(December 12, 2014) – The Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) is closing the main navigation channel of Kent Narrows that runs below the MD 18 Kent Island Drawbridge in Queen Anne’s County.  Beginning 6 a.m. on Monday, December 15 the channel will close to allow crews to make steel repairs to the drawbridge.  SHA expects the water channel to re-open to marine traffic by February 16, 2015.  There will be daily shoulder closures on MD 18 from 6 a.m. until 8 p.m. for crews to stage equipment and material for the bridge repair.
 

 

 

 

SHA notified the U.S. Coast Guard in late October and its officials alerted mariners to the impending closure.  Crews are making steel repairs to the drawbridge in advance of a bridge painting project set to begin in late-March 2015. During the spring painting project, SHA will close the MD 18 drawbridge to motorists until early-May.

SHA’s contractor for the $365,000 bridge repairs is Covington Machine and Welding of Annapolis.