Early Thursday morning, a gas main leak shut down northbound Reisterstown Road at Hooks Lane near I-695 in the Garrison area, closing the Beltway exit ramps and turning the morning commute into an unexpected crawl. Emergency crews and utility workers moved in to secure the line and keep an eye on the surrounding area. Officials said there were no injuries, and crews later cleared the immediate danger, but drivers were told to brace for delays on roads feeding the Beltway.
According to WBAL-TV, Baltimore County fire officials said a Baltimore Gas and Electric crew was called in to handle the leak, and that fire department personnel eventually left the scene. The station reported that the closure affected the I-695 exit ramps to Reisterstown Road and that coverage would be updated as crews continued their work.
Work Near Hooks Lane Has Already Altered Traffic
As WMAR-2 News reported earlier this month, BGE has been carrying out an electric reliability upgrade near the I-695 interchange that required lane shifts and detours on Reisterstown Road. Those planned changes have already made traffic patterns in the area more fragile, which only amplified the headaches from Thursday's gas leak closure.
Area Has Seen Multiple Utility Disruptions Recently
Crews were still finishing repairs from a 16-inch water-main break that shut stretches of Reisterstown Road at Greenspring Valley Road in late March, according to WBAL-TV. Residents and commuters along the Garrison and Pikesville corridors have been hit with a run of short-term closures this spring as utility crews cycle through the corridor to make fixes.
What Drivers Should Know
Anyone heading for the Beltway should expect lingering slowdowns and consider alternate routes until the ramps fully reopen. State traffic tools like Maryland 511/CHART carry live incident and detour details, and local news apps and traffic cameras can help drivers check conditions in real time while repairs are wrapped up.
This story will be updated when county or utility officials release additional information. For now, commuters are advised to keep an eye on local traffic alerts and official agency feeds when planning their trips.
