SHA Will Temporarily Split Lanes on Ramp During Concrete Deck Work; Motorists Advised to Plan for Extra Travel Time and Look Ahead for Work Zone Changes 
 

(October 1, 2009) – On or about 7 p.m. Monday night, October 5, the Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration (SHA) will begin installing a temporary split of the lanes on flyover ramp from southbound I-83 (Baltimore-Harrisburg Expressway) to eastbound I-695 (Baltimore Beltway) and the MD 139 (Charles Street) Interchange, weather permitting.  As of 6 a.m. Tuesday morning, October 6, the lanes on the ramp will be split with concrete barriers separating the lanes. Motorists going from southbound I-83 to the Charles Street Interchange must stay in the right lane and motorists going to eastbound I-695 may use either lane.

This ramp split is needed to complete Phase 2 of the $1 million I-83 ramp rehabilitation project, which is separate from the I-695/Charles Street Interchange reconstruction project.  The I-83 ramp project began this summer and will be complete early spring 2010, weather permitting.

The project is being done in three phases to allow two lanes of the bridge to remain open to traffic during construction work.  During each phase, crews will remove the top layer of concrete on a section of the deck (riding surface) and resurface it with a new layer of concrete.   Crews are completing work on Phase 1 this week. 

In Phase 2, this fall crews will work to remove and replace concrete in the middle of the bridge deck.  In Phase 3, both lanes will be shifted to the left to allow crews to work on the right side.  Temporary traffic signs and barriers will guide motorists through the work zone and temporary traffic patterns along southbound I-83 south of Exit 18, the Timonium Road interchange.  The State’s contractor for the I-83 ramp project is Tessa Structures, LLC of Upper Marlboro. 

For more information about highway construction activities along I-83 and I-695, citizens may contact SHA’s District Four Office at 410-229-2300, toll-free at 1-866-998-0367 or by email at shadistrict4@sha.state.md.us.

SHA encourages all motorists to drive responsibly and “Think Orange” while driving through highway work zones by driving the speed limit and remaining alert at all times.  Learn more about work zone safety and Maryland’s Choose Safety for Life campaign at www.choosesafetyforlife.com. 

# # #