The State Highway Administration plans to realign sections of MD Rt.

24 (Rocks Rd) through

Rocks State Park due to Deer Creek's eroding stream banks, which are beginning to undercut
the roadway. But to move the roadway requires blasting away rocks this summer, which would
significantly harm the scenic and natural beauty of the road and the park itself, at both the north
and south entrances to the park along Rt. 24. We believe there are better ways of addressing
the erosion problem and are doing what we can to stop this plan from going any farther. We
would like to see another proposal that addresses the actual cause of the problem - the erosion
of the stream bank. We hope a stream bank restoration plan can be devised that will protect the
roadway as well as improve fish habitat and cost a lot less than $9.25 million!

We believe SHA's proposal:

• is inconsistent with the goals of Harford County's Master Plan and Priority Preservation Area because the road
improvements could triple the traffic on Rt. 24 within the next two decades and serve as a growth-inducer for an
area the county is trying desperately to preserve

• is inconsistent with the state's Rural Legacy program, and specifically the Deer Creek Rural Legacy Area

• is inconsistent with the state's effort to rejuvenate the Chesapeake Bay because it will increase polluted storm
water runoff from impervious surface and remove nutrient-absorbing trees from the creek bank

• is inconsistent with the state scenic river law because the law is intended to protect scenic qualities, not just river
flow

• is inconsistent with the Maryland Scenic Byway designation because it damages some of the most important
scenic features of the Deer Creek gorge

Please call or write SHA, DNR, and your elected officials and tell them to Save the Rocks!

David Taylor Butch Norden Jialin Tian

Park Manager Chief of Resource Management Transportation Engineer
Rocks and Susquehanna State Parks Department of Natural Resources Community Design Division, SHA
(410) 557-7994 (410) 260-8159 (410) 545-8832
dtaylor@dnr.state.md.us bnorden@dnr.state.md.us JTian@sha.state.md.us

Sen. Barry Glassman Del. Wayne Norman Del. Donna Stifler

(410) 841-3603 (410) 841-3284 (410) 841-3278
barry.glassman@senate.state.md.us wayne.norman@house.state.md.us donna.stifler@house.state.md.us

County Executive David Craig Council President Billy Boniface Councilman Chad Shrodes
(410) 638-3350 (410) 638-3525 (410) 638-3524
countyexecutive@harfordcountymd.gov wkboniface@harfordcountymd.gov cshrodes@harfordcountymd.gov

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