Motorists Urged to SLOW DOWN through Work Zone

PRESTON – Construction of a temporary road adjacent to westbound MD 331 (Dover Road) is yet another sign of good progress on the Dover Bridge replacement project. To help keep things moving along safely for everyone the Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration (SHA) is asking motorists to pay particular attention to an upcoming traffic shift.

Beginning Monday, SHA will shift traffic onto the 1,700 foot parallel road to allow for construction of a wall and other improvements on the north (Talbot County) side of the bridge. This new traffic pattern will remain in place through project completion in 2019. Final preparations for this shift are weather-dependent, and paving crews are permitted to work this Saturday, under a single lane flagging operation from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

While traffic shifts are designed and implemented according to current safety standards, SHA is reminding the public that safety is everyone’s responsibility and motorists must do their part – reduce speeds through the work zone and be alert for changing conditions such as construction vehicles entering the roadway.

“MD 331 is a daily commuter route for thousands of motorists and truck drivers and it’s easy to get comfortable on such a long, straight road,” explains District Engineer Greg Holsey.

Construction of a new MD 331 bridge over the Choptank River is a top priority for SHA and a vital project for the Eastern Shore. This project will replace the existing swing span movable bridge, constructed in 1932, with a 2,020-foot long fixed structure featuring wide shoulders and 50-foot clearance over the waterway.  SHA awarded a $48 million construction contract to McLean Contracting of Glen Burnie. An average of 12,000 vehicles travel this section of MD 331 each day.