(August 20, 2013) – Excavation work to relocate underground utilities will begin at the intersection of MD 20 and MD 291 west of Chestertown on Monday, August 26 to prepare for the single-lane roundabout construction at the three-legged intersection of MD 20 (High Street) and MD 291 (Morgnec Road) in the Kent County.
Starting next Monday Verizon will begin underground work that will allow for the installation of new conduit at the intersection. Crews will guide motorists using a flagging operation from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday for three weeks until mid-September. Delmarva Power began relocating utility poles earlier this month.
Some additional utility work will be needed after the excavation is completed, but will not impact motorists traveling through the intersection. The State Highway Administration (SHA) will begin construction of a roundabout later this fall, weather permitting. Construction should be
complete late summer 2014.
“Construction of the new roundabout in Chestertown has been long anticipated by Kent County residents. The new traffic pattern will significantly and permanently improve the safety of all travelers through the intersection of MD 20 and MD 291,” said Greg Holsey, District 2 Engineer. “SHA has constructed more than 100 roundabouts across Maryland and there have been no intersection-related fatalities at any of the locations. The design calms traffic and improves safety for the thousands of people who travel through each day.”
SHA will hold an informational public meeting on the roundabout project Tuesday, Sept. 10, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Chestertown Town Hall, 118 Cross Street. The informational meeting will acquaint attendees with all aspects of the project through displays, a presentation on the construction schedule and traffic management and the opportunity to speak with SHA representatives.
SHA will maintain traffic through the intersection at all times during construction for all motor vehicles except large trucks for a few weeks during the middle of construction. For most of the project, all drivers will encounter temporary single-lane closures from noon to 5 p.m. on Monday and from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday. The contractor will use variable message boards, temporary signs, flaggers, cones, and barrels to guide motorists through the work zone.
Midway during the roundabout construction, in late winter and early spring, tractor trailers and other large commercial trucks will be required to travel along a signed detour as the center island is constructed. The detour will use all State-maintained routes and last a few weeks, weather permitting.
SHA’s contractor for the $1.2 million project is David A. Bramble, Inc. of Chestertown.
This project was made possible with funding from the Transportation Infrastructure Investment Act of 2013, which maintains crucial system preservation investments and allows Maryland to activate long-term strategies to invest in Maryland’s transportation systems. By putting people back to work in the transportation industry with $4.4 billion in new investments in the next six years, Maryland is creating hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity and providing Marylanders with the transportation infrastructure necessary to grow and prosper for decades to come.
While SHA and its transportation partners work hard to maintain safe traffic mobility in work zones, each driver needs to actively modify his or her driving style to help prevent crashes. Stay alert and look for reduced speed limits, narrow driving lanes and highway workers. Slow down and don’t follow too closely. Saver driving. Safer Work Zones. For Everyone!
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