(June 17, 2011) – On Monday, June 20 the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) will temporarily close the MD 63 (Greencastle Road) bridge over CSX Railroad near Ellicott Parkway, north of Williamsport.  The closure is part of a $1.3 million dollar project to replace the deck (driving surface) on the 52-year-old structure.  SHA expects to open the bridge by the end of summer, prior to the first day of the new school year.

Last summer, SHA held a community meeting to discuss the upcoming project and traffic detours.   Along with considering the feedback at the meeting, SHA determined closing the bridge for construction was the best option as it would shorten the duration of the project.  More than 6,100 vehicles travel on this section of MD 63 each day.

During construction all traffic along MD 63 traveling north from Williamsport or south from Hagerstown will be detoured as follows.

• Northbound MD 63 will be detoured onto US 11 (Potomac Street), to northbound I-81, to westbound I-70, and back onto northbound MD 63.
• Southbound MD 63 will be directed to a left onto eastbound I-70, to southbound I-81, to westbound US 11, and back to southbound MD 63.

Detours have been coordinated with the Washington County Department of Transportation, local schools and emergency responders.  Customers who have questions about traffic operations on MD 63, or other State numbered routes in Washington County may call SHA’s District 6 Office at 301-729-8400 or toll free at 1-800-760-7138.  

Construction season is here with numerous active work zone sites that include major construction projects taking months to complete and mobile operations taking only minutes.  While SHA and its transportation partners work hard to maintain safe traffic mobility in work zones, each driver needs to actively modify his or her driving style to help prevent crashes. Stay alert - look for reduced speed limits, narrow driving lanes and highway workers.  Slow down and don't follow too closely.  Safer Driving. Safer Work Zones.  For everyone.

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