OCEAN CITY – Perhaps the biggest takeaway from Tuesday’s bi-annual spring update from Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) is several large projects are progressing and there is a backlog of some of the smaller projects.
Twice a year, MDOT SHA officials come before the Mayor and Council to provide an update on various projects, upgrades and future plans around the resort area. On Tuesday, MDOT SHA Assistant District Engineers Mike Marvel and Dan Wilson briefed the Mayor and Council on a variety of projects large and small, including the eventual dualization of Route 90, or one of the major entryways into the resort.
Also discussed was the chronic flooding problem at the base of the Route 50 bridge that often closes a large section of the downtown area during a storm or even a modest rain event. The update included a laundry list of MDOT SHA projects in the resort either finished, in progress, or that have been completed. Wilson said beyond the major renovation projects, many of the items on the agency’s punch list for Ocean City were being held up by ongoing supply chain issues for materials.
“While many businesses are back to normal after the last couple of years, we at MDOT SHA are still feeling supply issues,” he said. “We share some of your concerns about maintenance projects and we are working on them, but some of the materials needed are still on backorder status.”
While the eventual dualization of Route 90 has been the prominent point of discussion during the bi-annual meeting, it was glossed over rather quickly on Tuesday because it is moving along through the planning and design process. For years, dualizing Route 90 has been a top priority for Ocean City in terms of MDOT SHA projects, but it has since moved up the list.
Last August, Gov. Larry Hogan announced during a trip to Ocean City the dualization of Route 90 had been moved up on the state’s priority list for Worcester County. In June, state officials announced $15 million had been included in the budget for the design phase of the project. In addition, an environmental impact study for the Route 90 project is underway, the results of which could be released as early as December, according to Wilson.
With that said, Wilson returned to the issue of the flooding problem at the base of the Route 50 bridge. The town is planning a major redevelopment of the Baltimore Avenue corridor from North Division Street to 15th Street and MDOT SHA will be a major partner in that project, which includes milling and repaving the roadway, widening sidewalks and making them all Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant. Improving the flooding issue at the base of the bridge could be a component of that larger project.
“We do have a concern about the level of flooding at the base of the Route 50 bridge,” he said. “That is affecting businesses and residents. We are seeking a feasibility study to seek an evaluation. I know your staff has also been working on a plan.”
Public Works Director Hal Adkins said he had been working on a plan for correcting the flooding issue at the base of the bridge and had shared his ideas with MDOT SHA officials.
“It doesn’t need to be a multi-million-dollar project,” he said. “I’m not talking about elevating the portion of Philadelphia Avenue where it backs up to 6th or 7th streets.”
Adkins said his plan included a graduated sloping toward the base of the bridge to elevate the roadway and minimize the flooding.
“Picture a large speed hump down the base of the bridge with a gradual elevation. I think it would help with the flooding issue in that area,” he said. “You could end up creating something there that during a major storm, our first responders can still get in and out of there. That’s the concept.”
Wilson said MDOT SHA is considering reviving its pedestrian safety task force for the resort area. The task force was created years ago when the new median fence project was being discussed but it has disassembled for the most part. Wilson said MDOT SHA officials routinely sit in on the town’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) meetings and are well-versed in some of the ongoing issues.
“There has been an interest in restoring the pedestrian safety committee,” he said. “It shouldn’t be hard to start that up again. We can move forward with that. Any support we can get from you all would be much appreciated.”
While he had MDOT SHA officials on hand, Council Secretary and BPAC chair Tony DeLuca took the opportunity to advance some of his pet projects.
“I know I bring this up every time we meet with you, but I’d like to talk about Reach the Beach,” he said. “Statistics show our largest number of visitors come from the Baltimore and Washington areas and some of the backups add an hour to the trip.” DeLuca said he would like to eventually see an overpass at Route 404 and maybe a bypass at Route 213.
He said those lights are the first encountered on the Eastern Shore after no signals along Routes 50 and 97, for example.
