Early spring brought early stages of construction to Baltimore Road, as the city’s contractor began the project to make the east-west connection from Rockville Town Center to the city’s east side more convenient, safe and accessible for pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists.
In March, a land surveyor staked out the project, marking the locations of various design elements. Construction crews are using the lower lawn of Rockville Cemetery for staging and storage, under an agreement with the Rockville Cemetery Association. Crews installed temporary signage along the road to alert travelers to the construction. Some signs are currently covered to avoid confusion before work begins.
Crews set inlet protection and other erosion and sediment control measures along Baltimore Road between MD 28 (First Street) and Denham Road, which were approved by the city’s inspector as adequate for stopping construction sediment from entering the waterways. In April, crews began relocating water mains and installing storm drains along the same stretch of roadway.
Staff from the city’s Traffic and Transportation Division attended meetings of the East Rockville Civic Association and Twinbrook Community Association in January to discuss the project. The contractor plans to proceed with work incrementally, generally moving block by block, west to east, as it completes improvements. These include an 8-foot-wide shared-use path that connects the Rock Creek and Carl Henn Millennium trails, sidewalk infill, pedestrian safety spot improvements, curb and gutter installation, storm drain infrastructure installation, water and sewer relocations, stream restoration, landscaping, and stormwater management.
Roadway resurfacing will be one of the final steps of the project, which is expected to be completed in spring 2022, if work proceeds as planned.
More info on the Baltimore Road Project is available here.