(July 28, 2015) –Using an innovative technique to recycle asphalt, the Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration (SHA) will improve the ride quality on MD 135 (Maryland Highway) between Mount Zion Road and Chestnut Grove Road in Swanton on Backbone Mountain. The $3.1 million project begins next week and should be complete by the end of the year, weather permitting.

Crews will mill the top layer of asphalt from the road and use the material for the base layer of the new surface using a “Cold In Place (CIP)” recycling method. This process does not require heat to mix the material, which is combined with other aggregate (rocks) and compacted to obtain the right strength to bear traffic loads.

“This is the first use of this method of recycling on a state road,” said Acting SHA Administrator Douglas Simmons.  “Recycling asphalt is cost effective and environmentally beneficial because less new material is needed.”

In addition to resurfacing four miles of MD 135, crews will improve drainage by adding new inlets and removing debris buildup from pipes. MD 135 was last resurfaced in this area in 1994 and carries approximately 3,000 vehicles daily.

Motorists should expect daily single lane closures between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. Flaggers will guide travelers through the work zone. SHA’s contractor for the project is Keystone Lime, Inc. of Springs, Pa.

In addition to this project, drivers may also encounter mobile or short-term work zones. Always expect the unexpected, pay extra close attention and drive slowly through any work zone. Whether it’s a tree trimming operation or a bridge project, be aware when orange is there: Think Orange (the color of construction equipment and signs), stay alert and slow down.  Everyone is at risk. 

Road crews are well into mid-summer construction. Click here for a listing of major SHA construction projects throughout Maryland. For the latest real-time travel information, log onto www.md511.org.

 ​