PIKESVILLE, Md. (Jan. 15, 2009)—Maryland State Police announced today that they will begin towing abandoned vehicles beginning this weekend in an effort to help keep traffic moving smoothly during the upcoming events related to the Inauguration of President Barack Obama.
Beginning at midnight, Friday, January 16, Maryland state troopers will order the towing of any vehicles found abandoned along interstates or state roads within the Baltimore/Washington corridor. The authority to immediately tow the vehicles found abandoned comes under the Declaration of Emergency issued by Governor Martin O’Malley. The declaration allows the state to receive federal funds to help cover the cost of inauguration-related events.
State officials are expecting an unprecedented traffic volume during President-Elect Obama’s visit to Baltimore Saturday and his Inauguration on Tuesday. Vehicles abandoned along the shoulders of interstates and state highways will only add to the potential congestion and hamper law enforcement and emergency medical responses that might be needed, say authorities.
If troopers tow a vehicle from an interstate or state road, they will make every effort to notify the registered owner that the car has been towed and where it is located. If motorists do not receive a notification, they should call the Maryland State Police barracks in the county in which their vehicle was towed:
-- I-95 North of Baltimore: JFK Highway Barracks – 410-537-1150
-- Harford County: Bel Air Barracks – 410-879-2101
-- Baltimore County: Golden Ring Barracks – 410-780-2700
-- Carroll County: Westminster Barracks – 410-386-3000
-- Frederick County: Frederick Barracks – 301-600-4150
-- Howard County: Waterloo Barracks – 410-799-2101
-- Anne Arundel County: Glen Burnie Barracks – 410-761-5130
-- Northern Prince George’s County: College Park Barracks – 301-345-3101
-- Southern Prince George’s County: Forestville Barracks – 301-568-8101
--Montgomery County: Rockville Barracks – 301-424-2101
-- Charles County: La Plata Barracks – 301-392-1200
-- Calvert County: Prince Frederick Barracks – 301-855-1472