Deck Replacement and Rehabilitation Work to Start This Month on Bridge At Charles –St.Mary’s County Line          
          
(April 17, 2009) – The Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration (SHA) will begin a $1.4 million deck replacement and rehabilitation on the MD 234 Bridge over St. Clements Creek in St. Mary’s County in late April. The project should be complete late summer 2009, weather permitting.          
          
Work will include complete replacement of the existing concrete deck (riding surface), repair of existing concrete bridge supports, cleaning and repainting of the existing beams, repaving of the bridge approaches, and installation of new guardrails. The new bridge deck will include wider shoulders for enhanced pedestrian and bicycle access. The existing structure was built in 1950.          
          
Temporary signals will be installed at both ends of the two lane bridge to regulate traffic flow during construction. The bridge deck will be replaced one lane at a time.           
          
Serving as a link between Newburg area in Charles County and Leonardtown in St. Mary’s County, MD 234 carries 10,000 vehicles per day. The general contractor for this project is Tessa Structures, LLC of Upper Marlboro.          
          
SHA thanks motorists for their patience and cooperation and encourages drivers to “think orange” when in a construction zone. On any day, there could be more than 350 work zones in Maryland. Remember that work zones are not only large construction projects possibly taking years to complete, but smaller, mobile operations such as mowing, pothole repair and litter pick ups. When workers are on the road, THINK ORANGE: slow down, stay alert and expect the unexpected. Choose to make work zone safety your business at www.choosesafetyforlife.com.          
          
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