On Wednesday, April 27, 2011, during the entombment of former-Governor William Donald Schaefer at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens, residents of these communities and travelers in the Timonium/Cockeysville area will experience traffic congestion as a result of the funeral procession and cemetery service.
We expect that the funeral procession will leave downtown Baltimore no earlier than 12:15 PM. However, because of the size of the expected crowd of mourners and the length of the church service, it is very difficult to predict exactly when the procession will leave or predict when it will arrive in the Timonium area. However, once it leaves the downtown church, it will proceed north on I-83 and then east onto West Padonia Road, across York Road and then continue on East Padonia Road to the cemetery. This is expected to be a very large, extended procession. THERE WILL BE TRAFFIC DELAYS IN THE AREA . Our best estimate of the time frame of these delays will be somewhere between 12:30 PM and 5:00 PM, with the majority of delays being between 1:00 and 3:00 PM. As the procession passes York Road, northbound and southbound traffic will be held for what may be an extended period of time. Once the procession passes through, York Road will re-open. It may be necessary to shut down a portion of East Padonia Road near the cemetery during the service. However, a short detour route will be set up if that occurs.
Though numerous police officers will be stationed along the route of the procession, we strongly advise that if you plan to be in the area, plan an alternate (particularly south-to-north / north-to-south) route by means of Pot Spring Road, Dulaney Valley Road, Thornton Road, or Falls Road to avoid the congestion along York Road. The "widest" portion of n-s / s-n affected areas will be I-83 on the west and Girdwood Road on the east. If you can plan to travel on the borders of that corridor, you will avoid most of the traffic stoppages. East-west and west-east movement along Timonium Road on the south and Warren Road on the north is a better route during this time frame. I would encourage those who need to get through the area with the least delay to travel the alternate routes suggested above between 12:30 PM and 5:00 PM. We anticipate that traffic in the area will remain congested after the procession, until all mourners have left the cemetery when the service concludes.
As you know, it is very difficult to predict the full extent of the traffic congestion and the times that it will occur. Accordingly, I suggest that any travel within that boxed area described above be done via the box borders between 12:15 and 5:00 PM to account for the incoming procession and for traffic leaving the cemetery after interment.
I also want to remind all residents that a nineteen-gun salute, using Howitzer artillery, will be conducted during the service. Once the initial "blank" is fired, successive reports/concussion will be heard and felt every five seconds until it is completed. These can be extremely loud and may cause concern throughout the schools and neighborhood. The concussion from the blanks may also rattle some windows and cause house pets some anxiety issues, etc. Please remember that this is part of the funeral service at the cemetery.
I would ask that all affected community associations (GTCC, Lutherville, Springlake, etc.) POST this message on your website and/or forward to your residents.
I thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
Captain Martin Lurz
Precinct 7