(October 25, 2012) – The Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) is moving forward with the innovative project to reconstruct the West Nursery Road bridge decks over the Baltimore-Washington Parkway (MD 295) during the next two weekends. SHA’s contractor will remove the West Nursery Road bridge deck over northbound MD 295 this weekend and the deck over southbound MD 295 next weekend. The schedule is weather dependent and SHA will postpone the project should heavy rain and high winds from Tropical Storm Sandy start earlier than predicted.
SHA originally planned to remove and replace the bridge deck over northbound MD 295 this past weekend but crews were unable to do so due to operational issues. Scheduled to be lifted onto machinery that would roll the 300-ton bridge deck away, the load shifted and it was not able to be removed as planned. SHA’s contractor used four large cranes to lift the bridge deck back into place and opened both MD 295 and West Nursery Road to traffic.
This week, the contractor and subcontractor teams met with SHA management to review the problems encountered Saturday morning. After a thorough analysis, engineers identified two factors that prevented crews from making the move successfully. The elevation of the self-propelled modular transporter system was not high enough and the deck rested on a wooden platform that was too narrow and unable to properly distribute the weight of the load across the hydraulic system.
Based on expert advice and reviews by SHA and Federal Highway Administration engineers, the construction team identified action steps that will address the issues encountered with the attempted move last weekend. The changes include adjusting the height of the transporters and modifying the wood platform that serves as the spacing between the machine and the deck to distribute the weight more evenly. The contractor has contingency plans and equipment in place in the event that more traditional construction methods are required.
“With the additional safeguards planned for the operation, SHA is approving the project to resume as originally planned,” said State Highway Administrator Melinda B. Peters. “Innovative approaches to engineering challenges - where traffic impacts are compressed into a short amount of time instead of two years – pose unique challenges that SHA and the entire industry can learn from as we move forward.”
SHA reminds drivers that both directions of the B-W Parkway will be CLOSED:
• 10 p.m. Friday night to 10 a.m. Saturday morning Oct. 26-27 and Nov. 2-3
• and from 10 p.m. Saturday night to 10 a.m. Sunday morning Oct. 27-28 and Nov. 3-4.
SHA reminds drivers that West Nursery Road will be closed:
• 10 p.m. Friday through 10 a.m. Sunday
Detour signs will be posted to guide motorists around the work zone. All road opening times are approximate and subject to change depending on weather and work zone conditions. MD 295 will be open to traffic during the daytime only.
“While motorists on MD 295 could bypass the work zone using the West Nursery Road ramps, this single-lane, low-speed configuration will yield significant delays,” said Administrator Peters. “For the safety of work crews and drivers, SHA is urging travelers to plan now for alternate routes on these weekends. Use MD 511 for real-time traffic conditions for major highways.”
Motorists accessing BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport from the east can use I-97 to MD 176 (Dorsey Road) and follow the "Airport Loop" signs. Drivers accessing the airport from the west should use I-95 to I-195 to the terminal. Travelers passing through the area or traveling to Baltimore, Washington or Annapolis should use I-95 or I-97.
These closures are necessary for SHA to move a pre-constructed bridge deck into place. For more information on the West Nursery Road bridge move project and local detour routes to reach BWI Business District businesses, visit
www.roads.maryland.gov.
Maryland now features FREE 511 traveler information! Call 511 or 1-855-GOMD511 or visit
www.md511.org for current travel information. Sign up to personalize travel route information through MY511 on the website. Remember to use 511 safely – Maryland law prohibits hand-held mobile phone use and texting while driving.
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. Safer driving. Safer work zones. For everyone!
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