SHA to Reduce US 1 Bridge from Four Lanes to Two Lanes Beginning 10 a.m. Wednesday, June 3; Motorists and MARC Riders Advised to Plan for Extra Travel Time or Use Alternate Routes           
          
(May 29, 2009) – On Wednesday, June 3, the Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration (SHA) will close two lanes of the four-lane bridge carrying US 1 over Sulphur Spring Road in Arbutus until early fall to rehabilitation the bridge.           
          
Beginning 10 a.m. Wednesday, SHA will close the southbound side of the bridge and two-way traffic (one lane in each direction) will operate on the northbound side of the bridge. Once the southbound rehabilitation work is complete, crews will switch traffic patterns and work on the northbound side beginning this fall. Area residents and commuters using the MARC Halethorpe station south of the project are advised to plan for extra travel time during the next year.          
          
The $1.3 million bridge rehabilitation project includes: removal and replacement of the concrete deck, sidewalks and parapets; removal and replacement of two bridge beams; replacement of bridge expansion bearings, diaphragms, and connection plates; cleaning and painting work; and removal and replacement of the chain link safety fence at each end of the bridge.          
          
The State’s contractor for this $1.3 million project is the Joseph B. Fay Co. Construction work and temporary lane closures along US 1 began in mid-May. Weather permitting, the entire project should be complete spring 2010, though all four lanes along US 1 will reopen this fall.          
          
For more information about highway construction activities along US 1 in Arbutus, citizens may contact the SHA project field office at 410-737-2171, toll free at 1-800-962-3077 or by email at shadistrict4@sha.state.md.us.          
          
During the next several months, there could be more than 350 work zones along Maryland’s highways. Remember that work zones are not only large construction projects possibly taking years to complete, but include smaller, mobile operations such as mowing, pothole repair and litter pick ups. Choose to make work zone safety your business at www.choosesafetyforlife.com.           
          
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