Traffic Details, Road Closures for Schaefer Interment

William Donald Schaefer's last stop on his three-day tribute tour will be the Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens. 

He will be honored with a 19-gun salute, along with prayers of the hundreds that are expected to gather at the service. 

It would be advantageous for drivers to avoid the Padonia and York Road area and avoid I-83 from I-695 (especially at the Padonia Road exit) between 1 and 4 p.m.  

From Capt. Martin Lurz, Baltimore County Police Department:

SPECIAL ATTENTION TO RESIDENTS OF THE UPPER TIMONIUM / EAST PADONIA ROAD AREA OF PRECINCT 7: 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 p.m. 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. 

DETOUR ROUTES AROUND THE CEMETERY:

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 and 5 p.m. 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 p.m. to account for the incoming procession and for traffic leaving the cemetery after interment. 

 I also want to remind all residents that a 19-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.