Snarled intersections, blocked roads, downed trees, closed schools and some 100,000 BGE customers without power were among the challenges that greeted the new week as Towson, and the region, struggled to get over its stormy affair with Hurricane Irene.
On Monday, nearly 40 intersections involving state roads had traffic lights that were not working, according to county Traffic Engineering Chief Steve Weber.
Among them was York Road and Burke Avenue in Towson, where the usual backup was even longer than usual.
At the intersection of Joppa Road and Loch Raven Boulevard, all eastbound traffic was turning right on Loch Raven Boulevard, and all northbound traffic on Loch Raven was turning right on Joppa, Weber said.
"A lot of people were making U-turns. I guess they thought they had no choice," he said. There was nothing wrong with the lights, he said. They just didn't have any power.
Backup systems installed by the state at major intersections "are meant to work only for several hours," he said, "not several days."
The hurricane cut a path of destruction from North Carolina to New England as it roared up the East Coast, with flooding in Virginia, New Jersey and Vermont. Baltimore County was spared the worst of the damage, but heavy rain and strong winds toppled trees throughout the region, leading to widespread power outages.
Clearing a path to recovery
At a press conference Monday, Aug. 29, to give an update on the county's response, County Executive Kevin Kamenetz said he had discussed outages with BGE officials, and said, "I want everyone to understand that I share the frustration that our 100,000 homes are going through."
By Tuesday morning, the number of customers in the county without power was down to about 83,000, and BGE said it expected a "vast majority" of those remaining to have service by Friday.
County officials said clearing trees that have fallen on wires was the priority, though in those cases BGE crews had to shut off power before the trees can be removed.
"My guys right now are actively working with BGE crews," said Ed Adams, director of the Department of Public Works. "As soon as those wires go dead, my guys are knocking those trees off the road."
By late Monday, he said, public works crews had removed 641 trees blocking roads, with just 15 county roads still closed.
Public Works spokesman David Fidler said some residents assumed the county is going to perform similar functions in their front yard.
"The county is into clearing routes, not landscaping," he said.
Power across the county was the principal concern for Kamenetz and other officials.
Baltimore County Public Schools Superintendent Joe Hairston postponed the opening day of school Monday, Aug. 29, because 65 schools had no power. By the end of Monday, that number was reduced to 43, but schools remained closed Tuesday, Aug. 30, as well.
"We are making progress, and we all want to have students return to school as soon as possible," Hairston said. "But … we are not at the point where we can safely open our doors."
Among the problems, said Hairston, was the fact that 79 schools had limited or no telephone and Internet access, and 100 school buses were "trapped" at a bus lot in Essex by debris. There was no decision as of Tuesday morning if schools would be open on Wednesday.
Powerless, but coping
On Monday, members of the Towson Chamber of Commerce were taking showers at the chamber headquarters on West Chesapeake Avenue because they had no hot water elsewhere.
"We try to be everything to everybody," said Nancy Hafford, chamber executive director.
"I slept here in the office Sunday night," she said. "I had enough bonding with my family with the power out.
" 'Momma's out of here,' I told them. 'You're on your own.' "
Fourteen branches of the Baltimore County Public Library were open Monday, but Towson wasn't one of them — it had no power. The branches that were open had no access to the catalog or the Internet because the library headquarters had no electricity.
The Cockeysville Library was busy Monday, even though it didn't open until 1 p.m., according to librarian Chris Mitchell.
"We had power, lights and working bathrooms — everything people really need," he said.
For students attending Towson University, orientation was reduced by two days because the university provided temporary housing for hundreds of international students working in Ocean City. They were bused to Towson when Ocean City was evacuated.
"We set up 437 cots in Burdick Hall," said Roger Hayden, the university's vice president of facilities, "and the Red Cross fed them. At 2 p.m. Sunday, when we heard Ocean City had reopened, they were back on the bus."
Towson's good deed spoiled plans for some students who planned to move in Saturday.
"They were disappointed they had to postpone their college experience for two days," said Carol Dunsworth, director of university relations.
"It's nice to know how anxious they are to come here."