Raising Rt. 261 Between 9th Street and Anne Arundel County Line

road work

project updates

UPDATE 3/29/21: MD Rt. 261 is open.  

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UPDATE 3/26/21: The MDOT SHA contractor is on site today, March 26 and will be on site tomorrow, March 27, 2021 to prepare for the opening of Rt. 261. The opening of the roadway is expected to be Monday, March 29, 2021.  

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UPDATE 3/10/21: Today through next Wednesday, March 17, 2021, the MDOT SHA contractor will be milling and prepping the roadway for final asphalt on Rt. 261 from 8th Street heading north to Anne Arundel County. Temporary traffic interruptions are expected, so please be cautious in this area. 

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UPDATE 2/1/21: The following is an update from the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA). MDOT SHA continues work on the MD 261 Roadway Reconstruction Project. Crews have relocated the sewer force main, installed new steel bridge pilings, curb and gutter, and temporary driveway entrances. MDOT SHA’s contractor has also applied base asphalt paving at the bridge approaches as part of the roadway elevation changes. Once the detour was in place and work began, crews identified constructability issues with the sewer force main which required some re-design. While this re-design was underway, the contractor was mobilized to other areas of the project to continue work. After the most recent review of the project’s schedule, it has been determined that additional time will be needed to complete the bridge. Progress permitting, the new estimated roadway opening date is March 29, 2021. This additional roadway closure time does not greatly affect the overall project completion date of summer 2021. All efforts are being taken to minimize the duration of the closure and detour and restore accessibility for the community. MDOT SHA and its contractor have added an additional contractor crew, are working some weekends, and are taking additional and early tests of the concrete strength allowing the contractor to proceed expeditiously in the next step of the bridge construction. MDOT SHA and the Anne Arundel County Fire Department will continue its coordination with the emergency forward deployment, keeping the commitment to maintain safety at the work zone and for area residents while construction is underway. We appreciate the partnership with the Town of North Beach, Anne Arundel county, and Calvert county residents and businesses throughout construction. We are working toward a successful project completion that will enhance the community and reduce future flooding impacts. MDOT SHA will continue to provide periodic updates on the project’s progress and additional project information is available at roads.maryland.gov within the Project Portal. Click ‘MD 261 North Beach' to directly access the project page. Customers who have questions about the MD 261 project and other State projects in Anne Arundel and Calvert counties may contact the MDOT SHA District 5 Office at 410-841-1000 or by visiting roads.maryland.gov. You may also contact MDOT SHA Community Liaison Kellie Boulware at 410-841-1020.

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UPDATE 1/13/2021: MDOT SHA’s contractor performed base paving along MD 261 north of 9th Street. Crews also recently completed driving the steel piles for the bridge and additional curb and gutter work.  MDOT SHA crews are now pouring the concrete footers for the bridge abutments. 

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UPDATE 12/30/2020: The MDOT SHA contractor has raised the road and paved within two inches of the finished grade from 8th Street heading north to the entrance of Walton Beach Nature Preserve. The concrete work (curb, gutter and sidewalk) has been installed in this area. The remaining work, which is substantial, will be a new bridge and connecting it the roadway. The test piles for the bridge have been installed and are awaiting approval. Steel sheeting has been driven for removal and installation of the bridge. The crane has been on site and work is expected to begin to remove the old structure in the next few weeks. 

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UPDATE 12/4/2020: The MDOT SHA contractor is scheduled to pave Rt. 261 from 8th Street heading north. Please be cautious in this area. Additional updates will be provided on the MD 261 Project Page at roads.maryland.gov.

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UPDATE 12/1/2020: This week, MDOT SHA crews will begin daytime work to remove the existing asphalt pavement layer along the western leg of the 9th Street / MD 261 intersection, weather permitting. MDOT SHA will also begin pile driving for the MD 261 North Beach Project this month.  Crews are currently installing supportive sheet piles in preparation for this work. MDOT SHA crews will work on site during the day between 7 am and 3 pm weekdays. This work can be loud and disruptive at times. Area residents are reminded to avoid walking and biking through the work zone, even when workers and equipment are not present. Additional updates will be provided on the MD 261 Project Page at roads.maryland.gov.

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UPDATE 10/9/2020: The MDOT SHA contractor will begin work to remove and replace the curb, sidewalk and gutter on Rt. 261 between 8th and 9th Street on Monday, October 12, 2020.

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UPDATE 10/7/2020: The road work continues on MD Rt. 261 with workers continuing to relocate the force main. There has been discussion of placing additional signage regarding the road closure in the area of Boyd's Turn Road and Rt. 261.

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UPDATE 9/11/2020: MD Rt. 261, between the Calvert County/Anne Arundel County line, is closed to through traffic for the roadway reconstruction project. This MDOT SHA project closure is expected to last 20 weeks. It is recommended that motorists prepare in advance to follow the detour signs and to allow additional time for your travels. As project updates are received from MDOT SHA, the Town of North Beach will continue to share with the public via email blast, town website and social media. Residents may also follow the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration project portal at www.roads.maryland.gov.

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UPDATE 8/26/2020: The Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) began its construction project along MD 261 (Bay Avenue). The project is designed to reduce flooding impacts and enhance protections for the Town of North Beach. The construction company has been on site in recent weeks conducting preliminary work, sometimes with one-lane road closures. Crews have installed roadway signage and have relocated utilities near the Calvert County/Anne Arundel County line.

In early to mid-September, crews will implement a signed detour directing travelers to MD 261 (Bay Avenue/Walnut Avenue/Friendship Road), MD 2 (Solomons Island Road) and MD 260 (Chesapeake Beach Road) for approximately 20 weeks. Portable variable message signs will provide the exact closure date, which will be scheduled after Labor Day. MDOT SHA is coordinating with emergency responders, including the Town of North Beach and Anne Arundel County fire departments to ensure that services are not interrupted. Please note: This roadway will be shut down to through traffic. Prepare in advance to follow the detour signs that will be in place and to allow additional time for your travels.

As project updates are received from MDOT SHA, the Town of North Beach will continue to share with the public via email blast, town website and social media. Residents may also follow the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration project page here.

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UPDATE 8/17/2020: As part of the work for the MD 261 Project, the SHA contractor will be on site this week to perform work that will require one-lane road closures and a flagging operation. Progress will be dependent on weather conditions.

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UPDATE 7/23/2020: As part of the work for the MD 261 Project, the SHA contractor and utility crews will continue to be on site to do preliminary work. You may encounter intermittent one-way road closures during this time.

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UPDATE 6/26/2020: As part of the preliminary work for the upcoming MD 261 Project, crews will be on site next week, during the day, installing temporary traffic signs (the temporary signs will be installed and covered) in different locations. There will be any lane closures. In addition, crews will not be on-site on Friday, July 3 in observance of the Independence Day holiday.

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UPDATE 6/5/2020: The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (SHA) has issued a Notice to Proceed to the contractor that will begin work to raise Rt. 261 between 9th Street and the Anne Arundel County line. Please be aware that you may see work in this area as early as next week. During this stage of the project, you may encounter one-lane road closures. SHA estimates the full road closure and detours to allow for the bridge work to be in the fall of this year. Updates for this project will be shared as they are received from SHA.

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UPDATE 3/24/2020: The osprey nest was moved to the east side of Rt. 261 to enable crews to relocate utility poles. The poles for this project will be delivered to the commuter parking lot by the end of this week. The pole removal and installation along Bay Avenue is scheduled to begin Monday, March 30, 2020. Flaggers will be on site for traffic control and lane closures as necessary. Work is expected to take approximately three weeks.

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UPDATE 3/9/2020: The Town of North Beach has received correspondence stating that pole relocations would be worked on between March 20 and April 17, 2020.

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UPDATE 3/6/2020: BGE is scheduled to start pole relocation this month from the Anne Arundel County line to 9th Street. This work could take up to six weeks to complete. This is preliminary work that has to be done before any of the road contract work can be done. March 23, 2020 is the scheduled date for State Highway to give the contactor Notice to Proceed for this project. A public meeting will be scheduled in May to update the public on the sequence of construction. Road closure for the bridge work is still scheduled for after Labor Day 2020. 

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UPDATE 1/9/2020: The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) is currently conducting field survey activities relative to studies on the MD 261 between 9th Street and Anne Arundel County Line project in North Beach. We are sharing the letter here as an effort to keep the public informed of the details of this project. Questions regarding the project can be directed to: Mr. John Delaney, Project Manager at 410-545-8053 or via email at jdelaney@mdot.maryland.gov

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UPDATE 12/23/2019: The Town of North Beach currently does not have new information to report regarding this project. We welcome you to follow the Maryland SHA project page here for pertinent information including scope, schedule and contacts.

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UPDATE 8/7/2019:  The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration will hold a public meeting regarding the Rt. 261 project (from 9th Street to the Anne Arundel County line). The meeting will be Wednesday, September 4, 2019 at Windy Hill Middle School (WHMS) from 6 to 8 pm. WHMS is located at 9560 Boyds Turn Road, Owings, MD. Information on the project can be found on the MDOT SHA website by clicking here. Any questions regarding the project can be directed to:

Mr. John Delaney
Transportation Engineer
410-545-8053 / (TTY users call : 1-800-735-2258)
jdelaney@mdot.maryland.gov
FAX : 410-209-5001
Mailing Address
707 North Calvert Street
Mail Stop C-102
Baltimore MD 21202

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UPDATE 7/3/2019:  At this time, the Town of North Beach does not have significant information to share regarding the project to raise Rt. 261 between 9th Street and the Anne Arundel County Line. Please read the following statement from MDOT State Highway Administration:

“The MDOT SHA recently cancelled a public meeting for this project that was scheduled for May 20, 2019 at the Windy Hill Elementary School.  The meeting was cancelled to allow MDOT SHA more time to study alternatives to address constructability issues that arose after the meeting was originally scheduled.  The constructability issues include utility relocation, embankment settlement, and site constraints.  These issues will have an impact on the road closure duration.  We now anticipate a road closure of up to 20 weeks, but we are working to reduce that as much as possible.  Our construction is expected to begin after Labor Day in 2020, to avoid any road closure during the summer season.  There will also be some utility relocations needed before the MDOT SHA work can begin.  We will coordinate with the utility companies closely and will work with them to convey their construction schedule to the public when it is available.  We expect to schedule a public meeting for this project later this summer.”

Any questions regarding this project can be directed to:

Mr. John Delaney
Transportation Engineer
410-545-8053 / (TTY users call : 1-800-735-2258)
jdelaney@sha.state.md.us
FAX : 410-209-5001
Mailing Address
707 North Calvert Street
Mail Stop C-102
Baltimore MD 21202

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UPDATE 5/6/2019:  The Public Meeting has been postponed. Once a new date is provided, it will be shared.

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The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administrationwill hold a public meeting regarding the Rt. 261 project (from 9th Street to the Anne Arundel County line). The meeting will be Monday, May 20, 2019at Windy Hill Middle School from 7 to 9 pm. At 7:15 pm, there will be a presentation to describe the details of the project. Information on the project can be found on the MDOT SHA website by clicking here. Any questions regarding the project can be directed to:

Mr. John Delaney
Transportation Engineer
410-545-8053 / (TTY users call : 1-800-735-2258)
jdelaney@sha.state.md.us
FAX : 410-209-5001
Mailing Address
707 North Calvert Street
Mail Stop C-102
Baltimore MD 21202

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The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) is requesting public comment regarding the proposed impacts related to geometric improvements to MD 261 between 9th Street in North Beach to the Anne Arundel County Line. This project would result in minor impacts to Wetlands Overlook Park and Walton Beach Nature Preserve, which are publicly owned recreation areas protected under Section 4(f) of the U.S. Department of Transportation Act. This request for public comment is only for the proposed impacts to Wetlands Overlook Park and Walton Beach Nature Preserve. This is NOT a request for public comment for the entire project. Please refer to the home page of this website for the flyer and location map for more information. Information can also be found on the MDOT SHA website (http://www.roads.maryland.gov/Index.aspx?PageId=848). MDOT SHA will be hosting two meetings in the coming months to address questions from the community. Dates and times for these meetings are yet to be determined.

For questions or comments regarding this project, please contact John Delaney, MDOT SHA Project Manager, (410) 545-8053, toll-free (866) 462-0020, or via email at jdelaney@sha.state.md.us; or Rebecca Chojnacki, MDOT SHA Environmental Manager at (410) 545-8543, toll-free (866) 527-0502, or via email at rchojnacki@sha.state.md.us by February 28, 2019.

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The following is an update regarding the Maryland Department (MDOT) / State Highway Administration (SHA) project to raise MD Rt. 261 between 9th Street and the Anne Arundel County line. MDOT / SHA will be hosting two meetings in the coming months to address questions from the community. The first meeting will be with the homeowners along the lines of disturbance and the second meeting will be in April and open to the public. Dates and times for these meetings are yet to be determined. 

To ensure the most productive meeting for residents and adequate preparation, staff of the Town of North Beach will be collecting questions from the community to pass onto MDOT / SHA before the community meetings. Once MDOT / SHA picks the date and time, we will pass on the deadline for the questions to the community. 

 I look forward to continued communication and keeping you posted as information becomes available.

 Mike Benton, Mayor

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MD State Highway Association's environmental and highway design work is progressing toward a planned construction start for the spring of 2020. The SHA held a design updated meeting on November 17, 2017 and December 15, 2017. SHA made a presentation to Mayor and Town Council in March 2018.

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MD State Highway Association (SHA) is moving forward with design and permitting for a project to raise MD Rt. 261 between 9th Street and the Anne Arundel County line. The purpose of the project is to get the road surface above tidal flooding and provide a high point in roadway to connect the flood dike. Recently, the town staff attended a meeting at the SHA offices in Annapolis. SHA’s environmental and highway design work is progressing. Based on the latest schedule provided by SHA, they will continue with design and permitting through the fall of 2019 and construction will start in the spring of 2020.