WEST OCEAN CITY — In what has become somewhat of a moving target, the planned overnight closure of a busy section of Golf Course Road at Route 50 has now been moved to next Wednesday, July 10.
Late last week, State Highway Administration (SHA) announced Golf Course Road at the south side of Route 50 near the Royal Farms convenience store on the corner would be closed from 7 p.m. this past Monday, July 1 until roughly 5 a.m. on Tuesday, July 2, to facilitate the installation of drainage pipe across the roadway. SHA announced the closure was necessary to ensure motorist and worker safety during the installation of a drainage pipe. The drainage pipe project is part of the larger project to construct a bicycle-pedestrian-friendly path along the Route 50 corridor between Route 611 and the Harry Kelley Memorial Bridge, which broke ground this week.
Shortly thereafter, apparently under some pressure from businesses along the corridor that voiced concern about closure just days before the Fourth of July holiday, SHA officials announced the planned closure of Golf Course Road at Route 50 had been moved to Monday, July 8, beginning at 9 p.m. and continuing overnight into early Tuesday morning.
However, on Wednesday, SHA District Community Liaison Bob Rager announced the proposed closure date had been moved once again, this time to next Wednesday, July 10. As a result, and apparently subject to change, Golf Course Road at Route 50 will be closed from 9 p.m. next Wednesday into early Thursday morning. Rager explained the project was moved again to allow for its quickest completion while causing the least disruption to area businesses.
“I am so sorry, but the Golf Course Road closure date has changed again to Wednesday, July 10 at 9 p.m.,” he said this Wednesday. “All other details remain the same. The goal is to find a date when we can put enough resources on this pipe installation to knock it out in one long night with minimal business disruption.”
As a result, Golf Course Road will be closed between Route 50 and Route 707, or Old Bridge Road, from 9 p.m. next Wednesday to roughly 5 a.m. next Thursday morning. Detour signs will be posted, directing motorists to use Route 611 and Route 707 to navigate around the closure area.
