Police to End Test to Thwart 34th Street Shortcuts

Ocean City by the weekend will remove barricades on Simpson Avenue near 34th Street and end an experiment to keep trucks and cars from using the neighborhood streets as a shortcut.

"It was an attempt to find out how bad it was, and, well, it was really bad," Fourth Ward Councilman Pete Guinosso said. "Pretty chaotic."

For vehicles backed up in traffic behind the signals at 34th Street, West Avenue and Bay Avenue, the neighborhoods along Simpson and Haven avenues are tempting alternative routes. But they are not designed for truck or high-speed traffic.

The experiment was an attempt to try temporary measures to thwart through-traffic. A diverter at 31st and Simpson forced all vehicles to take right turns. A barricade at 33rd and Simpson blocked northbound traffic.

But the temporary measures impeded local traffic, left trucks trapped on the neighborhood streets and forced some traffic into the alleys.

Ocean City Business Administrator Mike Dattilo had reported to City Council on Thursday that the experiment would end, and Guinosso thanked Ocean City Traffic Safety Supervisor Brian Hopely for his work in conducting the experiment, which originally had been scheduled to run through April.

"We have enough data to say it's not working," said Ocean City Police Capt. Jay Prettyman, who happened to be attending Thursday's City Council meeting.

Prettyman said the department always prefers to try education or engineering solutions before leaning on heavy enforcement.

But he said the department will now get tough on trucks that ignore designated truck routes on West and Bay avenues.

"We're kinda there now," Prettyman said.

He said the department will work with the municipal court to raise fines for violators and will increase patrols in the area. And he encouraged the public to continue to provide feedback.

"We'll still listen to the people in the neighborhood for their concerns," he said.