WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENTS BEGIN ADJACENT TO US 50 IN ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY

MDOT SHA Logo

MDOT SHA Logo

(January 9, 2014) – Water quality improvements are coming to the US 50/301 (John Hanson Highway/Blue Star Memorial Highway) corridor in Anne Arundel County. Beginning early January, the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) will construct stormwater bio-swales along the US 50/301 median from the Patuxent River at the Prince George’s County line to the South River near Annapolis.
 
Motorists should expect shoulder closures and occasional off-peak left lane closures. Work should take about six weeks, weather permitting.  There is an average daily traffic volume of nearly 88,000 vehicles that travel this section of US 50 each day.
 
Bio-swales are trenches along grassy medians and roadsides that collect runoff from roadways and enable the water to slowly filter through layers of material, cooling and cleaning it.  The process removes sediment, as well as nitrogen and phosphorus that lead to Chesapeake Bay impairment.  Bio-swales installed throughout the watershed will treat or offset the impacts of more than 7,700 acres of impervious surfaces and remove over 2,600 tons of sediment, 90,000 pounds of nitrogen and 10,000 pounds of phosphorus from entering waterways annually.
 
SHA awarded the $3.6 million, multi-location contract to Concrete General of Gaithersburg.  Other corridors slated for bio-filtration improvements under this contract include locations along MD 3 (Crain Highway) and MD 4 (Southern Maryland Boulevard) in Anne Arundel County and US 301 and MD 5 (Leonardtown Road) in Charles County.
 
For the latest travel conditions call 511 or log onto www.MD511.org for traffic information. 
 
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