US 40 sign
Expect Detour to Begin June 30 in Wilson-Conococheague Area
(June 26, 2025) – The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration will temporarily close and detour US 40 (National Pike) beginning at 8 a.m. June 30 in Clear Spring as part of the bridge over Conococheague Creek rehabilitation project. The detour is anticipated to be in place through August 2026, weather permitting.
The State Highway Administration will close US 40 at the bridge, and a detour will be in place directing eastbound and westbound motorists to use MD 68 (Clear Spring Road), I-70 and MD 63 (Greencastle Pike).
US 40 detour
US 40 over Conococheague is a triple-span, reinforced concrete, open-arched bridge that replaced the nearby Wilson Stone Arch Bridge in 1936 when heavy automobile and truck traffic along the National Pike became too much for the older bridge. The span is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places for its distinctive open-spandrel concrete arch design, built at the pinnacle of concrete arch construction in Maryland. As part of the rehabilitation, important character-defining features, such as the open-spandrel columns and arches, will be reconstructed in-kind. Due to safety requirements, the bridge’s open rail parapet will be replaced with a closed rail version with recesses that mimic the original’s arched openings.
State Highway Administration’s contractor Kokosing Construction, from Westerville, OH will use electronic message boards, signs, barrels and cones to notify motorists about the work zone, road closure and detour. Signs will guide motorists through the detour. Motorists are encouraged to stay alert, slow down and focus on driving safely through work zones.