Excavation work to relocate underground utilities will begin at the intersection of MD 20 and MD 291 west of Chestertown on Monday, August 26 to prepare for the single-lane roundabout construction at the three-legged intersection of MD 20 (High Street) and MD 291 (Morgnec Road) in the Kent County.
Starting next Monday Verizon will begin underground work that will allow for the installation of new conduit at the intersection. Crews will guide motorists using a flagging operation from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday for three weeks until mid-September. Delmarva Power began relocating utility poles earlier this month.
Some additional utility work will be needed after the excavation is completed, but will not impact motorists traveling through the intersection. The State Highway Administration (SHA) will begin construction of a roundabout later this fall, weather permitting. Construction should be complete late summer 2014.
“Construction of the new roundabout in Chestertown has been long anticipated by Kent County residents. The new traffic pattern will significantly and permanently improve the safety of all travelers through the intersection of MD 20 and MD 291,” said Greg Holsey, District 2 Engineer. “SHA has constructed more than 100 roundabouts across Maryland and there have been no intersection-related fatalities at any of the locations. The design calms traffic and improves safety for the thousands of people who travel through each day.”
SHA will hold an informational public meeting on the roundabout project Tuesday, Sept. 10, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Chestertown Town Hall, 118 Cross Street. The informational meeting will acquaint attendees with all aspects of the project through displays, a presentation on the construction schedule and traffic management and the opportunity to speak with SHA representatives.
SHA will maintain traffic through the intersection at all times during construction for all motor vehicles except large trucks for a few weeks during the middle of construction. For most of the project, all drivers will encounter temporary single-lane closures from noon to 5 p.m. on Monday and from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday. The contractor will use variable message boards, temporary signs, flaggers, cones, and barrels to guide motorists through the work zone.
Midway during the roundabout construction, in late winter and early spring, tractor trailers and other large commercial trucks will be required to travel along a signed detour as the center island is constructed. The detour will use all State-maintained routes and last a few weeks, weather permitting.
SHA’s contractor for the $1.2 million project is David A. Bramble, Inc. of Chestertown.
This project was made possible with funding from the Transportation Infrastructure Investment Act of 2013, which maintains crucial system preservation investments and allows Maryland to activate long-term strategies to invest in Maryland’s transportation systems. By putting people back to work in the transportation industry with $4.4 billion in new investments in the next six years, Maryland is creating hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity and providing Marylanders with the transportation infrastructure necessary to grow and prosper for decades to come.
While SHA and its transportation partners work hard to maintain safe traffic mobility in work zones, each driver needs to actively modify his or her driving style to help prevent crashes. Stay alert and look for reduced speed limits, narrow driving lanes and highway workers. Slow down and don’t follow too closely. Saver driving. Safer Work Zones. For Everyone!
Linda Parry says
You’ve gotta be kidding! When and where was the decision made to construct a roundabout at Rt. 20 and 291? I don’t recall reading or hearing anything about it. Has anyone studied roundabouts in other states? In my home state of New Jersey, roundabouts have all been eliminated statewide, because they create dangerous traffic conditions and endless logjams. Surely there must be a less expensive, less disruptive way to solve our local problem! You sure you don’t want to think this over?
Kevin Shertz says
Holy crap… This has been on the State agenda for Kent County quite some time. It’s been publicized. Attention must be paid?
Frankly, it makes perfect sense to me, as a person who has encountered numerous roundabouts in MD and elsewhere in the past 25+ years a a legal driver.
ScottRAB says
No modern roundabouts have been removed in NJ.
Many people confuse older styles of circular intersections with modern roundabouts. East coast rotaries, large multi-lane traffic circles (Arc D’Triumph), and neighborhood traffic circles are not modern roundabouts. If you want to see the difference between a traffic circle, a rotary (UK roundabout) and a modern roundabout (UK continental roundabout), go to https://tinyurl.com/kstate-RAB to see pictures. And here’s another site that shows the difference between an older rotary and a modern roundabout: https://tinyurl.com/bzf7qmg
The FHWA (https://tinyurl.com/fhwaRAB) has a video about modern roundabouts that is mostly accurate (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhHzly_6lWM ).
The FHWA has a video about modern roundabouts that is mostly accurate (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhHzly_6lWM ).
Modern roundabouts are the safest form of intersection in the world. Visit https://tinyurl.com/iihsRAB for modern roundabout FAQs and safety facts. Modern roundabouts, and the pedestrian refuge islands approaching them, are two of nine proven safety measures identified by the FHWA, https://tinyurl.com/7qvsaem
Carl Schaller says
Roundabouts across Maryland effectively keep traffic moving. This intersection at MD 20 & MD 291 has been studied by the State Roads Engineers and they recommend this as the best solution for the considerable traffic at this intersection. We have observed drivers of vehicles at MD 291 & US 301 using roundabouts exhibiting courtesy and patience and the traffic keeps moving. This is the ojective of traffic control. We have long awaited the funding and construction of this roundabout and look foreward to its completion.
Thomas Taylor says
What about pedestrians?? There are health care establishments that should be approachable by folks who walk. What about folks using the new walking path? Where will the crosswalks be? I do not think a painted crosswalk will be safe without at least a pushbutton stop light. At least with the 3 stop intersection the traffic is intermittent and 291 can be crossed (although it is dangerous). Tom
Scott Batson says
All modern roundabouts have median islands separating incoming and outgoing auto traffic. Pedestrians don’t have to find a gap in two directions of traffic, just one. This is safer for pedestrians, especially for younger or older ones, because they only concentrate on one direction of traffic at a time. This is what is meant by two-phase. Cross the first half, pause if you need to, then cross the second half. On multi-lane crossings pedestrian beacons or signals are often added if the auto (or pedestrian) traffic is too numerous. The signals are also two phase, usually requiring the pedestrian to push a second button when they get to the median. The median can also have a Z path to reorient the pedestrian to view oncoming traffic. Also, the signals usually rest in off, so they are only activated if a pedestrian needs the help crossing. This way only motorists that need to stop are delayed.
Chris Reeves says
Ditto to what Linda Parry says. I too lived in NJ (south to be exact) and guess where I took my test for a driver’s license? Around “Airport Circle” in Camden. It was deemed at that time (60 yrs. ago) that If I could negotiate that round-about( we called them circles then) I no doubt would be able to handle pretty much anything that I may encounter. Pity the poor and very brave MV examiner. Since that time so far as I know most, if not all of these “roundabouts(circles) have been eliminated. I wonder why? Maybe because they are down right dangerous! (DUH) Ya think? Is Md. really so far behind the times? Time to wake up!!!! C Reeves
Zach M. says
Chris,
As a general rule I think roundabouts are considered the better way to structure a high volume intersection. Have you ever noticed the major backup that occurs at that intersection during the morning and afternoon commute? This happens with a relativity small amount of cars traveling through it. A traffic circle will undoubtedly improve the situation and lead to a smoother traffic situation. There is a reason you find roundabouts in almost every new road construction… besides everyone knows that NJ and all the people that live in it are backwards anyway! (kidding).
-Zach M.
Scott Batson says
Modern roundabouts have about half the total crashes and up to 90% fewer injury and fatal crashes than comparable signals. IIHS has a fact sheet you should look into.