “big box” retail stores, “in-line” or “strip” retail shopping centers, fast food restaurants, and offices. This area experiences significant commercial activity during both day and evening hours, including the weekends. The highest concentration of goods and services available to Carroll County residents is found along this highway. Demand is high for commercial land in the Maryland Route 140 corridor; however, there is very little undeveloped commercial land left in this corridor which is not impacted by steep slopes or other environmental and site constraints. Consequently, there has been a rapid increase in real estate values along certain segments of Maryland Route 140. As a result, commercial properties and rents in downtown Westminster are more affordable for small business owners, while major retailers and high traffic businesses continue to locate along Maryland Route 140. Many of the structures located in the Maryland Route 140 corridor have been built in the last 15 to 20 years and are in good condition, although some of the shopping centers have a dated appearance.

In addition to the commercial areas described above is the City’s primary industrial area, located along Maryland Route 97 in the vicinity of the Westminster Airport. This industrial area contains a mix of office space and manufacturing uses. The first industrial park, the Air Business Center, was developed by the County’s Industrial Development Authority and included advanced infrastructure such as fiber optic cable, with the purpose to promote employment for county residents in the form of research and development types of industries. There is a concern that this prime industrial area is being undermined by the number of retail and service-oriented businesses locating here due to a lack of vacant commercial land in the Westminster area. All of the structures in this industrial area were constructed recently, and development in the area is ongoing due to the emphasis on marketing the area. The County’s first buildings built on speculation of future users were constructed in the Maryland Route 97 industrial corridor.

The major employers in the City of Westminster in 1995 included Carroll County Government central offices (located on Center Street near MD Route 140), Western Maryland College (located on West Main Street and MD Route 140), Marada Industries (located on MD Route 97 North), and Carroll Lutheran Village (located west of MD Route 31).