The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) announced June 26 it will be working on two major road projects that will a have significant impact for extended periods on Montgomery County drivers.

Emergency repairs to the inner loop of I-495 (Capital Beltway) Northwest Branch Bridge between MD 650 (New Hampshire Avenue) and MD 193 (University Boulevard) are expected to last through mid-July. In addition, a planned $5.7 million safety and resurfacing project covering about 4 mi. on US 29 (Colesville Road/Columbia Pike) in Silver Spring is expected to last two years.

The two construction zones are located just north of Washington, D.C.

The early stages of the projects will coincide with the phased reopening of Montgomery County as the COVID-19 health crisis eases and more drivers return to the roads.

Roadwork has already started on a summer-long MDOT SHA project to resurface southbound I-270 from Rockville to Bethesda, causing major delays each day. Drivers are advised to consider alternate routes or expect extra commute times if they travel on or around the routes under repair. Motorists also are asked to take extra caution to help keep road construction workers safe.

The major repairs on the I-495 Northwest Branch Bridge will begin after the July 4 holiday. At that time, crews will perform permanent joint repairs to the bridge.

Completing the work will require daytime and nighttime intermittent single- and multiple-lane closures between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. weekdays and between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. overnight.

Work in Silver Spring has already begun on the U.S. 29 project, between St. Andrews Way (near Sligo Creek Parkway) and Stewart Lane.

Crews currently are replacing guardrails along U.S. 29 and are scheduled to be finished next summer. They will then begin roadway patching, milling, paving and restriping.

The U.S. 29 project also includes the installation of concrete bus pads; cleaning and repairs to the storm drain system; upgrades to curb, gutter and sidewalk ramps; and traffic signal improvements at the intersections of U.S. 29 (Colesville Road/Columbia Pike) and St. Andrews Way/Prelude Drive.

MDOT SHA expects the project to be completed by the end of 2021.

Pedestrian access will always be open, the agency said, although certain phases of construction may require temporary sidewalk closures. For the life of the project, crews will close the following in both directions of U.S. 29:

• One lane: weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Two lanes: weekdays overnight from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
• One or two lanes: weekends (intermittently) up to 24 hours a day

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