SHA replacing two Wicomico Co. Bridges

The Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration says that beginning mid-September, it is going to replace two Wicomico County bridges.

SHA has announced that closure and detours will be needed to quickly complete work on MD 54 at Mockingbird Creek near Mardela Springs and MD 349 at Windsor Creek in Nanticoke.

Each project reportedly requires a full road closure and detour for about 10 weeks.

Click for a Google map of MD 54, Delmar Road, over Mockingbird Creek

SHA officials say that the 19-foot timber structure was built in 1940, renovated in 1996 and repaired in 2007. SHA will reportedly replace the wood with a pre-stressed concrete slab that will reduce maintenance costs, get rid of current weight restrictions, and provide a smoother ride and longer-wearing ride surface.

Crews are also apparently constructing new retaining walls, improving drainage, paving the roadways, and landscaping the area.  

For this project, SHA will post two detour routes- passenger cars can use US 50, Ocean Gateway, and Old Railroad Road; trucks will use US 50 and US 13, N. Salisbury Boulevard/Ocean Highway  Nearly 3,000 vehicles reportedly travel this part of MD 54 each day.

Click for a Google map of MD 349, Nanticoke Road, over Windsor Creek

Built in 1931 with major repairs in the 1970s, this timber bridge is reportedly considered structurally deficient and has reached the end of its useful service life. SHA says it will install a new 30-foot long pre-stressed concrete slab and new walls/supporting structure, as well as reconstruct the approach roadway.

SHA will post the detour route for all vehicles to use Oak Grove Church Road and Jesterville Road. Apparently an average of 2,000 vehicles cross this bridge each day, with higher volumes during summer months for recreational travel.

SHA says its contractor for both projects is George & Lynch of Dover, DE, and construction cost is reported as $2.3 million for MD 54/Mockingbird Creek and $2.7 million for MD 349/Windsor Creek.

Officials say that both projects contain incentive/disincentive provisions to expedite reopening of the roadways this fall.