MD 161 sign
Project to Keep Maryland’s Transportation System in a State of Good Repair
(February 6, 2023) - The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) is beginning a project this week to replace metal barriers (railings) and enhance safety on the MD 161 (Darlington Road) bridge over Deer Creek in Harford County. The $2.7 million project is expected to be complete by fall 2023, weather permitting, and includes:
- Replacement of the metal barriers along the 278-foot-long bridge.
- Installation of a new traffic warning sign.
- Application of high-friction treatment on the bridge’s approach.
Work will be conducted weekdays between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. with temporary lane closures with flagging operations to control two-way traffic while the contractor installs a temporary traffic signal system at the bridge. MDOT SHA contractor Brawner Builders Inc., of Hunt Valley, will use flaggers, electronic signs, barrels and cones to direct two-way traffic through the one-lane bridge work zone. Once the temporary traffic signal system is installed, two-way traffic on one lane of the bridge will be controlled by the signal 24 hours a day, seven days a week until the work is completed. Learn more about the project on the Project Portal Page found here.
As an alternate route, motorists traveling on MD 161 between US 1 (Conowingo Road) and MD 155 (Level Road) may use US 1, MD 136 (Priestford Road) and MD 155. The Harford County Department of Public Works has closed the nearby Stafford Road bridge over Deer Creek (east of MD 161) for a rehabilitation project and is detouring traffic onto MD 161. The county’s bridge project is expected to be complete in spring 2023.
Motorists in need may dial #77 on their mobile device for roadside assistance.
For a list of all major MDOT SHA projects, go to
Project Portal. Visit our homepage at
roads.maryland.gov. For a look at real-time traffic conditions, go to
md511.maryland.gov.
Editor’s Note
From intersection improvements to widening and new interchange construction, MDOT SHA is investing in projects to enhance the commute and daily travel for millions of Marylanders. MDOT SHA maintains more than 2,500 bridges and 17,000 miles of non-toll state roads – the interstate, US and state numbered routes in Maryland’s 23 counties.