WALDORF, MD--The Charles County Commissioners recently conducted groundbreaking ceremonies to recognize the construction of several water and road improvement projects that are underway to improve the infrastructure in Charles County, as well as a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the completion of another portion of the Cross County Connector. Groundbreaking ceremonies were held for the following projects: Waldorf Well Number 16, Section 4B of the Cross County Connector and Phase 2 of Middletown Road, and Phase 1 of the Route 229 Water System Interconnection. A ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the completion of Section 4A of the Cross County Connector.
Waldorf Well Number 16, located near the intersection of St. Charles Parkway and Smallwood Drive East in the Carrington Neighborhood of St. Charles, is a new production well in the Patapsco Aquifer that is being constructed on an existing county-owned site with an existing elevated water storage tank. When complete, the well will be capable of producing 550 gallons per minute into the Waldorf East water distribution system, providing additional storage and system capacity.
The well, designed by KCI Technologies of Hunt Valley, Maryland, is being constructed by A.C. Schultes of Edgewater, Maryland. The cost of the project is slightly over $1.29 million, with completion scheduled at the end of August of this year.
Section 4B of the Cross County Connector begins 1,500 feet east of the existing intersection of Billingsley Road with Middletown Road. When complete, it will connect to Phase 2 of Middletown Road, which extends to Smallwood Drive. The two sections include 4,900 linear feet of highway, which when complete, will be a four-lane divided highway with a shared hiker/biker route. Section 4B is 1,850 feet long and will cost $2.7 million; Middletown Phase 2 is 3,900 feet long and will cost $3.7 million.
These road projects were designed by Loiderman, Soltesz Associates, with construction awarded to Cherry Hill Construction. The inspection is by URS Alpha Joint Venture. Completion is anticipated by April 2007.
Phase 1 of the new Route 229 water transmission main runs from Courtney Drive to Sawmill Place and will interconnect the Waldorf Water System with the Laurel Branch Water system. When complete, the project will include 8,500 feet of 16-inch distribution water main along Route 229 from Sawmill Place to Courtney Drive and 1,000 feet of 8-inch water line along Grey Run Drive. This system will also tie into the County's WSSC connection to help alleviate stress on the aquifers.
The system was designed by Harms and Associates, with construction by Flippo Construction Co. The project cost is nearly $1.35 million. Completion is expected be complete by this summer.
Recently completed Phase 4A of the Cross County Connector runs from St. Patrick's Drive to the beginning of Phase 4B, which begins1500 feet from Middletown Road. Phase 4A is 5,200 linear feet of roadway, improving an existing two-lane highway into a four-lane divided highway with a raised median and outside shoulders.
This phase was designed by Whitman, Requardt and Associates, constructed by Fachinna Construction, and inspected by Greenhorne and O'Mara. The cost of this phase of the project, which was finished late last year, was $4 million.
The Department of Planning and Growth Management Development and Capital Services Division is managing the projects.
For more information about the enhanced transportation and enhanced water and sewer and solid waste programs that have been completed or are underway within the County, please click on: http://www.charlescounty.org/pgm/devserv/default.htm on the Charles County web site.