Enhancement Project Made Possible Through Stimulus Funding;   Guardrail to be Upgraded in Several Locations near Cumberland
 

(September 24, 2009) – The Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration (SHA) has begun a $3.4 million safety improvement project to replace the guardrail on I-68 (National Freeway) in Allegany County.  Weather permitting, the project should be completed in fall 2010.

Guardrail will be replaced in various locations along I-68 between east of Hillcrest Drive and M.V. Smith Road just east of Cumberland.  New galvanized guardrail will improve safety and better withstand salt applications during the winter season.  Motorists traveling along I-68 should be prepared for single-lane and shoulder closures, Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday 7 a.m. to noon.  This section of I-68 carries an average of 16,000 vehicles each day.

This project is made possible through Governor Martin O’Malley’s aggressive management of the requirements of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), bringing critically needed transportation investments to Maryland.  Projects such as these are stimulating Maryland’s economy by supporting hundreds of jobs.  Follow the delivery of these projects at www.recovery.maryland.gov, which tracks every category of ARRA spending and provides contract-level details to the public in an effort to achieve new levels of government transparency and efficiency.

SHA awarded the contract to Green Acres Contracting Company, Inc.  Those who have questions about traffic operations along I-68 or other State numbered routes in Allegany County may call SHA’s District 6 Office at 301-729-8400 or toll-free at 1-800-760-7138.   SHA reminds all drivers to buckle up, obey posted speed limits, think orange, and stay alert in the work zone. 

 

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