DOVER BRIDGE PROJECT GETS A LIFT

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MDOT SHA Logo

UPDATE 11/20/15- SHA will NOT have any lane closures until after Thanksgiving.
 
Second Major Fill Operation Underway along MD 331; Motorists Should Expect Daily Lane Closures and Flagging into December

(November 13, 2015) – A good rule of thumb for road construction is, “what goes down must come up.” With this in mind, the Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration (SHA) has begun a major fill operation for the new MD 331 (Dover Bridge Road) bridge over Ch​optank River (Dover Bridge).

Over the next several weeks, trucks will place enough material to raise the eastern bridge approach area about five feet. This is the second fill or “lift” in the marshy area, where significant settling is expected during the early phases of the bridge replacement project. The first lift settled as much as three feet.  Each lift is followed by a 150-day monitoring period and SHA will continue this process until the fill area is stabilized and ready for construction.

To improve safety for workers and motorists and expedite the fill operation, SHA will close one lane of MD 331 for up to 10 hours each day, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday.  A flagging operation will be in place to guide motorists through the work zone. This traffic pattern will remain in effect through mid-December. Motorists are encouraged to plan ahead - allow extra travel time and be alert for construction vehicles entering and exiting the roadway.

This work is part of SHA’s commitment to replace the narrow swing span (movable) bridge with a fixed structure wide enough to accommodate bicycles and pedestrians.  SHA awarded a $48 million construction contract to McLean Contracting of Glen Burnie. An average of 12,000 vehicles travel this stretch of MD 331 each day, and Dover Bridge serves as a vital commuter and emergency services link between Caroline and Talbot counties. Project completion is estimated at summer 2018.

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