Daytime Lane Closures Needed; Reflective Striping on Newly-Paved Roads Improves Safety, Enhances Road Visibility in Fog

(December 10, 2015) – Taking advantage of warm late fall temperatures, the Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration (SHA) has been extending paving operations with great success.  On the Eastern Shore, SHA recently resurfaced numerous ramps on US 50 and US 301 and is nearly completed with several major paving operations in Cecil County.

With new asphalt comes the need for new lines between lanes and shoulders.  While pavement marking operations generally take place during off-peak hours to minimize traffic and vehicle impacts, daytime work is essential when fog/dew dominate the overnight and morning hours.  With recent heavy fog impacting work operations and motorist visibility throughout the shore, SHA is employing daytime lane closures up to 4 p.m. when necessary to expedite the completion of striping work before winter.

Over the next few days, motorists in Cecil County should expect daytime lane closures on:

           US 40 from MD 272 to Big Elk Creek
•         MD 213 from 1,000 feet south of US 40 to 300 feet north MD 279
•         MD 279 at the intersection with MD 213

Additionally, daytime striping operations may be necessary at other locations including multiple ramps in Queen Anne’s County along US 50/301 from the Bay Bridge to MD 213.

“We’re asking motorists to bear with us just a little longer,” says District Engineer Greg Holsey.  “New striping will greatly improve visibility and safety, and with the heavy fog that comes this time of year, it’s critical to finish this work as soon as possible.”

SHA uses thermoplastic pavement markings on most major state routes in Maryland.  The plastic material is heated to over 400 degrees, allowing it to form a strong bond with the asphalt surface under ideal conditions.  Tiny glass particles are added to the thermoplastic material to increase retroreflectivity – the ability of a material to return a large percentage of light vehicles’ headlights, increasing visibility for the driver.