GOVERNOR LARRY HOGAN BREAKS GROUND ON MD 97 RELOCATION CONSTRUCTION PROJECT IN BROOKEVILLE

MDOT SHA Logo

MDOT SHA Logo

ANNAPOLIS, MD – Standing near Salem United Methodist Church along MD 97 (Georgia Avenue), Governor Larry Hogan today broke ground on the MD 97 Relocated project in the historic Town of Brookeville in northern Montgomery County. The governor was joined by local officials and community members to celebrate the start of the $47.6 million project.

Hogan MD 97 Announcement
(MDOTSHA Image:  The governor was joined by local officials and community members to celebrate the start of the $47.6 million project.)
 
“In Montgomery County and all across the state, we are moving forward on nearly all of the highest priority transportation infrastructure projects in every single jurisdiction from one corner of the state to the other,” said Governor Hogan. “The new highway will enhance safety, reduce travel times, and preserve the historic nature of the beautiful town of Brookville while ensuring that commuters have access to businesses, churches, and recreation.”

The event was held during the Hogan Administration’s Montgomery County Cabinet Day, which began with a public cabinet meeting in Olney, Md. and included over 100 events, tours, and meetings across the county in which state officials visit local communities and hear from citizens directly.

The long-awaited realignment project is part of Governor Hogan’s $1.97 billion investment in roads and bridges announced in June 2015. Montgomery County partnered with the state by contributing $10 million for the engineering and right-of-way phases of the project.

The project includes a new 0.7-mile, two-lane highway with bicycle-compatible shoulders between north of Goldmine Road and south of Holiday Drive. Once complete and open to traffic, the new roadway will make Georgia Avenue more accessible and safer for local residents, cyclists, and pedestrians. The project also includes construction of two bridges - one at Meadow Branch stream and the other at Reddy Branch stream - and two single-lane roundabouts that will improve traffic and safety operations. MD 97 functions as a major north-south commuter route between Brookeville and northern Montgomery and Frederick counties.

MD 97 has a 90-degree curve at Market Street, which is accompanied by a steep hill. The increasing volume of peak-hour traffic combined with the roadway’s geometrics contribute to the need to improve the overall operational characteristics of Georgia Avenue through the community. Nearly 11,400 drivers travel this section of Georgia Avenue every day. By 2040, nearly 14,800 drivers are projected to use the new MD 97 Relocated in Brookeville.

Construction is scheduled to begin this month at the southern end of MD 97 near the Longwood Community Center. Preliminary phases of work will include permanent shoulder closures and flagging operations.

Other improvements include the construction of Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant sidewalks and sidewalk ramps, new stormwater management facilities and drainage systems, new lighting and signage, re-construction of a baseball field within the project limits, and paving and pavement markings at the end of the project to correspond with the layout of the new roadway and stream restoration work.

“We ask that drivers slow down during all phases of construction for the duration of this project as we work to build this new roadway for the Brookeville community,” said MDOT Secretary Pete K. Rahn.

Partners in this multi-faceted roadway project include the Town of Brookeville, the Maryland National Capital Park Planning Commission, Montgomery County, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Maryland Historical Trust.

The $1.97 billion investment in roads and bridges aims to reduce congestion and improve safety across the state. From intersection improvements to widening and new interchange construction, the Hogan Administration is investing in hundreds of projects to enhance the commute and daily travel for millions of Marylanders.

# # #
 

###