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Emmitsburg Comprehensive Plan
A General Plan for Emmitsburg, Maryland
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: The 1974 Comprehensive Plan for Emmitsburg
Chapter 3: Demographic Element
Chapter 4: Land Use Element
Chapter 5: Transportation Element
Chapter 6: Housing
Chapter 7: Economic Development and Renewal
Chapter 8: Community Design Element
Chapter 9: Community Facilities
Chapter 10: Environment and Sensitive Areas
Chapter 11: Implementation Strategies
Chapter 5: Transportation Element
A. EXISTING TRANSPORTATION PATTERNS AND PROJECTIONS
ROAD NETWORK
The road network in Emmitsburg is characterized by various levels and types of streets, alleys, and highways that serve different purposes or that were constructed at different time periods throughout Emmitsburg's history to serve land uses
and vehicle types other than those using the road network today. Emmitsburg's street, road, and highway network consists of the following: a traditional street grid system, featuring both a central intersection and a network of supporting alleys and minor streets; a
southeast-northwest minor arterial highway that bisects the downtown (i.e., MD 140); a north-south freeway (i.e., US 15), which is in the process of conversion to an entirely limited access alignment; several rural local roads which have changed or are adapting to suburban or
urban travel patterns; and newer subdivision streets with cul-de-sacs and loop roads that feed traffic to collector or arterial alignments.
Serving both regional and interstate vehicular traffic, US 15 in the Emmitsburg area handles over 10,000 average daily trips per day along its north south corridor. US 15 was relocated from Seton Avenue to its present alignment, east of
downtown, in the late 1 950's and was improved to a four-lane divided highway in the Emmitsburg area in the mid-1 980's. Currently, the Emmitsburg community has four access points to US 15. These include one interchange located at MD 140; and three at-grade intersections at
North Seton Avenue and Welty Road, at Creamery Road, and south of the corporate limits at South Seton Avenue and Old Frederick Road.
Vehicular traffic volume data and projections of future traffic depict two areas within Emmitsburg with present or future traffic capacity and vehicular mobility problems. These are: 1) the Main Street/MD 140 corridor, and 2) the Town Square
intersection and South Seton Avenue.
Main Street/MD 140 Corridor: Currently, MD 140 is heavily used as an east-west through route to and from the Baltimore Region and south central Pennsylvania. Heavy truck traffic using the MD 140/PA 16 corridor has a negative impact on
businesses and residences along Main Street. Both truck and automobile traffic using this highway travel through the center of Emmitsburg. Since few alternative alignments currently exist and none are planned to serve this corridor, through traffic along the MD 140 is likely
to increase over the next two decades.
An important factor leading to increased use of MD 140 is the designation of this route by the State of Maryland as a highway in the National Highway System. In 1991, the U.S. Congress adopted a nation-wide system of roadway corridors
designated the National Highway System as an integral part of the Intermodal Surface Transportation
Efficiency Act (ISTEA). The National Highway System is intended to supplement the Interstate System and this designation indicates an intent by the State of Maryland to enhance the capacity of the MD 140 corridor. A Major or Minor Arterial
highway to serve as a through traffic bypass around Emmitsburg has not been planned, while a collector alignment (Brookfield Drive) is planned for north Emmitsburg to serve future residential areas.
Town Square Intersection and South Seton Avenue: North-south vehicular traffic with origins in south central Pennsylvania use PA 16 to MD 140 to West Main Street, turning at the Town Square onto South Seton Avenue, and then to US 15. Vehicles
from Fairfield and Carroll Valley, Pennsylvania that use this corridor generally turn at the Town Square to access US 15. Increased use of this corridor by single occupant vehicles has resulted in a peak hour traffic congestion problem in the heart of Emmitsburg at the Town
Square. Continued residential growth in the areas of Fairfield and Carroll Valley, Pennsylvania will likely exacerbate vehicular traffic congestion in Emmitsburg, since widening of Main Street or expansion of the Town Square intersection are not feasible alternatives to the
Town. To alleviate this situation, an alignment that bypasses Emmitsburg to the west and the south should be considered. A future southern bypass would serve to reduce traffic congestion in downtown Emmitsburg and reduce backups at the Town Square intersection, as well as
along West Main Street and South Seton Avenue.
Bypass road alignments are not easy fixes to traffic congestion problems. They often offer a host of new problems to communities. In addition to the substantial costs involved in all aspects of constructing an entirely new road alignment, as
well as the often several decade wait for the road to be constructed, bypasses often result in significant negative economic impacts on downtown business districts. As traffic is rerouted out of the downtown core, existing businesses often experience a loss in customers
forcing many businesses to close or move from downtown to the greener pastures out near the new bypass. This situation is common and has led to deterioration of the economic base of countless downtown areas in small cities and towns across the nation.
The Thurmont Region Plan designates MD 140/Main Street as a Minor Arterial east of Harney Road and west of Tract Road. Between Harney Road and Tract Road MD 140/Main Street is classified as a Collector alignment.
CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM
Freeway/Expressway: A grade-separated roadway which provides interstate access, as well as access within the County. Typical design standards include right-of-way needs of 300 ft. or more. While not an interstate, US 15 is designated a
freeway/expressway.
Arterials: Including both Major Arterials and Minor Arterials, these highways provide inter and intra-county access to and from freeways and through rural areas. Typical design standards include right-of-way needs of 150 ft. for a Major
Arterial and 80 ft. for a Minor Arterial.
Collectors: These alignments collect vehicle traffic from local roads serving residential neighborhoods and rural areas and distribute to the arterial and freeway system. Typical right-of-way for a Collector alignment is 60 ft.
Local Roads: These roads provide direct access to adjoining land and properties and feed into roads with higher functional classifications. Typical right-of-way for a local road is 50 ft.
Bikeways: These include bike lanes that comprise a portion of a roadway and are designated by striping, signs, or other pavement markings and bike paths which are physically separated from vehicular traffic by open space or a barrier, either
within the road right-of-way or within an independent right-of-way. Right of way needs vary with the type of facility.
MAJOR STREETS AND ROADS
US 15 is a major regional freeway which runs north/south on the east side of Emmitsburg. US 15 is a four-lane divided freeway. Access is provided to and from US 15 at North Seton Avenue/Welty Road, MD 140/East Main Street, Creamery Road, and
at South Seton Avenue/Old Frederick Road. An interchange exists at MD 140/ East Main Street. Access at the other points is provided through at-grade intersections.
MD 140/East and West Main Street is a two lane roadway that is designated as a Collector from Tract Road to east of Harney Road and as a Minor Arterial outside the Town Limits. This route provides important circulation through Emmitsburg and
is a designated alignment in the National Highway System. The US 15 interchange is a partial cloverleaf design east of US 15. Access to US 15 from the west is through a residential area.
South Seton Avenue is a two-lane Collector alignment which carries north/south traffic from US 15 and Old Frederick Road to the Town Square in downtown Emmitsburg. The bridge crossing Tom's Creek is constrained and lacks sufficient space for
pedestrian or bicycle access.
North Seton Avenue is a two-lane Collector alignment which extends from the Town Square to US 15 at Welty Road. It provides important access to downtown Emmitsburg from the north.
Creamery Road is a two lane local road that extends both east and west of US 15. Creamery Road connects East Main Street/MD 140 and US 15. Creamery Road is not continuous at US 15. Traffic is rerouted from Creamery Road onto US 15 and cannot
continue on Creamery Road.
DePaul Street is a two lane urban local road that extends from North Seton Avenue, 350 ft. north of the Town Square, to the west side of Flat Run Creek.
Federal Avenue (North) is a two lane urban local road that extends north from East Main Street, 850 ft. east of the Town Square, to North Seton Avenue.
Harney Road is a two lane rural Collector road that extends from MD 140, east of US 15, to the Carroll County line.
Welty Road is a rural two lane local road that extends from Harney Road to US 15 at North Seton Avenue.
Silo Hill Road is a two lane Collector road that extends north from East Main Street/MD 140 west of US 15. Future extensions of Silo Hill Road are intended to connect with North Seton Avenue and Brookfield Drive to the north.
Brookfield Drive is a two lane Collector alignment that is planned to extend across North Emmitsburg from Tract Road, north of MD 140/ West Main Street, to a future interchange at US 1 5/Welty Road. Western segments of Brookfield Drive near
Tract Road have been platted, while the eastern segments are yet to be defined.
Irishtown Road is a two lane local road that extends north from North Seton Avenue to the Pennsylvania State line. Brookfield Drive is planned to cross Irishtown Road. Much of Irishtown Road is currently a rural local alignment.
Frailey Road is a short two lane Collector alignment that extends from West Main Street/MD 140 to Mountain View Road at Annandale Road.
Tract Road is a two lane local road that extends north from West Main Street/MD 140, west of Frailey Road to the Pennsylvania State Line.
Mountain View Road is a two lane local road that extends west from Frailey Road reconnecting with MD 140 south of the Pennsylvania State line.
Annandale Road is a two lane rural Collector alignment that extends west from Mountain View Road and Frailey Road to Hampton Valley Road turning south to Mount Saint Mary's College.
Old Emmitsburg Road is a two lane local road that extends west from South Seton Avenue to Annandale Road at Mount Saint Mary's College.
Hampton Valley Road is a rural two lane Collector road that extends west from Annandale Road, through the Emmitsburg Watershed north of Crystal Valley Road, to Eyler's Valley Road.
Crystal Fountain Road is a rural two lane local road that extends west from Annandale Road through the Emmitsburg Watershed to Hampton Valley Road.
TRAFFIC VOLUMES
Traffic volume data gives insight into the function of the various roads throughout the area. Low traffic volumes indicate whether the road primarily serves local traffic, while higher traffic volumes appear to indicate that the function of
the road is more than just local access and includes some through traffic movements.
The accompanying Traffic Volume Map indicates some Average Daily Traffic (i.e., ADT) Volumes in the Emmitsburg area. This information is provided for key road links. Where available, the ADT's are provided between 1987 and 1995. Such past
trend data does not necessarily mean that the same trends will continue into the future, although they provide a reliable estimate of traffic volume growth. Volume at any road link can increase dramatically due to new development traffic either at Emmitsburg or in nearby
areas.
The US 15 freeway has the highest traffic volumes in the Emmitsburg area. Since 1989, ADT vehicle trips along US 15 increased by 2,1125 trips (116 percent) at South Seton Avenue; by 1,025 trips (110 percent) at Creamery Road; by 925 trips (9
percent) at MD 140; and by 650 trips (6 percent) below the Maryland-Pennsylvania State Line. Lesser amounts of increase to the north appears to indicate that Emmitsburg may be either the origin, destination or through route of some of the vehicles using US 15.
Main Street/MD 140 and South Seton Avenue have the highest non-freeway traffic volumes in the Emmitsburg area. From east to west, vehicular traffic increased by 1,800 trips (52 percent) on MID 140 east of the Town corporate limits between 1989
and 1995; by 2,275 daily trips (35 percent) on East Main Street between 1989 and 1995; and by 2,150 daily trips (50 percent) on MD 140 south of the Pennsylvania line between 1989 and 1995. On South Seton Avenue, ADT volume increased by 2,400 trips (52 percent) in the four
year period between 1991 and 1995.
It is estimated that the increases in traffic volumes on Main Street and South Seton Avenue are indicative of land use changes outside the Town limits. Major sources of increased traffic volumes are the continued development occurring in
boroughs and townships in Adams County, Pennsylvania. While Emmitsburg's road system is affected by outside development, the Town has no control over development outside of its corporate limits.
LEVELS OF SERVICE
Level of service (i.e., LOS) is one way to describe road and highway adequacy. It is a standardized index that indicates the degree to which movement is restricted along a roadway. Traffic volumes and road capacity are two of the factors used
to determine the LOS for a particular road segment. There are six Levels of Service:
- LOS A represents free, unobstructed movements;
- LOS C through E indicate increasing levels of movement restriction in terms of road capacity and the amount of vehicles using the road; and
- LOS F represents a forced flow beyond the capacity of the roadway.
Frederick County in cooperation with BMI, a transportation engineering firm based in Vienna, Virginia, has prepared a Countywide Traffic Study using the MINUTP computerized transportation model. The MINUTP transportation model incorporates
recent Average Daily Traffic counts and information on households, population, and employment for a base year of 1995. The transportation model provides Average Daily Vehicle traffic count projections for the year 2020 on freeways, arterials, and collector alignments
throughout Frederick County. The transportation model uses land use information to determine the number of automobile trips that are generated in a given area and the most likely route that the trips will follow. Average Daily Vehicle traffic counts along with the road
capacity characteristics data are used to develop LOS data for the year 2020.
Table V.1
MINUTP TRANSPORTATION MODEL
YEAR 2020 PROJECTED LEVEL OF SERVICE FOR EMMITSBURG HIGHWAYS
Projected Current
Name 2020 AD Peak
LOS LOS
Source: Frederick County Department of Planning and
Zoning and BMI, November 1997
The LOS - D determination for MD 140 west of Emmitsburg indicates that this road is significantly congested, although service levels were not determined for morning and evening rush hours when vehicular traffic levels are at their peak. During
the morning rush hour, MD 140 west of the Town Square is believed to be at LOS - E, exhibiting a very high level of traffic congestion. The LOS - C determination for MID 140 east of Emmitsburg indicates that this road segment has regular and non-congested vehicle flow. US 15
was determined to be at LOS - A indicating that this freeway exhibits free flowing and unobstructed traffic flow.
The segment of US 15 at Emmitsburg is currently operating at LOS A.
The existing County road network was used for the 2020 projection to establish a baseline and identify where traffic congestion problems are likely to occur if road improvements are not made. Future MINUTP transportation model runs for the
Emmitsburg area could include new road connections or improvements to existing roads to determine the effect on projected levels of congestion.
The MINUTP transportation model projects that MD 140 west of Emmitsburg will be at LOS E in the year 2020. This indicates that this road segment will be a near failure to accommodate vehicle traffic. Long delays will likely occur should no
other alignment be constructed to divert some portion of this traffic. Likewise, MD 140 is projected to be LOS D in the year 2020 without facility improvements in this corridor.
PROBLEM AREAS
The level of service determination and traffic volume data indicate that MD 140 west of the Town Square has a high level of traffic congestion. This poses a problem with any future residential development in the western areas of MW Emmitsburg,
as well as along the MD 140 - Mountain View Road corridor.
Additional residential development in the western portions of Emmitsburg and also along Annandale and Mountain View Roads will result in much higher traffic levels in the Town Square area. This is a significant concern. Additional traffic will
clog the already congested Town Square area and will lead to future traffic gridlock.
The following two solutions should be considered to forestall future traffic gridlock (i.e., LOS F) at the Town Square: 1) Construct a southwestern bypass around Emmitsburg. Such a bypass would have to bridge Tom's Creek at some point between
the Town and College Mountain and connect with US 15 between the Town and the College; 2) Limit additional residential growth in the western portions of Emmitsburg and along Annandale and Mountain View Roads areas.
Creamery Road currently has an at-grade access onto and from US 15. The Town desires to retain Creamery Road access to US 15. This access point to US 15 should remain open and available for use. Creamery Road serves as an access to and from an
industrial employment area within Emmitsburg and it also serves as an emergency entry point into Emmitsburg. In times of flood emergency, including 1972 and 1996, Creamery Road has provided the only available access to and from US 15 for Emmitsburg residents and emergency
vehicles. During these floods, South Seton Avenue, North Seton Avenue, and East Main Street were effectively closed to vehicular traffic. It is in the best interest of the Town to retain access to US 15 from Creamery Road in order to provide another travelway to and from the
Town during flood events.
As with many towns which established prior to the automobile, the older streets and alleys are narrower than current road standards. Historically, buildings were constructed in close proximity to the traveled roadways leaving little room for
road improvements. Increased motor vehicle traffic has increased the problem created by narrow roadways. Intersections of alleys and narrow streets are often problem areas. It is recommended that traffic management solutions be sought rather than road widening to deal with
the road capacity constraints in downtown Emmitsburg.
PUBLIC TRANSIT
Frederick County operates the TransIT System which provides regular morning and evening fixed route bus service and para-transit service between Frederick and Emmitsburg. As of September 1996, the TransIT Emmitsburg Shuttle operated an "A.M.
Shuttle" with stops in Emmitsburg, Thurmont, and Frederick and a "P.M. Shuttle" which reverses the morning route. The commuter-oriented Emmitsburg Shuttle has two stops in Emmitsburg, at DePaul Street (at 7:10 a.m. and 5:03 p.m.) and at the Jubilee Market at East Main
Street/Silo Hill Road (at 7:11 a.m. and 5:07 p.m.). The Shuttle also makes four stops in Thurmont and five stops in the Frederick area. In terms of time, the A.M. Shuttle takes between 52 to 58 minutes for a trip from Emmitsburg to one of five locations in Frederick. The P.M.
Shuttle is comparable in time for the reverse commute.
In September 1996, the TransIT system began operating a "Mid-Day Shuttle" between Frederick and Emmitsburg on Mondays and Wednesdays serving two stops in Emmitsburg: Up-County Family Support Center (at 9:00 a.m. and 2:40 p.m.) and at Federal
Avenue and East Main Street (at 9:05 a.m. and 2:45 p.m.) The Mid-Day Shuttle also serves Thurmont, Woodsboro, and Walkersville, while allowing for special stops off the regular route that are scheduled 24 hours in advance. Wheelchair-accessible service may be requested also
with 24 hours advanced notice. During FY 1996, TransIT averaged nearly 29 riders per day on its Emmitsburg Shuttle. Table VA provides TransIT Ridership for the Emmitsburg Shuttle, and the other TransIT Shuttle Routes from July 1995 through June 1996.
Table V.2
TRANSIT SERVICES OF FREDERICK COUNTY FY 1996 RIDERSHIP
SHUTTLE ROUTES
Source: TraT Services of Frederick County, 1996
Table V.1 shows levels of use for the Emmitsburg Shuttle that are nearly equivalent to the Brunswick Shuttle service, which serves the Brunswick MARC commuter rail system. These data indicate a level of demand along the Emmitsburg route for
morning and evening commuter bus service and a potential for future expansion.
A formal Park and Ride site should be established within Emmitsburg to accommodate commuter parking, commuter bus traffic, and vanpools or carpools. The Park and Ride lot should be centrally located to accommodate both Emmitsburg residents and
commuter traffic.
PEDESTRIAN-VEHICULAR CONFLICTS
Unobstructed pedestrian movement is an essential element in the quality of life in Emmitsburg. The ability of residents to walk along streets or cross at intersections without threat of injury is part of the character of the Town.
Certain areas in Emmitsburg are prone to motor vehicle-pedestrian conflicts and deserve attention. First among these areas is the intersection of East Main Street and Silo Hill Road. The East Main Street/Silo Hill Road intersection is a
four-way intersection of a collector road and minor arterial. West bound vehicles on East Main Street approach this intersection on a down hill grade from the peak of the MD 140 bridge over US 15. A lack of traffic calming devices or signalization at the East Main Street/Silo
Hill Road/East Main Street Extended intersection results in vehicular speeds estimated at 15 to 20 MPH above the posted speed limit. The result is that pedestrians are discouraged from crossing East Main Street at this location and slower vehicles crossing or entering East
Main Street are often at risk.
The intersection of Harney Road and East Main Street/MD 140 poses similar problems resulting from excessive speeds reached by vehicles traveling over the US 15 bridge.
East and West Main Street and South Seton Avenue are in need of clearly designated pedestrian crossing areas to accommodate residents and visitors during periods of high vehicular traffic. With increased vehicular traffic, the Town Square area
has the potential for increased pedestrian-vehicle conflicts. Safe pedestrian movements should be a priority at the Town Square. All improvements to the Town Square intersection should have the goal of safe pedestrian access and accommodate traffic calming techniques.
PARKING
Parking is a consideration in Downtown Emmitsburg since most of the businesses rely on adequate on-street parking to meet customer demand. Currently, on-street parking is provided on both East and West Main Street with metered parking. Other
than metered parking, Emmitsburg does not currently manage the use of downtown parking.
There are currently 93 parking meters along East and West Main Streets. Meters are operated and enforced during the following hours: Monday through Friday - 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Friday and Saturday - 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Meters are not
enforced on Sundays and are not enforced on the following holidays: New Years Eve, New Years Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, the 4th of July, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.
Some overflow parking for the Town Square and Main Street is presently accommodated at the Emmitsburg Antique Mall parking lot along Chesapeake Avenue, which can accommodate over 100 vehicles, although this is not formalized and no signage
indicates this.
PARKING CONSTRAINTS
The availability of parking along Main Street and at the Town Square is tight. Additional parking spaces cannot be placed in the downtown area without the loss of buildings in the downtown area. While additional parking is available at the
Antique Mall, this lot is not visible from most of Main Street or the Town Square and is not heavily used.
A similar situation exists along South Seton Avenue, which has no on-street parking. Parking is provided on-site by the businesses in this area. Events in the South Seton area sometimes overwhelm the parking capacity in this area and motorists
turn onto the side alleys to locate available parking. To alleviate this situation, the Town would be well served to purchase the lot across from Emmitsburg Motors and convert it into a public parking lot to meet parking needs in the area. A lot in this location would also
serve the Town Square.
Currently, on-street parking near St. Joseph's Church on North Seton Avenue is difficult to locate on Thursday evenings due to a weekly religious event at the church. On-street parking is a concern in the area of DePaul Street, North Seton
Avenue and Irishtown Road on Thursday evenings.
PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE CIRCULATION
Emmitsburg is a pedestrian friendly community. Residents can and do walk throughout the Town and motor vehicles are often a secondary consideration. This is accomplished through a well-maintained network of public sidewalks which connect the
various areas of the Town. The sidewalks are used by residents and visitors alike and contribute to the "pedestrian friendly environment" of downtown Emmitsburg.
While sidewalks exist throughout most of Emmitsburg, in some areas the sidewalks are discontinuous or need to be improved. Main Street and South Seton Avenue have sidewalks in the downtown area, although along portions of South Seton Avenue
the sidewalks are discontinuous. This is also true along portions of North Seton Avenue near Federal Avenue and the north side of West Main Street near the Rutters Store. An at-grade sidewalk was recently placed by the Jubilee Market along the north side of East Main Street
near Silo Hill Road. The existing bridges in and around the Town do not effectively accommodate sidewalks.
Other areas that lack safe and adequate sidewalks and are in need of special attention are:
- West Main Street west to Tract Road
- North Seton Avenue from Provincial Parkway toward Irishtown Road South Seton Avenue near the Community Center
- Irishtown Road from Emmit Ridge south Frailey Road to West Main Street
- Old Emmitsburg Road to South Seton Avenue
- At the bridges on South Seton Avenue, East Main Street, and North Seton Avenue
Another viable transportation alternative for pedestrians and cyclists outside of the downtown area are roadside pedestrian paths or bikelanes. These can effectively link areas of high activity, including Mount Saint Mary's College and
downtown Emmitsburg.
The Mount Saint Mary's College campus is an important origin and destination for pedestrians, joggers and bicycle traffic. Currently, joggers and cyclists use Emmitsburg Road and South Seton Avenue, both of which lack designated bicycle lanes
and pose conflicts between pedestrians and cyclists. Another route for joggers and cyclists to and from the College is along Annandale Road to Frailey Road to West Main Street.
New residential, commercial, and employment development in Emmitsburg should provide sidewalks that link with the existing sidewalk system. This will continue Emmitsburg's "pedestrian friendly environment" as the community grows and remove the
need for the unnecessary use of motor vehicles for local trips.
The Town should work with the State and the County to develop a system of pedestrian/bicycle trails and lanes utilizing the City Park, stream corridors and designated roadways. A greenway/trail connection should be made through the Community
Park to Tom's Creek and to South Seton Avenue. Other corridors for establishment of greenways/trails are Flat Run Creek, Little Run, and Willow Rill.
B. TRANSPORTATION GOALS/POLICIES
GOAL 1 ESTABLISH A PATTERN OF LAND USE WHICH MAINTAINS THE LONG-TERM CAPACITY AND SAFETY OF EMMITSBURG'S STREET, ALLEY AND HIGHWAY NETWORK AND THAT PROVIDES FOR THE SAFE, STEADY FLOW OF VEHICULAR AND PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC.
OBJECTIVE Reduce congestion in the Town Center and discourage through commercial truck traffic on Main Street and Seton Avenue.
POLICY Plan for and construct a northern arterial bypass that provides a route for through truck traffic north of Emmitsburg. This alignment should extend from MD 140 west of Middle Creek north to Welty Road, crossing US 15, extending from US
15 across to Tract Road and MD 140 north of Brookfield Drive.
POLICY Construct diamond interchanges along US 15 to serve the future northern arterial bypass alignment and Brookfield Driv at North Seton Avenue and Welty Road.
POLICY A southwestern collector alignment should be extended from Annandale Road to Scott Road to permit a western means of access from the Town.
POLICY Traffic management solutions should be sought rather than road widening to deal with road capacity constraints in downtown Emmitsburg.
OBJECTIVE Support continued transportation accessibility from US 15 into Emmitsburg.
POLICY Construct a diamond interchange at Welty Road/North Seton Avenue/future Brookfield Drive.
POLICY Construct a diamond interchange at US 15 and South Seton/Old Frederick Road.
OBJECTIVE Minimize pedestrian/vehicular conflicts.
POLICY Utilize traffic calming and traffic mobility techniques to reduce traffic speeds and increase pedestrian safety within the Town.
POLICY Implement design improvements including plantings, sidewalks, intersection crossings and curb cuts to provide safer pedestrian routes and support the predominant pedestrian character of the Town.
POLICY Implement intersection and/or signalization improvements in coordination with the State Highway Administration at the following locations:
- East Main Street and Silo Hill Road
- East Main Street and Harney Road
- Annandale Road and Mountain View Road
- d. Main Street and Seton Avenue
OBJECTIVE Retain access to US 15 from Creamery Road.
POLICY At-grade access to US 15 from north segment of Creamery Road should remain open and available for use as a means of access to and from the Town.
GOAL 2 PROMOTE A LINKED NETWORK OF SIDEWALKS, WALKING TRAILS, AND BIKE LANES/BIKEWAYS TO SERVE EXISTING AND PLANNED GROWTH AREAS, SCHOOLS AND EMPLOYMENT AREAS AS A SAFE AND EFFICIENT ALTERNATIVE TO MOTOR VEHICLE TRAFFIC WITHIN THE TOWN.
OBJECTIVE Enhance pedestrian and bicycle mobility both within the Town and with Mount Saint Mary's College campus.
POLICY Design and implement roadway, bridge and signage improvements for a pedestrian/bicycle trail or lane along South Seton Avenue and Old Emmitsburg Road, as well as along Annandale Road.
POLICY New residential, commercial or employment development in Emmitsburg must link to the Town's existing sidewalk system to continue Emmitsburg's "pedestrian friendly environment."
POLICY Develop a system of pedestrian/bi cycle trails and lanes utilizing the City Park, stream corridors and designated roadways.
POLICY Construct sidewalks to link the existing unconnected sidewalk sections within the Town.
GOAL 3 COMMIT TO SAFE AND EFFICIENT ALTERNATIVE MODES OF TRAVEL, INCLUDING REGIONAL COMMUTER BUS SERVICE, VAN AND CAR POOLS, AND OTHER VIABLE TRANSPORTATION FORMS TO REDUCE THE IMPACT OF HOME-TO-WORK COMMUTER TRAVEL VIA SINGLE OCCUPANT
VEHICLES.
OBJECTIVE Encourage use of public transportation by residents and commuters and establishment of home businesses to reduce need to commute.
POLICY Establish a Park and Ride lot within Emmitsburg to accommodate commuter parking, commuter bus traffic, and vanpools or carpools. An Emmitsburg Park and Ride site should be designed initially to accommodate 75 to 100 vehicles. The site
should be inventoried within three years of opening to determine whether the site should be expanded to accommodate additional vehicle parking.
POLICY Permit development of home-bas d businesses in Emmitsburg to reduce the need for residents to commute out of the Town for employment and reduce overall out-of-town vehicle trips.
GOAL 4 PROVIDE AMPLE AND SAFE PARKING FACILITIES WITHIN THE DOWNTOWN AREA TO SUPPORT THE NEEDS OF EMMITSBURG'S BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
OBJECTIVE Improve parking availability and the management of parking resources throughout downtown Emmitsburg.
POLICY Inventory both on-street and on-site downtown parking sit s and perform an assessment of the present and future parking needs of downtown businesses and residents.
POLICY Begin a Parking Management Program to assist businesses, restaurants, tourists, and persons who patronize downtown businesses by providing accessible and affordable on-street parking, as well as overflow parking areas with directional
signage.
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: The 1974 Comprehensive Plan for Emmitsburg
Chapter 3: Demographic Element
Chapter 4: Land Use Element
Chapter 5: Transportation Element
Chapter 6: Housing
Chapter 7: Economic Development and Renewal
Chapter 8: Community Design Element
Chapter 9: Community Facilities
Chapter 10: Environment and Sensitive Areas
Chapter 11: Implementation Strategies |
