Traffic Shifted onto New Lanes of MD 2/4; Crews Move to 24-Hour Work as Widening Project Nears Completion
(May 28, 2009) – Commuters who travel along MD 2/4 (Solomons Island Road) from southern Maryland to Washington, D.C. are in for a pleasant surprise. The Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration (SHA) widening project through Prince Frederick reached a major milestone on May 21 when both north and southbound traffic was shifted onto new lanes, and the general contractor for the $16 million project shifted into high gear with 24-hour work schedules.
All utility work has been completed; progress continues on curb, gutter, landscaping and signal work, and crews have begun construction the new median. Weather permitting, the nearly two-year project could be completed by this fall, say SHA officials.
The widening project will upgrade the .78 mile section of MD 2/4 between Old Field Lane and Commerce Lane to a six-lane divided highway. Improvements include the addition of a third lane in each direction, double left turn lanes, a raised median, ADA-compliant sidewalks, audible/countdown pedestrian signals at intersections, the elevation of MD 231 to improve visibility and drainage, and new traffic signals at MD 231 (Hallowing Point Road/Church Street).
Each day, more than 40,000 vehicles pass through the MD 2/4 Prince Frederick commercial corridor. This figure is expected to nearly double by 2030, according to the SHA.