Bacon Ridge Branch Bridge Closure Scheduled In Approximately Three Weeks; Traffic to Be Detoured Through Summer; Special Federal Funds Help Move Forward          
          
(June 3, 2008) - Beginning in mid-June, the Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration (SHA) will close a section of MD 450 (Defense Highway) to through traffic between Crofton and Annapolis to replace the bridge over Bacon Ridge Branch (headwaters of the South River). The road will close after schools are dismissed for summer break and remain closed until this fall, weather permitting.          
          
Next week, detour signs will be posted advising motorists of the closure. The roadway will be closed between Rutland Road and the Ridges Gateway Road. Motorists will be detoured to MD 424 (Davidsonville Rd) and US 50 (John Hanson Highway) during the construction:           
• Eastbound MD 450 traffic traveling east along MD 450 prior to the project limits will be directed to turn right onto MD 424 and proceed south; turn right onto the ramp for eastbound US 50 / US 301 ramp, then connect to the ramp for MD 450 (Defense Highway) exit heading east.          
• Westbound MD 450 traffic prior to the project limits will be directed to take US 50 / US 301 ramp heading onto westbound US 50. Travel approximately six and one-half miles to northbound MD 424 (Exit 16). Turn left onto westbound MD 450.           
The detour will be lifted prior to the fall start of the 2008-2009 school year. All construction is expected to be completed by the end of September, weather permitting. The $2 million project includes a new two-lane bridge with wide shoulders for bicycle and pedestrian access. To reduce flooding, SHA will also elevate the roadway east of the bridge. The new bridge will be built in sections off-site and then shipped to the bridge location for installation. This process will minimize road closure and total work time, and significantly reduce environmental impacts at the construction site.          
          
SHA will close the road on both sides; barricades will be in place on each side of the bridge. Pile driving for the bridge will take place during the day. SHA awarded the contract to Concrete General, Inc. of Gaithersburg, Md. Any questions about this project or others along State-numbered routes may be directed to SHA’s District 5 Office at 410-841-1000 or toll-free at 1-800-331-5603.           
The project is funded in part by an $800,000 federal grant from the Highways for Life program, which encourages innovative design, materials and techniques in bridge construction. The MD 450 Bridge over Bacon Ridge Branch was constructed in 1925, and carries approximately 8,000 vehicles per day.          
With safety its number one priority, SHA is a proud partner of Choose Safety for Life, a campaign that provides one voice for drivers, motorists, pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcyclists and truckers. With 93 percent of traffic crashes occurring because someone made a wrong choice on Maryland roadways, virtually all traffic crash fatalities could be prevented if everyone practices these five key steps: B-SAFE – Buckle up, Slow down – speeding kills, Always drive sober, Focus, Everyone share the road. Learn more at choosesafetyforlife.com.           
          
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