Officials: Phase three of Route 113 dualization project halfway finished
Officials say that phase three of the dualization project on Route 113 in Worcester County is more than halfway completed.
According to the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration, officials are working on Phase three of the project on Route 113. Officials are converting the two lane road to a four lane divided highway. That phase is set to be completed in late spring 2018.
In September, officials will begin phase four, which runs from the south end of phase three down to Snow Hill. When those phases are completed, all 38 miles of US 113 in Maryland will be dualized.
Officials say that dual highways improve safety over two lane roads because they separate oncoming traffic with wide medians and barriers which cuts the risk of head on crashes.
Dual highways also reportedly are controlled access roads which means that officials consolidate access via service roads and J- turns to cut possible conflict points. Paving of the new northbound lanes of Route 113 begun from the north end of the project to the Langmald Road intersection and it will continue south through Basket Switch Road this summer.
Construction crews are putting two layers or lifts of base asphalt this summer. Officials say that utility relocations are finished in the Basket Switch Road area. Grading and drainage work is underway south of Basket Switch Road. The Maryland Delaware Railroad has finished its replacement of the US 113 railroad crossing near Newark Road/Basket Switch Road. The project is a part of Governor Larry Hogan's $1.97 billion funding package for building, maintaining and fixing Maryland's roads and bridges.
While most of the current work will be off the US 113 travel lanes, drivers are told to be alert for construction vehicles entering and leaving the roadway and they are told to remember that the work zone speed limit is 45 MPH. Drivers are also told to expect occasional daytime flagging operations, overnight closures on US 113 and short detours, along with traffic control devices such as cones, delineators and arrow boards and some noise from equipment operation.
Officials say that the phase three project involves widening US 113 to a four lane divided highway from south of Massey Branch to north of Five Mile Branch Road. This phase is part of a larger multi-phase project that will widen US 113 to a four lane divided highway from Market Street to Hayes Landing Road. The remaining widening projects are being done in phases as money becomes available.
The wider roadway will help safety and operations and cut traffic congestion caused by high seasonal peaks linked with summer resort traffic. The phase three widening project is being advanced as a design/build project and it started in early 2015. The total amount of the project is $62.7 million with construction costing $49 million in new funding that was announced on May 12, 2014. Fed: $38.2M / State: $10.8M) and the right of way costing $10.7 million.
To learn more about the dualization project, people can visit the "Projects Page" section of this website, then Worcester County- US 113 Worcester Highway.
