Community Corner

Milford Mill Bridge Work on I-695 to Begin Sunday

Drivers should anticipate lane closures and speed cameras, the State Highway Administration said.

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Drivers can expect a new landscape on I-695 in the coming weeks between Milford Mill Road and I-795 as the State Highway Administration prepares for a major bridge reconstruction project.

Temporary single- and double-lane closures will take effect overnight Sunday and Monday so crews can install concrete barrier walls to create a temporary work zone.

The left shoulders will be closed and travel on both the inner and outer loops will be shifted between Liberty Road and I-795, according to State Highway Administration District 4 Engineer David Peake.

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Crews will clear and prepare the site before the Milford Mill bridge replacement begins in the spring, a process that will continue for the next two years. In 2014, lanes on I-695 will be shifted toward the median, as crews remove and replace the outside parts of the bridge. In 2015, traffic will be shifted to the right as the rest of the bridge is replaced.

All lanes of I-695 will stay open during morning and evening rush hour, according to the State Highway Administration, but shifts may take place at any other time.

Speed cameras will be installed in early March, officials said. A radar-equipped digital sign will alert drivers of the 55 mph work zone and display vehicle speeds.

For the first three weeks after the camera is installed, drivers traveling at least 12 mph over the speed limit will receive warnings. Thereafter, violators will receive $40 civil citations.

The State Highway Administration advised drivers to stay alert, be mindful of narrow driving lanes and highway workers, slow down and allow for more space between vehicles.

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The $25 million project to replace the bridge entails the following:
  • Resurfacing I-695 and Milford Mill Road near the bridge
  • Widening the bridge to allow for future lane additions on I-695
  • Constructing new 5-foot sidewalks on Milford Mill Road under the bridge
  • Installing new lighting on Milford Mill Road
  • Replacing the sound barrier on northbound I-695 between Milford Mill Road and I-795, adjacent to the Scotts Hill community

The bridge replacement project is funded by the Transportation Infrastructure Investment Act of 2013, which enables Maryland to maintain critical transportation systems.

The State Highway Administration said it constructed the bridge over Milford Mill Road in 1961 and widened it in 1968 and 1979.

"While the bridge is structurally safe for travel, it is nearing the end of its useful life," according to a statement from the State Highway Administration, which said replacement will save money on future bridge maintenance.

The new bridge will look similar to the I-695 bridge over Liberty Road, a project completed in 2012.

The bridge at Milford Mill is anticipated to be complete by spring 2016.

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