ABERDEEN, MD (September 9, 2013) – Today, Lt. Governor Anthony G. Brown, joined by State Highway Administrator Melinda Peters, Major General Robert S. Ferrell, Colonel Gregory R. McClinton, and other state and local officials, participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of the reconstructed US 40 / MD 715 interchange and roadway widening project leading to the entrance of Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG) in Harford County. The nearly three-year, $33 million project supports more than 300 jobs and marked the completion of the County’s first BRAC-related highway project. Today’s ceremony highlights a continued commitment to create jobs and invest in BRAC-related infrastructure improvements in Maryland.
“Investments like this one here in Harford County are critical to our efforts to improve our transportation infrastructure, create jobs, and strengthen Maryland’s military readiness,” said Lt. Governor Brown. “While the BRAC process has ended, our work continues to create 21st Century roads, bridges, and trains that will support a 21st Century economy throughout our state. By working together, we'll continue building a better Maryland for all of our families.”
The project enhances highway safety and reduces congestion along US 40, and improves access to APG, the City of Aberdeen and numerous businesses/distribution centers in the area. Traffic along this section of US 40 is expected to increase from 36,600 vehicles per day to 75,300 in 2030.
Roadway improvements included:
- Upgrading the existing US 40 / MD 715 partial interchange to a full interchange;
- Improving the MD 715 and Old Philadelphia Road intersection to provide exclusive through, right and left movements on Old Philadelphia Road;
- Widening MD 715 from four to six lanes between the bridge over Amtrak and the APG Gate;
- Widening the MD 715 bridge over US 40;
- Restriping lanes along the MD 715 bridge over Amtrak to create three lanes in each direction; and
- Resurfacing roadways within the project area and installing new traffic signal and lighting systems, drainage and stormwater management systems, and landscaping / tree plantings.
“The successful completion of this major transportation project addresses Aberdeen Proving Ground's highest priority for transportation infrastructure improvements; and it underscores the great teaming and partnership that exists among APG, our local communities and the State of Maryland. This project improves the safety and quality of life for thousands of APG employees,” said Maj. Gen. Robert S. Ferrell, Senior Commander, Aberdeen Proving Ground.
“This critical improvement to the US 40 interchange at Route 715 will help provide better access to APG, as well as safer and more efficient traffic flow to and from the numerous businesses and distribution centers located nearby,” said Harford County Executive David R. Craig. “I join in celebrating the completion of this long-anticipated project, but also recognize that much work still needs to be done in order to continue to meet the demands of the growing economy in this part of Harford County.”
“The City of Aberdeen is pleased that the O'Malley/Brown administration saw and acted on the transportation needs that were highlighted by BRAC and we are grateful to Harford County for their efforts in making this a reality. In this day and age great things are accomplished by great partnerships,” said Aberdeen Mayor Michael Bennett.
The US 40 / MD 715 project is part of a $129 million State effort to improve roadways leading to APG. Thanks to the passage of the Transportation Infrastructure Investment Act of 2013, the O’Malley-Brown Administration recently announced the addition of $43 million in construction funds to advance three intersection improvement projects at key locations along access routes to APG:
- US 40 (Pulaski Highway) at MD 7 (Philadelphia Road) / MD 159 (Old Philadelphia Road) Phase 2;
- MD 22 (Aberdeen Throughway) at MD 462 (Paradise Road); and
- MD 22 (Aberdeen Throughway) at Beards Hill Road.
With the passage of the Transportation Investment Act, the O’Malley-Brown Administration also announced the addition of $7 million in construction funds to improve pedestrian safety by providing sidewalks and bicycle lanes along a one-half mile section of MD 755 in Edgewood near the MARC train station and APG gate.
The new legislation allows Maryland to activate long-term strategies to invest $4.4 billion in the next six years in Maryland’s transportation systems and puts people back to work in the transportation industry. Maryland will create hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity and provide Marylanders with the transportation infrastructure necessary to grow and prosper for decades to come.
As chair of the Governor’s BRAC Subcabinet, Lt. Governor Brown led efforts to prepare the physical and human infrastructure in Maryland to accommodate the arrival of 28,000 new households as a result of BRAC moves. The Lt. Governor and the Subcabinet were recognized throughout the transition for numerous accomplishments, including developing a unique, intergovernmental approach to planning processes, and much of their work has been cited nationally as best practices. Brown and the BRAC Subcabinet channeled state resources to prepare the state’s workforce to take advantage of the thousands of jobs coming to Maryland, improve local roads to handle increased traffic and make the purchase of a home easier in counties affected by BRAC. The Subcabinet also worked to implement a “high/low” investment strategy for BRAC-related transportation projects, which will pursue lower-cost improvements that can be implemented quickly while also advancing higher-cost and higher capacity projects that will take longer to plan, engineer and construct.
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