OCEAN CITY – Efforts to repair storm drains, launch a Walk Smart campaign and improve the intersection at the base of the Route 50 bridge highlighted a spring update from the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (SHA) this week.
On Tuesday, SHA officials presented the Mayor and Council with their bi-annual report on various projects taking place in and around the resort area. Assistant District Engineer Mark Crampton said several maintenance projects, including the repair of several storm drain catch basins, would be completed ahead of the summer season.
“Those are where the walls of the inlet are having issues or where concrete aprons have started to fail,” he explained. “And a number of those have been marked out and started. What we’re looking to do is have that work start the week of the 17th and we certainly expect that to be done well before the Memorial Day holiday.”
Mayor Rick Meehan, however, noted the importance of completing SHA projects before the season commences. He noted such projects could disrupt upcoming events such as Springfest and Cruisin weekend.
“The season is Ocean City starts well before Memorial Day weekend,” he said. “It’s not 5 o’clock Friday on Memorial Day weekend anymore, as it was maybe 30 years ago.”
When asked if maintenance projects could be completed before that time, Crampton said they would.
“The only thing out of our control is the weather,” he replied. “But absent of that, yes.”
Crampton this week also highlighted efforts to refresh 55 crosswalks along the Coastal Highway corridor.
“Obviously the concentration is going to be on those in the worst conditions and/or the highest-hit areas,” he said.
Councilman Will Savage applauded the effort, noting that the project complemented the Walk Smart campaign being launched in May.
“I appreciate you making that a priority,” he said. “As you are aware, we have got a State Highway grant of $100,000 to start the Walk Smart campaign. It would just be counterproductive to not keep up on the maintenance of this when we’re dumping $100,000 into putting people in those places.”
Council Secretary Tony DeLuca, however, questioned if the crosswalks would be completed in the continental, or “piano keys,” style. He said the subject has been discussed at several meetings of the Ocean City Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee.
“As you know, from 26th Street to the Delaware line, they are not done,” he said. “You said you were going to do 55. So that leaves us with 88 that aren’t going to be done this year … What are your plans to complete the other 88?”
SHA Assistant District Engineer of Construction John Gover said the administration only had plans to redo crosswalks from 68th Street to the Delaware line in the continental style. Others, he added, would be refreshed.
“The ones we’re going to refresh, because of funding we are not going to be upgrading them to continental,” he said.
Officials also noted SHA’s plans to repair the wooden bollards separating the eastbound and westbound lanes at the base of the Route 50 bridge.
“They’ve been there a long time, and I think an upgrade to those bollards would make a significant improvement to the entrance of Ocean City,” Meehan said.
Public Works Director Hal Adkins also sought the council’s support this week for a concept to elevate the entire intersection of North Division Street and Philadelphia Avenue near the Route 50 bridge. He said implementing a new design would enhance the ability to enter and exit during flood events.
“We actually went out and did extensive surveying to try to prove the concept will in fact work, and it looks like it will work,” he said. “I am hoping the Mayor and Council will find it in their means to authorize a letter of support to the district and see how far we can go with this.”
Officials this week also discussed the timeline for Route 90 improvements. In February, SHA released the results of its Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study, which evaluates the Route 90 corridor between Route 50 and Coastal Highway.
“The team is currently working on the transition from the Planning and Environmental Linkages study into the NEPA study,” Crampton said. “We anticipate the team will be able to provide further information on these efforts either later this spring or summer as the process rolls along.”
City Manager Terry McGean questioned if additional funding would be included for the Route 90 project.
“Nothing that I’m aware of,” Crampton replied. “But where I sit, I’m not in charge of that.”
Following Tuesday’s presentation, resort officials thanked SHA staff for their updates.
Meehan, however, reiterated the town’s stance on the timeline for SHA projects.
“I think the one thing we do have to change a little bit is the fact that the traditional start of the season being Friday, Memorial Day weekend isn’t what it is anymore. It’s really May 1 …,” he said. “I think we need to change that a little bit … It’s just not valid anymore.”
Crampton agreed.
“The limit for us on that is going to be temperatures …,” he said. “But I don’t disagree with you.”
