The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration is taking measures to prepare for potential impacts from Hurricane Erin. Crews are working to clear drainage inlets and ditches, ensure generators are operational, and ready high water signs, chainsaws, and chippers for deployment. Although Maryland is not expected to be directly hit by the storm, there could be roadway flooding during high tides in parts of the lower Eastern Shore and Southern Maryland due to potential storm surges.
The administration emphasizes safety with the reminder: “Turn Around, Don’t Drown.” It highlights that most flood-related deaths occur in vehicles, noting that two feet of rapidly moving water can float a bus and six inches can knock a person off their feet. Motorists are advised to avoid downed or damaged power lines as they may still be live, watch out for fallen trees and debris on roads, and steer clear of areas where water flows across roads due to flooding.
High winds and water from the storm could also cause scattered power outages. If traffic signals are out or malfunctioning at intersections, drivers should treat them as four-way stops. Residents can report issues on state-maintained roads through the provided link. For real-time traffic updates on the state highway system, drivers are encouraged to visit chart.maryland.gov.
Information from this article can be found here.
