Several members of the Bush River community expressed concerns about traffic during a BRAC-related presentation at the Bush River Community Council meeting Monday.
Karen Holt, BRAC manager for APG and Chesapeake Science and Security Corridor, gave a presentation at the community council meeting Monday, informing those in attendance about the progress of the Base Realignment and Closure in Harford County.
Holt said BRAC is the "largest economic impact to this region since World War II."
She said about 5,300 have moved to Harford County as of June, and Harford County has welcomed about 60 percent of them. About 18 percent have relocated to Cecil County and nearly 7 percent to New Castle County, De., according to Holt.
She said three priorities of transportation, infrastructure and workforce development education, remain the same as at the start of the BRAC process.
She said commute times, without improvements to certain key roadways, are expected to grow exponentially. At this point, only work at the intersection of Routes 715 and 40 is fully funded and underway.
Improvements to the intersections at Routes 40, 159 and 7, Route 22 and Paradise Road, Route 22 and Old Post Road, Route 22 and Beards Hill Road are all among priorities, but lack funding to begin construction.
Several people in attendance Monday voiced concerns about the potential for traffic problems and one man called the plans a band aid as opposed to a solution.
"Please don't take away only the frustration from transportation," Holt said, adding that there are many exciting things going on with BRAC.
A member of Harford County Department of Public Works, Division of Water and Sewer gave a presentation about the status of water and sewer in the county and in the Bush River community.
Sen. Nancy Jacobs talked about upcoming hearings to discuss increasing tolls at Hatem Bridge and elsewhere in the state. County Councilwoman Mary Ann Lisanti talked about the issue of extending Cedarday Lane.