(July 2, 2014) - The Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) will close MD 436 (Ridgely Avenue) to vehicle traffic at the Weems Creek movable bridge from Friday, July 4 at 6 a.m. through Sunday, July 6 at 8:30 p.m. The bridge will be locked in the open position during this time to allow marine traffic to pass.

Crews will post detour signs directing motorists to MD 70 (Rowe Boulevard). This temporary closure is related to ongoing bridge maintenance work and is necessary due to the higher-than-normal number of bridge openings expected over the Independence Day weekend.

 

 

 

 

During this work, crews have been maintaining bridge operations by manually opening the bridge for boats, a process that takes about 30 minutes for each opening, compared to five minutes when the bridge is operating normally.  All travelers should plan ahead and prepare for extra travel time during the closure.

A project to replace the bridge’s four hydraulic lift cylinders and upgrade electrical components started in spring 2014.  Work will resume on Monday, July 7 and SHA will issue a project update by mid-July.