Additional Lanes Will Provide Congestion Relief; Project Made Possible by Stimulus Funding

(September 28, 2009) – Today, the Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration (SHA) began a $15 million widening project on more than one mile of MD 404 (Shore Highway) between east of Tuckahoe Creek and east of MD 480 (Ridgely Road) in Hillsboro, Caroline County.  This project is the first segment of the 11-mile widening project along MD 404 from US 50 to MD 404 Business at the Denton Bypass.  Weather permitting, this segment of the MD 404 widening project will be complete by late fall 2012.

Last month, Governor Martin O’Malley officially announced the project at the ceremony to dedicate the MD 404 Bridge over the Choptank River to former Governor Harry Hughes.  “Moving forward with safety improvements on this favored road to the beaches is not only good for the surrounding communities of Hillsboro, Easton and Denton, but for the thousands of visitors to Maryland’s Eastern Shore,” said Governor O’Malley.  “Special thanks to the C-TEAM for partnering with us to improve the quality of life and safety for Caroline County families.”

In 1983, the MD 404 Bridge over the Choptank River was built as a four-lane divided highway, initiating the construction of the Denton Bypass and the widening of MD 404. In 2007, SHA completed widening MD 404 between Double Hills Road and Sennett Road, which followed the widening of MD 404 between South of Legion Road and Double Hills Road. 

The current project includes adding an additional lane in each direction and a 34-foot median.  The new four-lane divided highway will also include several safety, traffic and environmental enhancements, including:

• Extending the left turn lanes in both directions from MD 404 to MD 480;
• Constructing exclusive right turn lanes in both directions from MD 404 to MD 480;
• Constructing several service roads east of MD 480 to the north of MD 404;
• Resurfacing existing lanes;
• Installing drainage ditches and culverts;
• Constructing five storm water management facilities;
• Reconstructing traffic signals at the intersection of MD 404  and MD 480; and
• Demolishing the railroad bridge over MD 404 west of Tuckahoe Creek.

Construction crews may close one lane of traffic Mondays from noon to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Fridays from 8 a.m. to noon.  No work will take place on Saturdays or Sundays.  SHA will use arrow panels, electronic message boards, concrete barriers, barrels and cones to guide motorists through areas of construction.
 

MD 404 is a favored alternative route to the Maryland and Delaware beaches.  During the summer, the portion of MD 404 from US 50 to the Denton Bypass carries an average of 24,200 vehicles daily.  This segment also includes the MD 480 and MD 309 intersections in the Hillsboro area. The C-TEAM (Citizens for Transportation Emergency Action for Maryland), which was developed in response to the corridor’s crash history,  provided suggestions for improvement and worked closely with SHA to secure funding for this project.

This project is made possible through Governor Martin O’Malley’s aggressive management of the requirements of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, 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 construction contract to David A. Bramble, Inc. of Chestertown. Citizens who have questions about traffic operations on MD 404 or any other state-numbered route in Caroline County may call SHA’s District 2 Office at 410-778-3061 or toll-free at 1-800-637-9740.  SHA encourages motorists to “Think Orange” when driving through work zones. Please slow down, stay alert and expect the unexpected.  Choose to make work zone safety your business by logging onto www.choosesafetyforlife.com to learn traffic information.

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