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Two-Month Closure Requires Detours Through Late-August
(June 8, 2016) – The Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration (SHA) is reconstructing the MD 546 (Finzel Road) Bridge over I-68 in Garrett County. Work begins today and should be complete late summer, weather permitting.
The work requires a full road closure with signed detour until late-August. SHA scheduled the work during the summer months to minimize impacts on school buses that travel MD 546. All ramps at the interchange will remain open; only traffic crossing the bridge will be redirected to use alternate routes. Detours include:
Traffic traveling on I-68 Eastbound to MD 546 Northbound: (7.6 miles, eight minutes without traffic):
- Stay on I-68 Eastbound to the Midlothian Road Interchange
- Make a U-turn to get onto I-68 Westbound
- Proceed to MD 546 Northbound
Traffic traveling on I-68 Westbound to MD 546 Southbound: (11.8 miles, 11 minutes without traffic):
- Stay on I-68 Westbound to the Lower New Germany Road Interchange
- Make a U-turn to get onto I-68 Eastbound
- Proceed to MD 546 Southbound
Traffic traveling on MD 546 Northbound to stay on MD 546 Northbound: (7.2 miles, eight minutes without traffic):
- Turn onto I-68 Eastbound to the Midlothian Road Interchange
- Make a U-turn to get onto I-68 Westbound
- Proceed to MD 546 Northbound
Traffic traveling on MD 546 Northbound to I-68 Westbound: (7.2 miles, eight minutes without traffic):
- Turn onto I-68 Eastbound to the Midlothian Road Interchange
- Make a U-turn to get onto I-68 Westbound
Traffic traveling on MD 546 Southbound to stay on MD 546 Southbound: (11.6 miles, 11 minutes without traffic):
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Turn onto I-68 Westbound to the Lower New Germany Road Interchange
-
Make a U-turn to get onto I-68 Eastbound
-
Proceed to MD 546 Southbound
Traffic traveling on MD 546 Southbound to I-68 Eastbound: (11.6 miles, 11 minutes without traffic):
- Turn onto I-68 Westbound to the Lower New Germany Road Interchange
- Make a U-turn to get onto I-68 Eastbound
(SHA graphic: Detour map for Finzel Road.)
SHA is coordinating with local emergency response agencies to minimize response-time delays during construction. To assist with this effort, SHA is providing space at its Finzel Salt Barn compound on the south side of Interstate 68 for the Eastern Garrett Fire Department for a satellite fire station.
The bridge over I-68, constructed in 1973, is safe for travel but in need of repairs to extend its service life. The temporary bridge closure allows crews to replace the deteriorated concrete bridge deck (riding surface) of the bridge. The bridge project also includes removal and replacement of deteriorated steel beams, repairing sections of structural steel repairing concrete supports and piers, cleaning and painting structural steel, and paving the approaching roadway.
The $3.7 million dollar project is being constructed by East Coast Bridge, LLC of Nitro, West Virginia. Approximately 1,600 vehicles use the bridge daily.
(SHA photo: MD 546 (Finzel Road) damaged bridge deck.)
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. Work Zone Safety is in Your Hands.
A complete listing of current roadway projects is included in
e-Road Ready 2016, the online brochure. Maryland drivers can also know before they go by calling 511 or visiting
www.md511.org for live traffic updates, including construction delays and lane closures.
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