Project will Eliminate Another Structurally Deficient Bridge

(October 5, 2017) – The Hogan Administration today announced the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) is rehabilitating the Seminary Road Bridge over I-495 (Capital Beltway) in Montgomery County. The $6.2 million ​project will begin this week and is expected to be complete by the end of 2018.

Under Governor Larry Hogan’s leadership, Maryland is making record investments in highways and bridges. Of the 69 structurally deficient bridges identified in June 2015 by the Hogan Administration, 41 have been rehabilitated or replaced and are no longer structurally deficient. The remaining 28 are in various stages of design and are actively moving toward construction or repair.

Constructed in 1964, the bridge is safe for the traveling public but requires rehabilitation. Crews will replace the steel beams and the deck (driving surface) of the bridge. Local utility service providers will work with MDOT SHA’s contractor to relocate utilities during the bridge rehabilitation project.

MDOT SHA’s contractor, Anchor Construction Corporation of Washington, D.C., will shift traffic to one side of the bridge and work on the other side. Crews will control traffic throughout the project.

In addition to replacing the bridge beams and driving surface, crews will apply a protective fiber wrap to the bridge pier columns, protecting the concrete and steel from weather elements. MDOT SHA will resurface the Seminary Road bridge approaches, as well as the inner and outer loops of I-495 in the project area.

Two lanes of traffic – one in each direction – will be maintained on the bridge during the rehabilitation, but crews are permitted to close a single lane on Seminary Road Mondays through Fridays between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. and Sunday nights through Friday mornings between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. On the Capital Beltway, crews are permitted to close multiple lanes, including brief total closures during steel beam removal and replacement Sunday nights through Friday mornings between 11 p.m. until 5 a.m.

MDOT SHA had planned to close the bridge and detour traffic completely, but determined after meeting with community leaders that maintaining traffic during construction better served area residents. Community input was vital in the planning of this project.

 

 

(MDOT SHA photo: Pavement on the bridge deck (driving surface) the Seminary Road Bridge over the I-495/Capital Beltway in Montgomery County.)

Equipment used for construction may be disruptive. Approximately 224,000 vehicles travel on this section of I-495 each day, and nearly 38,000 travel on Seminary Road. Although traffic volumes will be significantly less during off-peak and overnight hours, motorists are encouraged to allow for additional travel time and seek alternate routes.

The e-Road Ready 2017 electronic construction brochure is now available by clicking here. The e-brochure highlights major road construction and maintenance projects in Maryland.

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. Maryland drivers can also know before they go by calling 511 or visiting www.md511.org for live traffic updates.