​Frederick County Project will Improve Safety and Roadway Access; Work Includes Four-Week Closure of Section of MD 144

(April 12, 2022) – The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) will assist Frederick County beginning Wednesday, April 13, with a project to improve safety and roadway access on MD 144 (Old National Pike).    

Starting at noon Wednesday, MDOT SHA will close a 1,000-foot section of eastbound MD 144 (Old National Pike) between the area prior to the I-70 overpass and Ijamsville Road. The closure is expected to be in effect for four weeks, and is necessary to complete pipe installation on MD 144 for the new eastbound I-70 ramp and connect the new ramp to MD 144.    

Detour routes will be set up to connect motorists to and from I-70 and Ijamsville Road. The project’s contractor, Kinsley Construction, will use electronic signs, cones and barrels to alert motorists about the road closure and guide them through the detours.   

  Detour map, I-70 and MD 144/Old National Pike

Emergency vehicles will still have access through the temporary closure. Traffic on I-70 will not be impacted by the work or closure.   

The project is part of a public-private partnership between Frederick County and Elm Street Development. MDOT SHA completed the planning study for the improvements, reviewed plans, issued permits, and is providing inspection services for the project. 

MDOT SHA works hard to maintain safe traffic mobility in work zones for our crews as well as our customers. Drivers need to stay alert, focus on driving and look for reduced speed limits, as well as other driving pattern changes. Please drive like you work here and slow down in construction zones.  

Motorists in need may dial #77 on their mobile device for roadside assistance.

Governor Larry Hogan has declared April as Work Zone Safety Month in Maryland. For more information on Work Zone Safety, visit roads.maryland.gov and click on the work zone safety banner. Also follow MDOT SHA on Twitter @MDSHA and on Facebook at facebook.com/MDOTSHA. 

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.