Hogan Administration Investing $404 Million in Frederick County Transportation Projects
ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor Larry Hogan today announced a $36.9 million investment to break the bottleneck along MD 180 from south of I-70 to north of US 15. The Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration will start construction this spring on multiple important projects that will address longstanding traffic problems on Ballenger Creek Pike (MD 180), including road widening along MD 180 and Solarex Court near AstraZeneca and the construction of a new bridge over US 15. Governor Hogan made today's announcement during his visit to Frederick County, where he is meeting with local elected officials, touring local businesses, and talking with constituents.
County Executive Jan H. Gardner and Frederick Mayor Randy McClement joined Governor Hogan to announce these two major projects. Overall, the Hogan administration has announced $404.6 million in total transportation investments in Frederick County, including the planned restoration of $55.3 million in highway user revenue funding for local projects.
“Our administration is committed to moving forward on top priority road projects in every single jurisdiction in the state," said Governor Hogan. "Widening the road and improving safety along MD 180, and reconstructing the MD 85 / I-270 interchange, are important steps we are taking to improve infrastructure in Frederick County, and one more way that we are changing Maryland for the better.”
Once completed, the $36.9 million investment will increase the number of lanes from one to two lanes in each direction for the 0.89-mile stretch of Ballenger Creek Pike (MD180) from Ballenger Center Drive (south of I-70) to Himes Avenue (just beyond the US 15 bridge).
With work getting underway now, the MD 180 roadway project is expected to be open to traffic in December 2016. The project also includes resurfacing and construction of a 5-foot wide, ADA-compatible paved bicycle/pedestrian path along westbound MD 180 between Solarex Court and Ballenger Center Drive. When open to traffic later this year, the new road will provide commuters using Solarex Court a much easier drive with four westbound lanes and two eastbound lanes.
Construction on the $31 million MD 180 bridge project will begin in fall 2018. This new two-lane bridge will be built parallel to the 49-year-old MD 180 bridge over US 15. Once complete, the two bridges will carry a total of four lanes over US 15.
Combined, these projects will enhance operations and improve safety for the 22,000 people who travel this road daily and will improve the flow of traffic in and around the Center Park complex.
While visiting Frederick, Governor Hogan also highlighted nearby projects included in his $1.97 billion statewide investment in highways and bridges. One key project is the $118 million project to replace the two, 66-year-old structurally deficient bridges carrying I-270 over MD 85 with one new bridge and to upgrade the I-270 / MD 85 interchange. This project also will improve a 1.1-mile stretch of MD 85 from south of SHA’s District 7 entrance to north of Spectrum Drive.
In total, these improvements will benefit 49,500 drivers who use MD 85 and the 109,670 drivers who use I-270 each day.
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